Cabatuan, Iloilo
annually celebrates its rituals and ceremonies of Holy Week every Good Friday
and have become an important part of Iloilo’s cultural heritage, testimonies of
a tradition that reaffirms our identity.
Visitors to Cabatuan
especially during Good Friday have the opportunity to immerse themselves in
local culture, including the special local delicacies prepared for the
occasion. Everybody is welcome to participate in their very interesting ancient
rituals and ceremonies.
GOOD FRIDAY PROCESSION
The massive Good
Friday procession includes the participation of thousands of devout Catholics
in the area, one of the largest Lenten processions in the entire province are
followed by lavishly decorated floats with life-size religious images depicting
scenes of the passion and sufferings of Christ, mostly family heirlooms as
thousands of devout Catholics carrying candles pray along the way.
The sight is one of
the most solemn times of the year for the entire community, a time to remember
Jesus’ death and resurrection. It begins and ends at the doors of the present
Neo-Classical Parish Church of St. Nicholas of Tolentine built by the
Augustinian Friars in 1834. Visitors to the town are welcome to participate in
this moving cultural experience.
KAPIYA/ STATIONS OF
THE CROSS
Another tradition
igniting Holy Week in the town are the creative Stations of the Cross, a
unique, creative, collaborative Stations of the Cross experience people could
walk through at any time throughout Holy Week.
Walking and praying
the Stations of the Cross is an ancient way of participating in Jesus suffering
in the last days before his death. The concept is re-ignited with creative
visuals that interpret the historical events of the suffering of Christ.
Barangays around the
poblacion area are annually encouraged to create an assigned station. Mostly of
life-sized religious images made from indigenous materials like sawdust, seeds,
dry leaves, recycled materials, etc.
PASYON
Considered as one of
the oldest Lenten practices is by way of the Pabasa or Pasyon, the
uninterrupted chanting of the Pasyón, an early 16th-century epic poem narrating
the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the local
dialect.
Held usually in
front of a dressed-up altar is the centerpiece of Cabatuans’ Lenten rituals
after the procession, participants dressed-up in traditional Filipino outfits,
the Passion Guide containing the long biblical passages of the Passion and
Death of Jesus Christ is sung accompanied by a musical instrument either in
guitar or organ or it can be chanted by either a group of kids, teenagers or
senior citizens in the most imaginable way.
Things prepared for
this tradition includes cleaning the area for the station, putting on a shade
or a roof with lights, chairs, musician’s corner, and food for the visitors.
Cabatuan is
completely transformed during Holy Week. Ilonggos turns out to experience one
of the towns’ traditional Lenten events to the full. Do not miss the chance to
visit Cabatuan at this time.
The Second-Class
municipality of Cabatuan is subdivided into 68 barangays with a land area of 8,
248 hectares populated by 58, 442 Cabatuananons. The town is 24. 2 kilometers
away from the city or a 30-minuter drive. To get to Cabatuan, one can take a
jeepney at the terminal fronting Christ the King Memorial in Jaro, Iloilo City.
For more information, please contact Mr. Gary Bibangco – Municipal Tourism
Officer at 09219490998.
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