When I was younger, I always look forward to the month of May. Aside from the many fiestas to celebrate in our town,we have the Santacruzan where I get to see a lot of pretty ladies wearing beautiful gowns and totally made-up while parading on the street (streets that weren't cemented yet and full of carabao's manure!!! LOL) and being escorted by handsome men. I had a share of that as a kid where I would always be the first in the line with make-up and a gown too. I was all alone though as kids don't get to have their escort. LOL.
When I grew older, I didn't get to walk the streets "beautifully" as a "reina". Why? Maybe, I was not pretty enough for the people to feast their eyes on me. Hahah! Just kidding. The truth is, I prefered to be out of the limelight. Duh! Kidding aside, I have my younger sisters to "prettify" and dress-up. Yes, they were the ones that I volunteered to join as people were asking us to join the event. So having myself out of the picture, I was the one who chose my sisters' gowns, did their make-up and even customized headdresses made of flowers for them. That's what during my teenage years.
I wish I could share the pictures here but my sisters might "kill" me for I made fun of their faces that they looked like clowns and styling was really really bad! Just thinking of that time, I can't help but laugh. LOLOL.
But what is Santacruzan or Flores de Mayo? Wikipedia says Flores de Mayo is a Catholic festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. It lasts for a month, and is held in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Santa Cruzan is a parade held on the last day of Flores de Mayo in honor of Reyna Elena. Today is the last day of the month and I regret not seeing a single parade. It seem like as the years go by, fewer people participate on this event. It has also evolved as some parades no longer happens on the streets but are now inside of an airconditioned shopping mall. Check out the pictures below which were already on exhibit when I passed by SM Clark ast week.
The following information is from Wikipedia and is interesting read, so check it out.
The Sagala
A Sagala is a religious-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns and even in small communities throughout the Philippines during the month of May. One of the most colorful May-time festivals in the Philippines which depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in the events and are featured as major sagalas and escorts[3]. This festival was introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines and has since become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love and romance.
The procession commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reyna Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was a joyful celebration for thanksgiving.
A novena in honor of the Holy Cross precedes the Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan.
[edit] Order of the procession
The participants of this colourful pageant parade is arranged in the following order:
1. Methuselah- he is bearded, bent with age, riding a cart looking preoccupied with toasting some grains of sand in a pan over a fire. This is a reminder that everything in this world is passing and will end up as dust like that which he is toasting.
2. Reyna Banderada - a young lady dressed in a long red gown carrying a yellow triangular flag. She represents the arrival of Christianity.
3. Aetas - represents the animist Filipinos prior to the islands' conversion to Christianity by the Spanish.
4. Reyna Mora (Queen Moor) - represents the Filipinos who converted to Islam, which arrived in the Philippines two centuries before Christianity.
5. Reyna Fe (Queen Faith) - symbolises the virtue of faith, the first of the theological virtues. She carries a cross.
6. Reyna Esperanza (Queen Hope) - symbolises the virtue of hope, the second theological virtue. She carries an anchor.
7. Reyna Caridad (Queen Charity)- symbolises the virtue of charity, the third theological virtue. She carries a red-coloured heart.
8. Reyna Abogada (Queen Lawyer) - the defender of the poor and the oppressed, she wears a black graduation cap and gown (toga) and carries a large book. She may also be a representation of Mary, Help (Advocate) of Christians.
9. Reyna Sentenciada (Queen Convicted) - has her hands bound by a rope, she stands for the early Christians, especially the virgins, who were cruelly martyred. She is accompanied by two Roman soldiers.
10. Reyna Justicia (Queen Justice) - a personification of Mary as the "Mirror of Justice", one of her titles in the Litany of Loreto. She carries a weighing scale and a sword.
11. Reyna Judith (Queen Judith) - represents the biblical widow Judith of Bethulia who saved her city from the Assyrians by slaying the cruel Holofernes. She carries the head of her victim in one hand and a sword in the other. She is also known as Infanta Judith.
12. Reyna ng Sheba (Queen of Sheba) - represents the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power and riches. She carries a jewelry box.
13. Reyna Esther - the Jewish queen of Persia who spared her people from death at the hands of Haman through her timely intervention with King Xerxes. She carries a scepter.
14. Samaritana (The Female Samaritan) - the woman whom Christ spoke to at the well. She carries a jug on her shoulder.
15. Veronica - the woman who wiped the face of Jesus; bears a veil imprinted with three faces of Jesus.
16. Tres Marias(The Three Marys)- each Mary holds an attribute associated with her:
a. Mary of Magdala - a bottle of perfume;
b. The Virgin Mary - a handkerchief;
c. Mary, the mother of James - a bottle of oil.
17. Marian - each figure in this group alludes to a title of the Virgin Mary or is associated with her.
a. "A-V-E--M-A-R-I-A" - eight "angels": girls all wearing long white dresses and wings- each holding a letter from the word "AVE MARIA."
b. Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) - a shepherd's staff.
c. Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of the Stars) - a wand with a star.
d. Rosa Mystica(Mystical Rose)- a bouquet of roses.
e. Reyna dela Paz (Queen of Peace) - a dove.
f. Reyna de las Profetas (Queen of the Prophets)- an hourglass.
g. Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven)- a flower; accompanied by two little "angels".
h. Reyna de las Virgines (Queen of the Virgins) - a rosary (or a lily); also escorted by two little "angels".
i. Reyna de las Flores (Queen of the Flowers) - a bouquet of flowers.
18. Reyna Elena (Queen Helena) - the last member of the procession, she represents Saint Helena, Empress and legendary founder of the True Cross; this is signified by the small cross she carries in her arms. This considerably prestigious role is usually awarded to the most beautiful girl in the procession. In some communities observing the Santacruzan, the identity of the woman who will become Reyna Elena is kept a secret until the day of the procession.
a. Constantine - the escort of Reyna Elena, is a young boy representing the Emperor Constantine.
The procession is then followed by the steady beat of the rondalla, playing and singing the Hail Mary in Spanish ("Dios Te Salve"). The devotees walking with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and sing the prayer as they go along.
After the procession, there is a pabitin that serves as a culminating activity for all the children to enjoy. A Pabitin is a square trellis where goodies (candies, fruits, small trinkets, etc.) are hung by strings. This trellis is, in turn, tied to a rope and is suspended on a strong branch or pole. The children then gather under the trellis and they jump as high as they can to try to pick the goodies as the trellis is slowly lowered to them while someone jerks it up and down repeatedly until all the goodies are gone.
It is customary for males attending the Santacruzan wear the traditional Barong Tagalog and that the females wear any Filipiniana-inspired dress. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flores_de_Mayo)
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