Missing ‘Santacruzan’

JUST A THOUGHT: “Every exit is an entry somewhere else.”–Tom Stoppard

NONE THIS TIME: One of the casualties of COVID-19 is the Maytime celebration of Flores de Mayo, a monthlong series of events in honor of the Blessed Mother.

The occasion is usually marked by afternoon prayer novenas in church, highlighted by floral offerings to an image of Mother Mary.

The main event takes place on May 31, the culmination of Flores de Mayo. A procession presenting young ladies with their escorts goes around town, while people pray and sing along the way.

Brass band music accompanies the procession.

TOWN FAIREST: Where white used to be the dominant hue, a rainbow of colors now dress up the Santacruzan as a concession to modern-day practices.

The traditional procession of town beauties introduced

to the Philippines by Spanish conquistadores has, indeed, evolved with time.

These impressions struck us as we look back to a grand Santacruzan we witnessed in Lipa City sometime back.

HOLY CROSS: Santacruzan celebrates the fabled discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great.

According to legend, 300 years after the death of Christ, St. Helena set out to Calvary in search of the cross on which He was crucified.

Then-75 year old Helena ordered excavations on the site of the crucifixion that yielded three crosses. St. Helena tested each of them by making a sick servant lie on all three.

The cross where the servant was healed was declared as that of Christ’s.

In the old days, nine days of prayer, called the novena, preceded the Santacruzan.

In towns and barrios across the country, the novena prayer covers the whole month of May.