The Pinoy way of Celebrating Semana Santa

"hoy,ang iingay nyo! Wag nga kayong maglaro sa kalye,patay ang Diyos".

Hinding hindi ko makakalimutan ang linyang yan,isang araw ng holy week year 2001. Naka assign ako sa Kalayaan,Laguna bilang volunteer teacher for the kids and youth during that time. We we're having some fun nung mga bata,kasi galing kami sa twinfalls. Well, malapit sa twinfalls since taga dun yung isa naming kasamahan. Natameme yung mga bagets na kasama ko,kasi napagalitan sila,ako napatingin lang kasi ang pagkakaintindi ko nun "wag kayong maingay,may naglalaba". Hindi ko talaga magets kung bakit bawal ang mga kung ano anong bagay during Holy week.

I wasn't born slash i didnt grow up in a traditional Catholic way. So blame me not if I am not practicing those pamahiin or paniniwala during Holy Week. But being a typical pinoy,and having a sagrado katoliko relatives I somehow knew some pamahiin during Semana Santa. I don't know, but during my childhood days,kahit papano nauto rin ako ng ilan naming kaanak. well not super nauto naman since my father always remind us to follow what we can read sa Bible..(That reminds me of Pacquiao ha?) I'm not sure today,pero during my time in our much-loved province Holy Week is something they rigorously observe and the elders of the town obdurately imposed some bizarre rules on kids during Holy week.

1. Bawal maglaro sa Kalye or bawal ang maingay tuwing Byernes santo dahil patay ang Diyos - I really can't map out the correlation of this kasabihan. I know the point na igalang natin yung pag alala ala natin sa kamatayan ni Jesus. But to reprimand the kids from having fun? Ayayay! According to the elders, pag naglaro daw kasi at nagkasugat, hindi na ito gagaling since Jesus is dead nga..Parang hindi naman.. Parang,wow,grabe naman, dahil lang naglaro hindi napapagalingin ang sugat?! That’s just another lame excuse for me as a kid. Then, I have this playmat/churchmate nung grade school ako,we call him Sanggol (i think until now,marami pa rin tumatawag sa kanya nun). He asked his mom (teacher Aida), "nanay,bakit ba taon taon na lang patay ang Diyos?" and we're like, 'huh, oo nga no?"

2. Bawal maligo from Thursday to the eve of Easter.- Naks! A very good excuse for the kids not to take a bath no? hello, dugyot and hi amoy araw! Pero, I still believe that cleanliness is next to Godliness. J

3. Abstain from all meat from Palm Sunday to Easter - No Meat. No Red Meat for a week; meaning practice Pescetarianism *. It's like a metro-sexual diet huh? I really don’t know the reason behind that so I searched Google, checked Wiki and I can't find a good answer. Here's what I got:

You can definitely eat meat during the holy week, but it’s advised to avoid it. Check it here. WHY DO WE HAVE TO AVOID IT???

I didn’t stop there, I thirst for more answer, and thank goodness I found some : 

The 1983 Code of Canon Law specifies the obligations of Latin Rite Catholics [Eastern Rite Catholics have their own penitential practices as specified by the Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches].Meaning, these beliefs were originated from the Canon Law*. And the reason behind it --- Meat is considered to be the flesh and organs of mammals and fowl. Also forbidden are soups or gravies made from them. But there's an exemption: Besides those outside the age limits, those of unsound mind, the sick, the frail, pregnant or nursing women according to need for meat or nourishment, manual laborers according to need, guests at a meal who cannot excuse themselves without giving great offense or causing enmity and other situations of moral or physical impossibility to observe the penitential discipline. 

So, after reading this, what do you think? It's up to you. Live what you believe in. Any deprivation that would gravely thwart us in carrying out our work, as students, employees or parents would be contrary to the will of God. Gets?

4. Panata at Penitensya*- Ito yung pinaka ayaw ko sa lahat na mapanood or makita. First time kong nakakita ng actual na Penitensya sa Kalayaan Laguna ng di sinasadya. Kasi una, takot ako sa matatalas na bagay, then makikita kong inihahampas nila sa likod nila.. Ugh!  According to them, nawawala ang kasalanan nila kapag nagpenitensya o yung tipong pahihirapan nila ang sarili nila. Based on my observation, those who participated sa rites na to is nakatakip ang mukha. Syempre hindi ko rin alam bakit kelangang nakatakip ang mukha nila.maybe nahihiya? kasi next week for sure, back to reality tayo mga tsong.. Peace!

Roma 6:23 Ang kabayaran ng kasalanan ay kamatayan ngunit ang libreng handog ng Diyos ay buhay na walang hanggan kay Cristo-Jesus.

And of course one of the best Bible Verses and Promises ever- the famous John 3:16.

I was and I am thinking hindi pa ba sapat si Jesu Christ? I mean, kulang pa ba para sa atin yung ginawa nya? Sobrang sapat nay un. Sobra sobra nga eh. Di naman natin kelangang saktan ang sarili natin, we were saved by His grace. Walk with Him, follow Him, pray unceasingly, be thankful – our hearts should beat for God lang. Yun ang sine-search ni God, yung heart natin - hindi ang peklat sa likod or tuhod natin kundi ang puso natin na ready na magpasakop sa kanya. Kanya kanya nga siguro tayong paniniwala, pero gusto ko pa ring i-share kung ano yung paniniwala ko bilang isang kabataang Kristyano.

I feel for the kids na nadedeprive maglaro man lang or tumawa during Byernes Santo. Too bad for those kids because if they wont listen, bloodshed will follow. LOL! But I am not so sure right now if we Pinoys still have the old practice. Hopefully not,coz it will just be the same sluggish days again for the kids.

During this season, let’s all remember what God hath done to mankind. We are all blessed so let’s make God proud!

Pescetarianism*--- is the practice of a diet that includes seafood but not the flesh of other animals.

Canon law* ---is the body of laws and regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority.

Penitensya* is a traditional act of self flagellation as a form of repentance. The origin can be traced back to the colonial era of the country. This is now an out-of-the-ordinary exhibition attracting both local and foreign visitors.

Semper Fidelis,

Ash