Flores de Mayo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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[edit] Etymology
Flores, from the Spanish word for "flowers," also known as Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May), Flores de Maria (flowers of Mary) or alay (offering), may refer to the whole Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in honor of the Virgin Mary. It was believed that "Flores" (short term for Flores de Mayo) was originated from a historical town of Malolos in the province of Bulacan in 1865, when the young girls made a floral offering to the Virgin Mary in the parish church. [1]
[edit] In Bicol
In the Bicol region, especially in the locality of Barangay Sabang in Naga City, this annual affair is held every Wednesdays and Saturdays of the entire month, headed by the legion of mary, presidium cause of our joy, rañeses and alcantara's family, with the last day called as "katapusan".The ritual is started with the rosary, with every decade followed by Spanish marian songs:
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-Reina del Rosario- -Dios te Salve- |
-Venid- Solo- Con que filial le anhelo |
-Dulcisima Virgen- Solo-
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Jasmin, asuzena
-Adios- Adios, adios |
The traditional MARIA with its respected meaning is said after the salve and the litany.Dating back to the Spanish times, this tradition is said in the Hispanic language.after the ceremony, simple snacks are given to the children who attended the devotion.There is also the aurora in which mary is brouht to the procession.Alabasyon is called to the sang prayers for the holy cross.
[edit] In the Tagalog region
In the Tagalog region, this custom and celebration started after the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and after the publication circa 1867 of Mariano Sevilla's translation of the devotional Flores de Maria or Mariquit na Bulaclac na sa Pagninilaynilay sa Buong Buan nang Mayo ay Inihahandog nang manga Devoto cay Maria Santisima (The Flowers of Mary or the Beautiful Flowers that in the Meditations During the Whole Month of May are Offered by Devotees to Mary the Holiest). [2]
[edit] 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 Sheba (Queen 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.
