XLIX. SS-Files: Holy Week in Caingin, San Rafael, Bulacan

The town of San Rafael is actually quite large, which is why it is mildly surprising that until a few years ago, there was only one Roman Catholic parish that covered the entire town – the Bayan that we just left before coming along on this extended Semana Santa visit.

The Parish of Caingin, based in the large barangay of the same name, was established first as a quasi-parish some time in the 1990’s, and subsequently confirmed as a parish in its own right some years ago. The parish church is a slightly enlarged version of the already relatively large bisita (village chapel) that lies almost equidistantly from the old parish church in the Bayan and the Sabang bridge that connects San Rafael with Baliwag town.

The Caingin bisita, which had existed for longer than anyone around (and even those who had passed on) could remember, was most likely originally built to house a very old and reputedly miraculous Crucifix. It is for this reason that it is called the Parish of Santo Cristo, or the Crucified Christ.

It is fair to expect a parish so dedicated to have appropriately devout Holy Week activities, so we venture to this, actually my family’s ancestral village, to check it out first hand.

Because it is a relatively new parish, its Holy Week processional line-up is not yet very long. Several of the tableaux and images must have been “spun off” from the Bayan’s processional line-up, which even then must have been quite complete – today that already includes some thirty-five carrozas, most of which we featured in the immediately previous installment of this series.

In fact, at least one or two of the just fourteen members of Caingin’s processional line-up strive to be “versatile,” by doing some sort of double-duty. A case in point is the very first one in the line-up, “San Pedro at ang Maluwalhating Pagpasok ni Jesus sa Jerusalem” [Saint Peter and the Entry Into Jerusalem].

Because there is no individual image of Saint Peter that brings up the front of this procession, the owners of this tableau must have figured that it could just let the Saint Peter image that is part of the group play this role somewhat.

No doubt the other members of the team, including a richly-dressed Holy Woman (perhaps Mary Magdalene?),

two far-too-wealthily garbed Jewish peasant girls,

and the Christ on a perspiring donkey

don’t seem to mind at all.

Unfortunately the use of overly-bright white lights makes the ensemble appear rather ghostly, much to the apparent amusement of the donkey.

Hopefully some generous parishioner will step up and contribute a good solo processional image of Saint Peter so that it may head up a gradually-expanded line-up in the near future.

The second member of the line-up, “Ang Pagsasalo nina Jesus, San Juan, at ng Mahal na Ina” [Jesus, John, and the Blessed Mother Share a Meal] clearly betrays the undue influence that the egregious Holy Week processions in the neighboring town of Baliwag have over this young parish.

There are at least two telltale signs of the Baliwag influence. First, the tableau is decked out far too sumptuously, with gold-embroidered garments,

an ornately carved console table as a dining table,

and pewter-like cups, a large basket of grapes and a humongous loaf of bread positioned in front of a an intimidated-looking Christ.

The second Baliwag effect is that of potential irrelevance. For this scene is not found in scripture, and is based only on the text of the Mahal na Pasyon. It is thus unclear what the devotional significance of depicting such a scene as this is, except perhaps to portray these divine personages as having led an unremarkable domestic life as well. Not a good use of devotional resources, in my view. And that console table ought to be returned to its nouveau-riche home.

Another potentially irrelevant non-scripture-based tableau is third in the line-up, “Ang Pamamaalam ni Jesus sa Kanyang Ina” [Jesus Bids His Mother Farewell].

Again, the use of white lights does not flatter this scene, and the row of bright discs along the perimeter of the carroza does not enhance artistic appreciation either.

Next is “Ang Panalangin sa Halamanan” [The Agony in the Garden]. At last we’re back on track with the first sorrowful mystery.

This looks to be a vintage image that was previously processed in the Bayan for some time, with a folk-looking Christ paired with a mid-sized angel with front-falling long hair that at first glance appears to give him a beard.

“Si Jesus na Nakagapos sa Haliging Bato” [Christ at the Pillar] comes next.

The stern-looking Christ somehow struggles to win our sympathy, and is not helped by the simultaneously over-colorful and anemic floral decoration.

Whatever sympathy failed to be gained by that Christ might instead go to this sad and desperate-looking one, of the “Ecce Homo.”

This folk-style rendition of the classic “Señor de la Paciencia” features freshly-cut-looking (and therefore very green) scepter and crown of thorns, and somewhat anatomically-incorrect purple outlines of veins on the legs.

Its carroza is a nice one though, in a handsome shade of Philippine hardwood with subdued metal appliqués.

The "Señor Nazareno" [Christ Carries His Cross] comes next. Like most other Nazarenos in the Philippines, including perhaps the original in Quiapo, it is rendered in a folk manner, with a black wig that isn’t color-matched to its beard.

It has a classical carroza though, with proper globo-type milk glass lighting fixture virinas and metal appliqués on a dark hardwood base.

Our family’s “Pagkarapâ ng Panginoon” [The Fall of Christ], or to use its scripture-referenced title “Si Jesus ay Tinulungan ni Simon na taga-Cirene” [Jesus is Helped by Simon of Cyrene to Carry His Cross], is next. A four-part series has already been written about this tableau, so instead of commenting further here, just view these sample photos

And click on these links:

SS-Files: Ang Pagkarapâ (four-part series)

Ang Pagkarapâ Photo Album

Next is “Ang Paglalahad ni Veronica ng Tatlong Mukha ni Jesus” [Veronica Reveals the Three Faces of Jesus on her Kerchief].

This image is appropriately dressed in mourning, in an elegant shade of maroon.

The parish’s titular patron, “Ang Mahal na Señor Santo Cristo” [Our Holy Lord the Christ] is deservedly an important member of this processional line-up.

The processional image is actually a replica of the original image referred to earlier, and now permanently enshrined in the church altar.

Following this is “Si Jesus sa Kandungan ng Kanyang Ina (Pieta)” [Jesus is Cradled by His Mother].

While not exactly depicting a cradling in the Blessed Mother’s lap, this scene does seem to benefit from the presence of an extra-scriptural character, seen in the lower right-hand corner.

Inevitably, next comes “Ang Bangkay ni Jesus (Sto. Entierro)” [The Dead Christ (The Holy Burial)].

The image is a dark-colored traditional-style Dead Christ, complete with gold-embroidered maroon blanket and metal chin.

The calandra (funeral coach) itself is new, as perhaps the image too is, but despite the somewhat too generous sampaguita garlands (yes, we’re definitely in Bulacan), is actually tastefully done overall, obviously the pride and joy of its owning family.

This parish’s limited processional line-up only has two mourners so far, the first one Santa Maria Magdalena [Saint Mary Magdalene], a fully-carved image with handkerchief in one hand and bottle of perfume in the other.

The other mourner and the very last member of the procession is, not too surprisingly, “Ang Mahal na Inang Nagdadalamhati (Mater Dolorosa)” [The Sorrowful Mother]. Except she didn’t seem too sorrowfully dressed on this Holy Wednesday when I snapped the photos.

And thus ends the fourteen-piece processional line-up in this parish.

Clearly, Caingin has a lot of room to accommodate important processional images from the Holy Week tradition – not only key characters like Saint John the Evangelist but also scenes from the Passion itself, such as the Scourging at the Pillar and Christ Before Pilate. But it’s still a young parish – doubtless in just a few years, this processional line-up will be vastly more complete, rivaling those of neighboring parishes. Let’s wait and see.

Originally published on 29 February 2008.  All text and photos copyright ©2008 by Leo Cloma. The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

Original comments:

arcastro57 wrote on Mar 4, '08 My, just like watching a movie with accompanying review!

starshadowrivaulx wrote on Mar 4, '08 This is the first time I've seen a Dolorosa dressed in white. The one that my mother's family maintains in Tabaco, Albay, is always adorned in black or deep purple.

sieshto wrote on Mar 4, '08 nice one leo... naentertain na naman ako. =)

rally65 wrote on Mar 4, '08 starshadowrivaulx said This is the first time I've seen a Dolorosa dressed in white. The one that my mother's family maintains in Tabaco, Albay, is always adorned in black or deep purple.  I do think that the owner had inadvertently used the garments intended for the "Mater Alegria" image for Easter Sunday -- typically the Holy Wednesday garments for the Dolorosa are in deep purple, and on Good Friday they're in black.

mike10017 wrote on Mar 4, '08 Finally, lumabas na! Thanks Leo. Maganda yung Oracion. Hindi ba diyan lumalabas ang Santa Marta mo?

rally65 wrote on Mar 5, '08 The Santa Marta belongs to my aunt, who lives in a parish in Guiguinto, Bulacan. Some day I will get around to write about it -- our family's first ever processional image.

starshadowrivaulx wrote on Mar 5, '08 That sounds about right! :)

dinocruzado wrote on Mar 18, '08 maganda pero masyaodong magarbo

alfredhw wrote on Mar 25, '08 hi and the pagpsok belongs to me and my family and the criticisms are ok we know that but i heard that many people think that ur carroza is to tall and nindi daw nila makita............. thats wat s0me people say po peAce!!!!!

alfredhw wrote on Mar 26, '08, edited on Mar 26, '08 and oh yah fr. norby was the one who gave the name it was just "Ang Maluwalhating Pagpasok ni Jesus sa Jerusalem" but he just added the "san pedro"..............and the other jewish child is a boy!!!!!! n0t a girl ..... ^____^

rally65 wrote on Mar 26, '08 Yes, our carroza is deliberately tall -- not meant to be viewed by short people. Ha ha ha.

alfredhw wrote on Mar 26, '08 hahahaha is right but dont think that im getting affected by ur critisisms bec they are just there o improve stuff.................

rally65 wrote on Mar 26, '08 Absolutely -- let's continue to criticize everything and everyone around us! (My favorite hobby. Ha ha ha.)

safire23 wrote on Mar 28, '08 ang ganda kaya un pagpasok and ung pamamaalam hindi mo ba un nakikita!!!!!!!!!!!

safire23 wrote on Mar 28, '08 do u have anything aginst the usage of white light huh???????????? DO U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! siguro puro yellow lights ang nasa bahay mo!!!!!!!!!!

rally65 wrote on Mar 28, '08 safire23-- 1. Yes, both those tableaux were discussed in this article -- please reread for better comprehension. 2. I don't believe that daylight bulbs are appropriate for processional images, as they make the images look like ghosts. I have said this many times throughout this SS-Files series. Thanks for reading nonetheless.

safire23 wrote on Apr 1, '08, edited on Apr 1, '08 ohh iam so sorry i didnt know that you spoke in a language which is much more better to use that filipino ok 1. I said that the "pagpasok ni hesus sa herusalem" and the "pamamaalam ni hesus sa kanyang mahal na ina" were both truly beautiful and nice!!!! _ _ _ _ _ _!!!!! 2. So what if the use of white lights make them appear ghostly why did you see that MORE OF THE CARROZAS USE WHITE LIGHTS!!! _ _ _ _!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hate u muuuuuuuuuuuuuwah

rally65 wrote on Apr 1, '08 Sorry, I truly don't understand what you are trying to say. Tagalugin mo na lang siguro.

paualysmaya wrote on Apr 20, '08 Gorgeous shots Leo and funny photo illustrations too. lolz!. Oh well, some light bulbs are dummies blinding my eyes. Lolz! A comment is like a planet "Saturn deciding it's a more valuable planet than Mars because it has rings." Thanks to you for featuring the Holy Week in Caingin, San Rafael, Bulacan. More extra power. Cheers!

XXXI. SS-Files: Ang Pagkarapâ, Part Three – “The Gang of the Fall of Christ”

Shortly after the “dress rehearsal” in early March, we had sent over the entire five-figure group to a photo studio in the Makati area.  The half-day session had yielded a generous number of useful shots of this new “Fall of Christ” (in very proper Tagalog, "Ang Pagkarapâ ng Panginoon") tableau.  The reason for having had this done was that my family and I wanted to produce a commemorative "stampita" (i.e., a prayer card) to mark the commissioning of this processional set of images.

My brother, who is the real art critic in the family, did the honors of choosing which of the many resulting pictures would be used for the stampita.  Out of the more than one hundred available, he chose this one: 

A little strange and anticlimactic, you might think, for what about the compassionate Simon of Cyrene, the bossy Roman Captain, the sadistic Jewish temple guards?  But I have to say that this was an excellent choice of stampita artwork, as it quite clearly focused attention on none other than the silently suffering Christ, ensuring that devotees were not distracted by the more “theatrical” elements of the tableau.

We had also earlier already composed a prayer for the back of the stampita.  This was essentially a conflation of the traditional Stations of the Cross prayers for the First Fall, the Second Fall, and the Third Fall, ensuring that there would be minimal fanatical debates about which of those "Falls" this tableau was supposed to represent.  The Pilipino version was most expertly translated from the English by our mother, the “academic Tagalog” expert in the family.

For both English and Pilipino versions, we remembered to give credit to the Francisco Vecin Workshop, and to indicate that the whole activity was being undertaken in memory of our late grandmother.

(To request a more readable soft copy of the stampita, just post a comment below or send me an email.)

We had sent off the selected cover photo and the back page text to a printer-friend of ours, who very capably delivered 10,000 copies of this postcard-sized (six inches tall by four inches wide) stampita on Thursday, March 29^th.  [And if you failed to get your copy of this limited-edition keepsake, you've missed the opportunity to own something that will be a much-sought-after item a millenium from now, when paper no longer exists.  (Just send me a PM if you want one -- I'll try to scrounge around a remaindered copy for you.)]

- - - - -

Finally, in keeping with the “delivery date” of March 2007 as indicated in the stampita, Saturday the 31^st (Palm Sunday Eve) was a big day for everyone.  It was the day when the so-called “Gang of the Fall of Christ” got together and converged on the quiet and genuinely rural barrio of Caingin, San Rafael, Bulacan, to set up the whole tableau on its carroza and ensure that everything was ready for its first processional sojourn just a few days later, on Holy Wednesday.

I had picked up Kiko Vecin and his crack team early in the morning, and we got into his car and mine and motored over to San Rafael, about an hour and a half away from Makati.  The first order of business was to go up to the dining room of our ancestral house there and sit down to a hearty Filipino breakfast, most expertly prepared by my aunt and cousins.  Then, as there was a lot to do, we got down to work right away.  First, everyone had to make sense of the apparent mess of materials that would be used throughout the day.

From then on, things proceeded quite methodically.  The carroza had been trucked over from Makati to San Rafael the day before, lacking only its corner arboltantes (lamp posts).  This my cousin takes upon himself to install, appearing to be quite the expert about it.

Meanwhile, the five images are assembled before their garments are put on.

Kiko decides that the boss (the Captain) will get to be dressed first.

My other cousin, older sister of the “arboltante expert,” tries her hand at pinning the Captain’s flamboyant red cape to his brown leatherette over-garment, taking lessons as she goes along from Mr. Dardo de la Cruz, the Vecin Workshop’s regular processional image dresser, and a full member of the Gang.

Simon of Cyrene is next. Even my aunt, who was previously just an observer, decides to dig in – it’s that much fun!

It will be clear from a close examination of the above photos that the Vecin Workshop’s standard for dressing processional images is quite high, with a minimum of three layers of clothing – an inner garment, a tunic over the inner garment, and a cape or cloak, which we will see Simon of Cyrene wearing later.

(I have seen many other processional images around with just one or two layers of clothing, often dispensing with the [apparently unnecessary and “not visible anyway”] inner garment.  In fact, from my observation, the inner garment has at least two important functions: first, to ensure, by having tight cuffs, that the wrists and arms are not seen (for the hands are often carved separately from the arms and therefore there is a visible gap between them), and, second, to provide some body and volume over the image’s mannequin structure so that the tunic and other outer garments fall in place gracefully.)

Dardo proceeds to work (very quickly and with extraordinary nimbleness, in my view -- hundreds of pins and not one prick!) on the two temple guards, one of which is seen here:

And then finally Dardo and Kiko work on the all-important figure of Christ, garbing Him in the simple yet elegant red velvet robe, putting on His jusi wig, and affixing His silver-plated “tres potencias” in place.

Then one by one, each figure (and the full-size cross) is brought up onto the carro and positioned firmly in their proper places with large nuts and bolts.

Kiko personally handles the final details of staging, including positioning the rope around Christ’s neck and through to the temple guard at the rear.

The pescantes (single-light-bulb perimeter sconces) are next attached, the light bulbs (“Philips High-Energy Compact Fluorescent Warm-White 8-Watt”) are screwed in, and the globo virinas (spherical milk-glass white-frosted light covers) are fixed in place.

With all lighting fixtures installed, the last remaining phase of this setting-up is the floral decoration. Dardo de la Cruz is not only the Vecin Workshop’s regular image dresser and the official dresser as well of all of the Vecin Family’s own Holy Week processional images in Makati Poblacion (at least ten tableaux, all told). He is also a distinguished carroza decorator and is usually called in to work on the pasos of several other regular clients of the Vecin Workshop. Perhaps not too surprisingly, Kiko Vecin had brought him along on this all-important day as well.

In fact, Dardo and I had, just a few days earlier, taken a quick lunch-time trip to Divisoria to his favorite shop there offering very realistic-looking silk flowers. Having seen the carroza at the Vecin Workshop a few days earlier, he surveyed the shop’s product offerings and selected a number of items, including what I thought were deceivingly real-looking white lilies. (Well, I’m no botanist, so don’t send me emails on this point please.)

After being reminded by Kiko to keep it simple, go easy on the foliage, and make sure that the devotee on the ground will still have a flower-unimpeded view of the all parts of the tableau, Dardo offers the following test-flower-arrangement around a pescante for everyone’s review.

It quickly earns broad approval all-around, because not only does it achieve Kiko’s objectives of keeping it compact and simple and offering an unimpeded view of the action above, but it also somehow blends in with the sinewy Art Nouveau-style carvings on the carroza’s four slab-paneled sides.

After a quick lunch break for yet another hearty meal in our ancestral home’s dining room, we let Dardo take over the carro to complete the decorations, which he does surprisingly fast – just as fast as he was in dressing the figures earlier in the day.

While that’s going on, my cousin ascends the carro platform and makes a slight adjustment to the Captain’s cape, pinning the middle hem to his garment to ensure that his “akimbo” left arm is always visible.

And then she goes back to observing how Dardo does it all so well and so fast.

Meanwhile, the super-compact, super-silent, and super-low-emission 1000-watt Elemax generator (“Made in Japan, Powered by Honda”) is tested and started up.

This is then placed on a platform under the carro (gearheads would say that it’s “a mid-engine design”), and hooked up to the pre-installed electrical system. The final component is the “Nazareno-Red” (not quite “UP-Maroon”)-colored carroza “skirt,” which is usually called “sayal” in Tagalog, and in Spanish, “faldon” (literally, “big falda”).

Whether from the “starboard” side

the “port” side (even though it’s really only the rear view of the action)

from a distance

or in tighter shots

the entire “paso” (tableau on carroza) was indisputably “beautiful, regal, and dramatic,” as one kind reviewer put it.

All the day’s work having been completed, it was time for much-deserved “Kodakan” (although I’ve been using Canon digital cameras for years), starting with the maestro santero himself.

And the proud owners-caretakers, my aunt and two cousins.

And then the whole Gang of the “Fall of Christ.”

But lest we forget the whole reason for all of this, I take a few more shots of the extraordinary image of our Most Serene Lord in His Sorrowful Passion and Painful Fall – a devotional masterpiece to be venerated for many generations to come, we're sure.

- - - - -

And, we're ready to roll! But first, we take a Palm Sunday to Holy Tuesday break, to recharge and get ready for the debut procession of Ang Pagkarapâ on Holy Wednesday.

Could anything possibly go wrong? No, of course not. We hope not. Maybe not. We'll see. God willing.

[Continued.]

- - - - -

Originally published on 19 April 2007.  All text and photos copyright ©2007 Leo D Cloma. The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

Original comments:

nsconsolacionycorrea wrote on Apr 21, '07 Mang Dardo is an artist!!!

rally65 wrote on Apr 21, '07 Nikki, this paso (and my family's other processional image of Santa Marta) has greatly benefited from very talented artists -- not just Mr. Vecin himself as the conceptualizer and designer, but also Dardo the image dresser and carro decorator, and perhaps more obviously the escultor and the encarnador in the Vecin Workshop, whom I talked about in the previous article. There's also the Workshop's regular dressmaker, who selects only the finest European and Japanese fabrics with Mr. Vecin (in obscure locations in Manila). There's also their regular wigmaker, who supplies only properly-color-matched jusi wigs to Mr. Vecin's specs. And there's their metalsmith, who does all the haloes, diademas, tres potencias, and even those elaborate cantoneros (end-pieces) for the cross following original antique designs in Mr. Vecin's collection. Good artists are always available, even in abundance. They only disappear if their custom is not patronized. We therefore need to keep engaging them as much and as frequently as possible. So go ahead and commission your paso soon!

robbyandharry wrote on Apr 21, '07 thanks again for sending me some of your estampitas... btw... yung mga images nasa karo sila from march untill april or did they removed and store them after the blessing and then put them back for the holy week?

rally65 wrote on Apr 21, '07 The images were set up on March 31, the day before Palm Sunday, and taken down a week later. So it's the normal period for keeping them there.

jvlian wrote on Apr 21, '07 at talagang sinubaybayan ko ang ss-files... at may to be continued pa., wow! galing!

alvinjay2000 wrote on Apr 22, '07 thank you rin for the estampitas, they have reached the islands of Guam.