XII. (Commercial Break) FOR SALE: The Fall of Christ

"The Fall of Christ" is one of the more dramatic tableaux in the Holy Wednesday and Good Friday processions. Often called "La Tercera Caida" (The Third Fall of Christ) to somehow distinguish it from the "First Fall" (usually just Christ with the Cross, like Quiapo's Black Nazarene) and the "Second Fall" (with the addition of two or three Roman soldiers), it is often mistakenly, but well-meaningly, called "Tres Caidas" (The Three Falls) -- as if all three separate stations of the cross could be condensed into one processional tableau!

There are several outstanding examples of the Fall of Christ in the Philippines. Among them is the one in Binan, Laguna:

Another one, an antique from early in the 20th century, is in Poblacion, Malolos, Bulacan:

In the neighboring parish of Barasoain, Malolos, Bulacan is another outstanding example.

It will be noted that these examples almost always depict Simon of Cyrene in the act of helping the fallen Christ carry His cross. Other characters frequently included are a trumpeteer-cum-standard bearer (holding the Roman standard "SPQR" -- "Senatus Populusque Romanus" -- "to the senate and the people of Rome"), 

a drummer, one or more soldiers or temple guards, and a Roman Centurion ("Capitan") directing the whole show.

The renowned Makati-based maker of top-quality religious images for churches, religious congregations, and private devotees, Mr. Francisco Vecin, has recently begun making a full-scale tableau of The Fall of Christ, closely based on the above and other outstanding examples. Consisting of seven figures: Christ, Simon of Cyrene, the Roman "Capitan," a trumpeteer / standard bearer, a drummer, and two temple guards (popularly but [vaguely and naively] anti-semitically called "hudyo" in the Philippines), it will be completed by the Vecin Workshop in time for Holy Week 2007.

Here are early indications of how the finished figures might look like, which are based on antique originals in the Vecin Collection, beginning with the Roman Captain:

Here is a Roman soldier, also an antique original image from the Vecin Collection:

And here is a model for the head of a temple guard, yet another piece from the Vecin Collection:

As for the "Fallen" Christ, here are two early workshop models, still far away from their finished state:

This seven-figure, life-sized (five-foot scale) ensemble of The Fall of Christ is AVAILABLE FOR SALE by the Vecin Workshop to devout individuals, families, or parishes. It will be ready for bringing out in procession in Holy Week 2007 -- just mount it on your carroza (and if you don't have one, the Vecin Workshop will gladly supply one custom-made to fit), and you (and your gang of seven) are ready to go! 

If you (or anyone you know) might be interested to own this exceptional Holy Week devotional piece, and thereby make it your future family heirloom, please send me your inquiry via email or personal message in the first instance. (Hurry before someone else beats you to it!)

Originally published on 28 September 2006.  All text and photos copyright ©2006 by Leo D Cloma. The moral right of Leo D Cloma to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted.

Original comments:

noniboy wrote on Jan 26, '07 yes...the tres caidas of Binan is a true pride.... a bit of trivia...the Potenciano family had a gap of some sort with the parish priest during wartime if I am not mistaken...so they took the Cristo's head with them when they moved to Manila...the whole tableau was not able to appear in the holy week procession for a time because the centerpiece was headless!!!! But the sudden twist of fate nga naman.... Manila was bombed and burned....including the area where they moved to...the original head of Cristo also got burned. What the tableau has now is a reproduction of the original head...everything left in Binan, the Hudios, its silver accessories (trumpet and helmet) and Christ's potencias and the silver decorated caro were spared. =P

mike10017 wrote on Jan 27, '07 Actually, that's the story of how the Sagrada Familia was saved from the fire that hit the town church in the 60's. I think they patched things up when they were given the private chapel above the old funerary chapel. The Señor has always been taken to their house on Calle Remedios even before the war. The Tres Caidas originally belonged to Agaton(?) Garcia before it was passed on to Feliza. I heard that they used to have a trompetero hidden under the carroza. Must be an old custom since I read that they also used to do the same thing with the Tres Caidas of Vigan. Do you have pics of that one Leo?

rally65 wrote on Jan 28, '07 Sorry, I don't actually have any photos of the Third Fall from Vigan -- although I vaguely recall seeing it in the "Cuaresma" book. Perhaps one or more photos of that will turn up on the FSF or SSF discussion groups one day, hopefully soon.

du5acd wrote on Feb 13, '10 I'm looking for an image of STO NIÑO DE TACLOBAN. I wonder if it's still available at the Vecin Workshop. Could you please give me the contact information of Kiko Vecin? Thanks! GLENN DIAZ

alfonsoramon18domy wrote on Oct 26, '10 ibigsabihin po ba non ay for sale po ung tres caidas ba gawa ng vecin workshop?

rally65 wrote on Oct 26, '10 Yes, the Vecin Workshop currently has at least one more processional image of the Fallen Christ available for sale.

alfonsoramon18domy wrote on Dec 29, '10 how much po?

rally65 wrote on Jan 3, '11 You'll have to inquire directly from Mr. Vecin, by phoning him during office hours from Monday to Friday only, at 899-94-25.