| Holy Week in the Philippines | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also called |
|
| Observed by | Philippines |
| Type | Religious, historical, cultural |
| Significance | Commemoration of thePassion,Death, andResurrection of Jesus |
| Observances | Processions,religious services |
| Begins | Palm Sunday |
| Ends | Easter Sunday |
| Frequency | Annual |
In the Philippines,Holy Week (Filipino:Mahal na Araw orSemana Santa) is a significant religious observance for the country'sCatholic majority, thePhilippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente), and mostProtestant groups. The Philippines is one of the few majority-Christian countries in Asia. As of 2023, Catholics made up 78.8 percent of the country's population,[1] and the Catholic Church remains one of the country's dominant sociopolitical forces.[2]
The solemn celebration of Holy Week begins onFriday of Sorrows (exactly one week beforeGood Friday), continues throughPalm Sunday, and ends onEaster Sunday, lasting slightly over a week.[3] Many communities observe Spanish-influenced Catholic rituals, such asprocessions, which have beensyncretized with elements of precolonial beliefs. This is evident in some ritual practices not sanctioned by the universal Church and in the many superstitions associated with the occasion.
The days of theEaster Triduum (Latin:Three Days), fromMaundy Thursday toBlack Saturday—also known as Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday elsewhere—are considered statutory holidays. During this period, many businesses are closed or operate on shorter hours. It is also customary for domestic radio and television stations to go off the air, with some stations instead broadcasting appropriately themed programs, such as religious dramas, films, and presentations of ceremonies and Masses.[4]
Holy Week in the Philippines is also highly anticipated as one of the annual long weekends in the country.[5] Non-Catholics and non-practicing Catholics often take this opportunity to go on vacation, resulting in a peak season in most Philippine tourist destinations.[6]
_after_the_Palm_Sunday_Mass_on_April_2%2c_2023_at_Sto._Ni%25C3%25B1o_de_Bagong_Silang_Parish_in_Caloocan_City.jpg)
OnPalm Sunday (Linggo ng Palaspás;Domingo de Ramos), worshipers bear ornately woven palm fronds (palaspás) to church for blessing by thepriest before or after the day'sMass.[7] The fronds (considered by the Church assacramentals) are often brought home and placed on altars, doors,lintels, or windows in the belief that these can ward off demons and avert both fires and lightning.
Some places hold a procession into the church before the service, a common starting point being anermita/visita (chapel of ease) several blocks away. The presiding priest, vested in astole andcope of red (the prescribedliturgical color of the day), either walks the route or, in imitation of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, is led on horseback to the church. Sometimes a statue of Christ riding a donkey (known as theHumenta) is used instead.[8] Women customarily cover the processional route withtapis (literally, wraparound), which are large, heirloom cloth skirts or aprons made exclusively for this ritual. This recalls the excitement of the Jerusalemites as they spread their cloaks before Christ on his entry to the city.
Once the procession reaches the church or some other designated spot, children dressed as angels strew flowers and sing the day's processionalantiphon of praise, "Hosanna sa Anak ni David" (Hosanna to the Son of David). The antiphon's text, whether the original Latin or Filipino translation, is sung to traditional hymn tunes.
The blessing of palms and the intonation of the antiphon often occur in the churchparvise, church parking lot, or town plaza, which usually is in front of or near the church (a common layout in most Philippine settlements).
On Holy Monday (Lunes Santo) and Holy Tuesday (Martes Santo), there is a major procession representing the Journey toCalvary. The main figure is the Fallen Christ, accompanied by images of the saints present during Christ's walk to Calvary:
In some parts of the country with abundant wood, skilled craftsmen construct life-size wooden images that can move their arms and heads like puppets.[9]
Holy Tuesday is a regular working day; for some private companies, it is the last full workday of the week.
Holy Wednesday (Miyérkules Santo) is officially the last working day of the week. Private companies are free to give full or partial holidays to their employees, while government offices implement a half-day suspension starting at noon for their employees. This allows those wishing to celebrate the Triduum to return to their home provinces, and holiday-makers to leave for their destinations. It is one of the country's busiest travel seasons.[10]
In some parishes,Tenebrae (Latin:Darkness orShadows) service is held on Holy Wednesday, involving the gradual extinguishing of candles on a Tenebrae hearse, readings related to thePassion of Jesus, and thestrepitus (loud noise).[11]
In the evening, long processions depicting the Passion of Christ are held in towns throughout the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, andIlocandia, as well as inMakati,Metro Manila.
Except inBaliwag andPulilan, both in Bulacan, the Passion tableaux are excluded from the Good Friday afternoon procession.
Maundy Thursday (Huwebes Santo) is the first statutory public holiday of the week, marking the beginning of thePaschal Triduum. 'Maundy' is derived from the Latinmandatum, referring to the new mandate Jesus gave his apostles at the Passover meal, held on Thursday that year, when he said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." (John 13:34)
Prior to theSecond Vatican Council, the Procession of the Passion of Christ was held on Maundy Thursday. This celebration was later transferred to Holy Wednesday forLatin Church Catholics, however. ThePhilippine Independent Church (whichseparated from Rome in the early 20th century) retained the Maundy Thursday date. Among the most famous processions of the Philippine Independent Church are those of Concepcion inMalabon, Metro Manila andSanta Cruz andPaete inLaguna.[citation needed]
.jpg)
The first rite of the day is theChrism Mass, in which parishioners join their priest for morning Mass in thecathedral, especially in the large dioceses and archdioceses. The clergy renew their priestlyvows on this day. This Mass, which is presided over by the bishop or archbishop, is when thechrism (theoil of catechumens) and theoil for the sick are consecrated after thehomily. After the service, priests bring portions of these oils to their respective parishes and store them for future use. Where logistics and other valid reasons hamper gathering the clergy on this day, however, the Chrism Mass is held earlier in the week—for example, on Holy Tuesday in theArchdiocese of Lipa and the dioceses ofDumaguete andMalolos.[12][13]
The day's main observance is the last Mass beforeEaster: the EveningMass of the Lord's Supper. Though not mandatory, the afternoon service customarily includes a re-enactment of theWashing of the Feet of theTwelve Apostles. The service ends abruptly with a somber procession of theBlessed Sacrament, which is brought to the church'sAltar of Repose. Churches remain open until midnight for those who want to venerate the Blessed Sacrament, or go to one of several priests on standby toconfess their sins.
One of the most important Holy Week traditions in the Philippines is theVisita Iglesia (Church Visit; also known as the Seven Churches Visitation), a Holy Week practice of visiting and praying in at least seven churches.[14] Throughout the day, worshipers pray theStations of the Cross inside or outside the church, while at night, the faithful pay obeisance and perform supplications to the Blessed Sacrament within thealtar of repose.[15]
InAntipolo, theAlay Lakad (lit. Walk Offering) penitential walk is held from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday, in which devotees walk for 17 kilometers (11 mi) alongSumulong Highway to theAntipolo Cathedral, with some even walking barefoot.[16] (This is not to be confused with the procession fromQuiapo Church ofthe same name held every April 30 and May 1.[17]) Upon reaching the cathedral, devotees offer a short prayer or make a wish before donating coins or paper bills in front of the altar.[16] In 2024, 7.4 million devotees visited the cathedral during the penitential walk.[18] As of 2025, theRoman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo is applying for aGuinness World Record for recognition of its being the "Largest Gathering for a Walking Spiritual Pilgrimage in 12 Hours".[19]
Good Friday (Biyernes Santo) is the secondpublic holiday of the week, and considered the most solemn day of the year. It is observed with streetprocessions; theWay of the Cross; sermons and prayers with meditation on Jesus'Seven Last Words (Siete Palabras); and the staging of thePassion Play (Senákulo), which in some places already began on Palm Sunday.
TheBaliwag Good Friday procession is the longest Lenten procession in the Philippines.[20] Baliwag, Bulacan, currently has 118 statues and scenes portraying the life of Christ.[21] This activity, well-attended by both local and foreign tourists, follows the main liturgical service of the day.
Mass is not celebrated on this day. Instead, people gather in churches in the afternoon for the Veneration of the Cross service and theMass of the Presanctified, which is a liturgy in which Eucharistic consecration is not done because thesacramental bread was already consecrated (presanctified) on Maundy Thursday. The altar has previously been stripped of linens and decorations. Nationwide, the veneration service begins silently in unlit churches at 15:00, remembering the "ninth hour" that was the point at which Christ died, according to the Gospels.
.jpg)
In some places—most famously in the province ofPampanga, where the day is known asMaleldo—processions include devotees whoflagellate themselves and sometimes evenhave themselves nailed to crosses, most notably a carpenter who has been crucified 36 times over the years,Ruben Enaje. While the practices are discouraged by the Church andhealth authorities, they are considered by devotees to be personal expressions of penance, whether in fulfilment of a vow or in thanksgiving for a prayer granted.[22] The San Fernando local government says these reenactments are regarded as a part of the province's and the city's cultural heritage. Reenactments of Christ's crucifixion in the village began in 1958, but the first actual crucifixion took place four years later in 1962.[23]
Other penitents, calledmagdarame, carry wooden crosses, crawl on the rough and hot pavement, and slash their backs before whipping themselves to draw blood. This is done to ask for forgiveness of sins, to fulfill vows (panata), or to express gratitude for favors granted.[24]
Thepabasa, or continuous chanting, of thePasyón (the Filipinoepic narrative of Christ's life,Passion,Death, andResurrection), usually concludes on this day before 15:00. Television and radio stations airing their special Lenten programming also broadcast their own specialSiete Palabras programs[25] from large churches in Manila, usually beginning at noon so as to end before the veneration service.
The usual highlight of Good Friday is theSanto Entierro (Holy Burial), which is both the name of the rite itself and of the statue of the dead Christ that is its focus.[26] Comparable to theEastern Orthodox andEastern Catholic practice of processing theepitaphios—a liturgical cloth depicting the dead body of Christ—the sculpted image of theSanto Entierro is left bare or covered to the neck in ashroud of red, white, black, or gold. The image is laid in an ornate, flower-deckedcalandra (bier) that is brought around in a solemn funeral procession.[26] Theretinue is normally composed of images of saints connected to the Passion narrative, such asPeter,Mary Magdalene, andJohn the Evangelist. Tradition dictates that regardless of the number of images used in the procession, that of the Virgin Mary, dressed in black vestments as the mourningMater Dolorosa (Sorrowful Mother), is alone in her sorrow and always the last as a mark of her importance.
In some places, theSanto Entierro traditional pre-Christian Filipino funerary rites are carried out, such as washing the corpse (the water and cloths given away as holy relics),laying the body in state, or seating the body in a funerary chair. For instance, inPakil,Laguna, theSanto Entierro is smoked over burninglanzones peelings; and during the procession, the shoulder-bornecalandra makes several stops, placed each time on rests above the burning peelings. At each station, a band plays a hymn and then a crier turns towards the bier and shouts clearly, melodically, and loudly three times inSpanish, "¡Señor! ¡Misericordia, Señor!" (Lord! Mercy, Lord!), with the congregation repeating each time in a melodically penitential low voice.[27]
InAlimodian, Iloilo, theSanto Entierro is placed not by the altar—as is customary elsewhere—but at the church doors for people to venerate, usually by kissing the icon's feet. There is also a large crucifix before the altar for people to venerate and kiss. Later that night, young girls in costume and bearing lit tapers walk barefoot in a second procession with theMater Dolorosa in and around the town plaza. The girls meditate and mourn, representing Christ's female disciples accompanying the Virgin Mary.
During Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, a gathering of men inTanay andTaytay, both in Rizal, assemble around the parish church, engaging in feasting and contemplation throughout the night in anticipation of the Santo Entierro statue for the Subok Festival.[28] Various items such as handkerchiefs, bronze medals, and small papers inscribed with Latin phrases are placed within the robe, beneath the feet and in the hands of the deceased Christ figure. As the Santo Entierro is paraded, these men form a circle by holding hands around the revered statue. Following the procession, these objects are retrieved and regarded as talismans, which the men experiment with by testing their efficacy using various lethal weapons among themselves.[28][clarification needed]
Among the country's famous and elaboratecalandras are those of Agoo, Bacolor, Baliwag, Guagua, Molo, Iloilo, Paete, San Pablo, Sasmuan, Silay, and Vigan. Some are centuries old and were commissioned from the famoustalleres (studios) of thesanteros (saint-maker) Asunción and Máximo Vicente.[29] The image itself, meanwhile, is displayed the rest of the year in the church that owns it, or in the house of the family that cares for it.
Several traditional taboos are customarily observed on Good Friday, such as the avoidance of excessive noisemaking. In older times, bathing (except for health reasons) was prohibited[30][31] and children in particular were discouraged from outdoor play, with elders cautioning that since "God is dead," evil spirits are freely roaming the earth to harm humans. The prohibitions usually begin after 15:00.
The ritual mourning and generally somber mood of the day gave rise to theTagalogidiom "Mukhâ kang Biyernes Santocode: tgl promoted to code: tl" ("You have a face like Good Friday"). The phrase refers to a sad person's demeanor resembling that of the suffering Christ.[citation needed]
A superstition also exists that consuming meat products on Good Friday will bring misfortune.[32]
Black Saturday orHoly Saturday (Sábado de Gloria) is the third and finalpublic holiday of the week. The day is legally and colloquially termed inEnglish as Black because of the role of that color in mourning. The termSábado de Gloria (Saturday of Glory) refers to the return of the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (Glory to God in the Highest) during theEaster Vigil held on this day. Otherwise, the hymn is absent throughoutLent except on solemnities and Maundy Thursday.
The ritual mourning for the "dead" Christ continues, albeit with less intensity. Traditional taboos from the previous day, such as merrymaking[33] and consumption of meat, are carried over and sometimes broken at noon. This includes swimming in a river or the sea, as superstition warns against bathing on Good Friday afternoon.
Most commercial establishments operate on shorter hours, with smaller enterprises in many areas remaining closed until Easter Sunday orEaster Monday; but some return to normal in major urban areas. Television and radio stations broadcast on shorter hours with special programming. Many remain off-air, although some return to normal broadcasting.
_at_Santo_Domingo_Church_in_Quezon_City.jpg)
Easter (Linggo ng Pagkabuhay orPasko ng Pagkabuhay) is marked with joyous celebrations, the first being the pre-dawn rite calledSalubong inFilipino andSugat inCebuano andHiligaynon (bothcalques of the rite's Spanish nameEncuentro, lit. Meeting).[34] The rite is customarily performed in the early hours of Easter before the first Mass. In some parishes, the rite is held earlier at midnight immediately after the longEaster Vigil proper, retaining the same format.
The ritual is meant to depict the apocryphal reunion of Christ and his Mother, the Virgin Mary, after the Resurrection. Statues of both are borne in two separate processions that converge at a designated area called aGalilea ("Galilee"),[35] an open space with a purpose-built scaffold (permanent or otherwise) near the church. Depending on the size and wealth of the congregation, the processions include statues of any or all theMyrrhbearers, particularly theThree Marys, along withSt. Peter andSt. John the Evangelist. By custom, the two processions are sex-segregated, with male worshipers following the Risen Christ, 12 men dressed as the apostles, and icons of male saints; while female congregants accompany icons of the Virgin Mary and female saints. Those in the procession hold lit tapers, and often recite therosary as a brass band plays hymns and joyful music.
The icon of the Virgin Mary, still called theMater Dolorosa, is clothed or draped in a blackveil (Tagalog:lambóngcode: tgl promoted to code: tl) to show her bereavement.[35] An "angel" (often a small girl in costume) stands at or is suspended in mid-air from theGalilea. From this lofty perch, the angel chants the "Regina Caeli" (Queen of Heaven) in Latin or in thevernacular,[36] sometimes accompanied by schoolchildren representing theangelic choirs. The high point is when the principal angel dramatically removes the veil from the Virgin's icon, signaling the abrupt end to her grieving and the period of mourning.[35] The veil may simply be pulled off the statue, or tied to balloons or doves that are released into the dawn sky. The sorrowing Virgin is ritually transformed intoNuestra Señora de Alegria (Our Lady of Joy); in celebratory veneration, the angels throw flower petals at the icons of the Christ and the Virgin as confetti rains down. The moment is punctuated by church bells pealing, brass bands playing, andfireworks. The reunited congregation then gathers inside the church for the first Mass of Easter.
The traditionalSugat—the meeting of the risen Christ with the Blessed Virgin Mary—signals the start of the new liturgical calendar. The Minglanilla Sugat is a yearly spectacle of"little angels" (played by children) descending from the sky held at dawn of Easter Sunday.Sugat, the religious activity mainly based on the biblical narration of Jesus's resurrection, in later years became attached to the culturalKabanhawan Festival, thus becoming theSugat-Kabanhawan Festival.[37]
Caridad orPakaridad is a way of giving or sharing food (especiallyginataan orsuman) to the neighbors, local church, chapel for the crowds of people who attend the Good Friday procession.[38] A complimentary drink of water is also given by local residents living along the processional route.
TheBlack Nazarene icon, brought from Mexico during theGalleon Trade era, is enshrined inQuiapo Church. It is considered miraculous by devotees. It is brought out for procession every Good Friday, one of three such occasions when this is done—the other two beingNew Year's Eve and the Feast of the Black Nazarene onJanuary 9. The statue is borne on the shoulders of male devotees in a slow, difficult procession around the narrow streets of the district, with a score of men struggling to keep the image moving on as thousands try to push their way to touch the icon as well as the long ropes on which the bier is pulled. The procession lasts the whole morning.[39]
No such processions were held in 2020 and 2021, however, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. In 2022, the Black Nazarene procession returned with amotorcade,[40] butcrowd control problems forced organizers to cancel it.[41] A successful motorcade was conducted in 2023,[42] however, and in 2024 the traditional form of the procession—with the image on itsándas (the shoulder-borne palanquins of religious images)—returned.[43]
It is a folk belief in the Philippines thatanting-anting (traditional amulets) are especially potent if collected, made, or imbued with power on Good Friday.[44] InSipalay, Negros Occidental manyalbularyo (witch doctors) search foranting-anting in unexplored caves. There is a particular type ofanting-anting for every need: passing exams, childbirth, protection from danger, love, good business, and invincibility. Holy Week also attracts folk healers who gather and showcase their amulets' power in plazas.
Antingeros (talisman aficionados) go toMt. Banahaw, believed to be a sacred mountain, on Good Friday to empower their amulets there themselves. Believers ofanting-anting claim that the best time to recharge the spiritual energy of a talisman is Good Friday night.[45] Different groups also identify their own special places for "recharging" their amulets, such as cemeteries, mountain tops, and churches. Recharging is usually done through repeatedly chanting Latin incantations, copies of which may also be purchased, while holding the talisman.
On Holy Wednesday, a procession is held inPaete, Laguna with its 53 images of Christ's life and death. The procession goes through the town's narrow streets en route to the church.[46] It stops three times for theSalubong (Meeting), during which Paete's "moving saints" depict each of the three scenes of Jesus' passion: (1) the meeting of Christ and Mary, held on the church patio; (2) the wiping of Jesus' face by Veronica, held at Plaza Edesan; and (3) the encounter between Mary and Veronica at which Veronica shows Mary the miraculous imprints of Christ's face on her cloth, held at the town plaza.
InSan Pablo, Laguna the Good Friday procession consists of huge, centuries-old statues bedecked in fresh flowers.[47][48] In olden times, the most famous processions were those of Saint Bartholomew of Malabon, Metro Manila; Pateros, Metro Manila; Binan, Laguna; and Tuguegarao, Cagayan. Unfortunately, the Holy Week images from Cagayan were destroyed by the war, as were theTres Caidas ("Three Falls," representing Christ's falls as he carried his cross) of Binan.
In the 1970s, the Holy Week Procession of Malabon consisted of 30 silvercarrozas, which are floats or carriages. The highlight used to be theTres Caidas, either from Talleres Maximo or Asuncion, but today this is no longer in the Good Friday procession.
The most famous procession in Manila during the period between World Wars I and II was in Santa Cruz, but almost all the images were destroyed during Manila's aerial bombardment in 1945. Today, Makati has a major Holy Wednesday procession aside from the usual one on Good Friday. Both processions, held in the city proper, have some of the oldest images.
Many towns have their own versions of theSenákulo, the dramatic re-enactment of Christ's Passion and Death, using traditional scripts decades or centuries-old.[49] One version is held at theCultural Center of the Philippines inPasay,Metro Manila, sponsored by theDepartment of Tourism, in which popular film and television stars often join the cast of the play.[50] InTaguig,Metro Manila, the popularized modern version ofJesus Christ Superstar is shown at the Fort Santiago Amphitheater. InMexico, Pampanga andDinalupihan, Bataan, the actor portraying Jesus has actually been nailed to the cross to simulate Christ's crucifixion.
Ang Pagtaltal is a Lenten presentation staged on the hillside ofJordan, Guimaras, every Good Friday, similar to the Passion Play inOberammergau in southern Bavaria, Germany.[51]Pagtaltal means "to remove," and occurs in the name of the drama because the presentation ends with the body of Jesus removed from the cross and laid in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary—a familiar scene known as thePietà.[52][53]
Backed by a strong Christian community, Jordan has registered its first festival inPagtaltal sa Jordan, Guimaras, a Good Friday spectacle. This saga of Christ's sufferings is enacted with intense spirituality, religious realism, theatrical color, and mass appeal that outclass other presentations of similar flavor.[citation needed] The increase in spectators, both local and foreign, who brave the summer heat to witness thePagtaltal indicates its popularity.[51]
TheMoriones Festival in the island province ofMarinduque commemorates the story of theRomancenturionLonginus (Tagalog:San Longhinocode: tgl promoted to code: tl) and his legendary conversion at the foot of the cross.[54]
The Moriones Festival is a synthesis of Catholicism and folk mysticism.[55] The townsfolk ofBoac,Gasan, andMogpog dress in masks and helmets (moriones), depicting Roman soldiers. The rest of the locals portray St. Longinus and hide among the houses while the others search for him. Unlike most of the country, Marinduque observes Holy Week in a much more joyous manner.[2]
TheSaboy is a traditional dance performed by girls on Easter Sunday inLas Piñas, Metro Manila.[56] The dance is divided into two parts, the "mourning" section and the "joyful" version. The first dancer is theSalubong Angel, who often has large wings and bears a black veil. The second group—comprising most of the dancers— are theHosanna angels, dressed in white, who usually hold baskets with rose petals. The third group are theTres Marías (Three Marys): three older girls dressed in pink and bearing baskets. Last are the blue-cladkapitana (captainess) andtinyentera (femalelieutenants). Thekapitana is distinguished by the large banner she waves, while thetinyentera swing athurible, a small metal incense burner suspended by chains.
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Holy Week in the Philippines" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
_2024-03-31.jpg)
TheSayaw ng Pagbatì (Dance at the Greeting or Welcome Dance)—orBati-bati for short—[57] is an Easter ritual dance that illustrates the devotion of the local faithful. The dance varies from town to town, with the most prominent versions found inAngono, Rizal, andIbaan, Batangas, as well as inParañaque,Metro Manila.[58]
In Parañaque, Metro Manila, theSayaw ng Pagbatì is the official city cultural dance. On Easter Sunday morning right after Mass and theSalubong (Encounter) between the images of the Risen Christ and theBlessed Mother, beribboned girls from the variousbarangays of Parañaque clad in white gowns file in front ofSt. Andrew Cathedral in La Huerta village for a street-dance showdown.[59] Accompanied by marching bands or a musical recording, they dance and wave wands in the air for hours until noon.
InIbaan,Batangas, the version of the dance consists of a lady who acts as thekapitana, similar to theSaboy but accompanied by two male escorts.[58] In nearbyRosario, thePagbati is traditionally composed of three young ladies dancing to the music of a local brass band.[60] They are dressed in white for the actual Easter Sunday dance early in the morning, though clad more colorfully on the Black Saturday rehearsal dance held in the evening. The dance is accompanied by gracefully waving a flag.
InAngono, Rizal, the traditionalSalubong rites consist of akapitana andtenyenta who perform a religious dance to the tune ofBati. Thetenyenta is the first to perform the dance to the tune of agavotte. Then thekapitana recites the traditional poem offered to the Virgin Mary, calledDicho (short expression of a general truth or wisdom) and consisting of 31 stanzas and 124 verses. Finally, thekapitana performs the dance to avalse (waltz).[citation needed]
InTaytay, Rizal, there is a revived traditional Easter greeting dance consisting of thekapitana and her four councilors or assistants (konsehala). The Taytay Municipal Mayor Allan Martine de Leon brought back this tradition in March 2023. Thekapitana at Mga Konsehala represents the five barangays in the municipality: Dolores, San Isidro, Santa Ana, San Juan, and Muzon.[citation needed]
InCainta, Rizal, the rites consist of akapitana who performs the dance to the tune ofMarcha andModanza. The four captainesses (kapitana apatan) represent the barangays of Cainta: San Roque, San Andres, San Juan, and Barrio Dayap (consisting of Barangays Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa, and Santo Niño).[citation needed]
Media related toHoly Week in the Philippines at Wikimedia Commons
