TheSantacruzan (from theSpanishsanta cruz, "holy cross") is the ritualpageant held on the last day of theFlores de Mayo. It honours the finding of theTrue Cross byHelena of Constantinople (known asReyna Elena) andConstantine the Great. Its connection with May stems from theMay 3 date ofRoodmas, whichPope John XXIII deleted in the 1960s due to the trend at the time to abolish holy days that were either duplicates or dedicated to ahistorical saints. TheFeast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14, which commemorates the recovery of the relic by Emperor Heraclius from the Persians instead of the finding by Saint Helena combines that occasion with Roodmas in the presentGeneral Roman Calendar.[citation needed]
The name of the festival is derived from theSpanish language wordflores meaning "flowers." Other names are "Flores de María" ("Flowers of Mary") and "Álay" (Filipino for "offering").
In theBicol Region, the ritual begins with the recitation of therosary, and the last day is simply called the "katapusan" which is marked with a Mass, a Santacruzan and procession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The traditional "Martía" with its respective meaning is said after the recitation of theSalve Regina in Spanish and theLitany of Loreto. After the ceremony, simple snacks are given to the children attending.Alabasyón (from the Spanish for "praising") is the term for prayers sung in honour of the Holy Cross.
The towns particularly in Iloilo has their respectivepuroks orstreets and the barangays which has their respective chapel or house of prayer or even in the church where an image of the Virgin Mary is venerated and children gathers to have a simple catechism and teachings about the life and story of Mary, history of Marian apparitions, Christian doctrines and values, holistic values and virtues and other life's teachings. They were also taught some prayers and some songs uniquely recited only during theFlores de Mayo and the children offer some flowers before the image of the Virgin Mary as a symbol of love, affection and veneration. This is a commemoration and reminiscent of theOur Lady of Fatima apparition to the three children which first took place on May 13 in 1917. After a while, they were offered some snacks.
Some churches and areas are giving children some paper tickets for actively participating and doing well during the catechism in which at the end of the month of May which also coincides with the end of the Flores de Mayo, the children redeem the value of the tickets which are school supplies ready for the school opening. Until 2019, this was in June, the supplies are brought currently in August or September beginning 2020, depending on the date set by the Department of Education. With the switch of the calendar, the paper ticket tradition among these children also mark one of the final salvos of the school year. Santacruzan is usually held during the last few days of May to coincide with the end of the catechism for children.
Amongst theTagalog people, the custom began after the proclamation of thedogma of theImmaculate Conception in 1854 and after the circa 1867 publication of Mariano Sevilla's translation of the devotional "Flores de María" ("Flowers of Mary"), also known by its longer title "Mariquít na Bulaclac nasa Pagninilaynilay sa Buong Buannang Mayo ay Inihahandog nañg mañga Devoto cay María Santísima" ("Beautiful Flowers that in the Meditations in the Whole Month of May are Presented by Devotees toMary Most Holy").
One famous May tradition inBatangas (particularly inLipa) is theLuglugan, or nightly devotion and party honouring the Virgin Mary. Held in structures calledtuklóng, devotees offer flowers and prayers to an image of Mary every night. After the prayer, theHermanos orHermanas for the day will give away treats to the participants, followed by the party. The Luglugan lasts for a month until theTapusan ("ending") which is marked with aMass, a Santacruzan and procession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and capped with a final Luglugan that lasts until the following morning.
ASantacruzan is a religio-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 aspects of this festival, the pageant depicts the finding of theTrue Cross by Queen Helena, mother ofConstantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in the events and are featured in majorsantacruzan. This festival became part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love, and romance.
A replica of the True Cross in solemn procession during theFlores de Mayo inNoveleta,Cavite
Prior to theSantacruzan, anovena is held in honour of the Holy Cross. The procession itself commemorates the search of the Holy Cross byReyna Elena and her son, Emperor Constantine. It is said to have roots in the joyous thanksgiving celebrations that followed the finding of the Holy Cross inJerusalem and itstranslation toConstantinople (nowIstanbul).
The participants of this procession would follow this typical arrangement:
The Cross or the Image of Saint Helena with the Cross is used for Santa Cruzan, while the Image of Blessed Mother is used for Flores de Mayo that is the distinction of the two festivals but some organizers mixed the two festivals together in one celebration, Flores and Santa Cruzan.
Each figure in this group refers to a Marian apparition, popular title (unless mentioned below) or Marian dogma.
Pamayanan Inmaculada - She is the representation of theImmaculate Conception, principal protectress of the republic. Also known as "Pamayanang Caysaysay" because of the related titleOur Lady of Caysasay.
Pamayanan La Naval - She is the representation ofOur Lady of the Rosary. Often, she carries a rosary. She is included in the Santacruzan because of her title Queen of the Holy Rosary, and because of the miraculous story of the victory of the Catholics over the Turkish Muslims in theBattle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571, and the Victory of the Filipinos and Spaniards over the Dutch on theBattle of La Naval de Manila from March 15, 1646 - October 4, 1646. Also known as "Pamayanang Manaoag" and "Pamayanang Piat" because of the related titlesOur Lady of Manaoag andOur Lady of Piat.
Pamayanan Asunción - She is the representation of theAssumption of Mary.
Pamayanan Del Carmen - She is the representation ofOur Lady of Mount Carmel who appeared to SaintSimon Stock inMount Carmel inPalestine on July 16, 1251. She carries the scapular of Mount Carmel. She is the first ever title in the Santacruzan, named after Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who kept the promise of the Brown scapular, saying "Whosoever dies, vested in this scapular, shall never suffer fires of hell". Also known in Cebu as "Pamayanang La Limpia".
Pamayanan Dela Paz - She is the representation ofOur Lady of Peace. She carries a dove and is included in the Santacruzan Because of her sister title, Queen of Peace. She is also known as "Pamayanang EDSA" in honour of theEDSA Shrine and the historic EDSA Revolution and "Pamanayang Antipolo" because of the related titleOur Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
Pamayanan Lourdes - She is the representation ofOur Lady of Lourdes who appeared to SaintBernadette Soubirous on February 11, 1858. She carries a large rosary.
Pamayanang Guadalupe - She is the representation ofOur Lady of Guadalupe who Appeared to SaintJuan Diego on December 9, 1531. Often, her outfit includes native designs as she is the country's secondary patroness.
Pamayanang Pena de Francia/Peñafrancia - She representsOur Lady of Peñafrancia who appeared to Simón Vela on May 13, 1434 and whose devotion in the country dates from 1712. She is Patroness of the Bicol Region and its one of the oldest devotions in the nation.
Pamayanang Perpetual Help/Prompto Soccoro - She representsOur Lady of Perpetual Help. Indirectly she honours the icon ofOur Lady of Prompt Succor of Binondo, one of the first Marian devotions in the Philippines and a popular title among the Filipino-Chinese in Manila's Binondo district.
Biblical and Historical Figures, with Traditional Personifications
Matusalén (Methuselah) – This Biblical figure is an allegory of thetransience of the world, which will be like the dust he is toasting in a pan over a fire. He is often shown as bent with extreme age and riding a cart. Some renditions, however, show him walking with a cane.
Reina Banderada (Queen with a Banner) – She represents the arrival of Christianity in thePhilippines. Often dressed in a long red gown, her traditional attribute is a yellow and/or whitepennant, or as part of thecolour guard, she bears the modernFlag of Vatican City.
Reina Aeta (Queen Aeta) – She represents the country’s dark-skinned,indigenous peoples such as theAeta andAti. Theseaboriginal groups settled the islands tens of thousands of years before to the arrival today’sAustronesian majority population. She sometimes carries thePhilippine Flag, as part of thecolour guard.
Reina Mora (Queen Moor) – She representsMuslim Filipinos, who are concentrated inMindanao and large cities such asManila.Islam predates Christianity in the Philippines by two centuries, and is the country's second-largest religion. Mary ishonoured in Islam, and her story is found in the19thsura (chapter) of theQur'an. This participant is usually dressed in clothing inspired by various Filipino Muslim ethnic groups, sometimes collectively termedBangsamoro.
Reina de Saba/Reina Sheba (Queen of Sheba) – She represents theunnamed queen who visitedKing Solomon, and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power, and riches. She carries a jewellery box. She is part of theSantacruzan because theLegenda Aurea narrates how she stopped along a bridge she was crossing, and on bended knee venerated a beam that she foretold would become part of the True Cross.
Rut y Noemi/Reina Ruth at Reina Naomi (Ruth andNaomi) – She represents theMoabite convert to Judaism, together with her tragic mother-in-law from whom she was inseparable. Ruth is an ancestress ofKing David, and is one of four women listed in thegenealogies of Jesus in the Gospels ofMatthew andLuke. Ruth may be portrayed alone by one woman, or with Naomi by another woman.
Reina Deborah (Queen Deborah) - She representsDeborah, a prophetess and the only Biblical judge who is female.
Reina Judith (Queen Judith) – She represents the Biblical widowJudith of Bethulia, who saved her city from theAssyrians by beheading their brutal general,Holofernes. Also given the Spanish title "Infanta" (“Princess”), she carries the severed head of Holofernes in one hand, and a sometimes bloodied sword in the other.
(Reina) Samaritana/Santa Photina (The Female Samaritan) – She representsthe Samaritan woman at the well (named in Greek tradition as ΦωτεινήPhotini), whom Christ preached to about theWater of Life. She carries a water jug.
Santa Verónica/Reina Verónica – She represents thewoman who wiped the face of Jesus who bears herVeil. As is common in traditional Hispanic-Filipino iconography, her Veil has a miraculous triple imprint of theHoly Face of Jesus instead of one.
Tres Marías (Three Marys) – Each represents a Mary from among Jesus’ followers, and has an item associated withHis Entombment:
Santa María Magdalena/Reina María Magdalena (Mary Magdalene) – She bears a perfume bottle, as Catholic tradition once conflated her withMary of Bethany, and the woman whoanointed and wiped Jesus' feet. As anMyrrhbearer and first witness to theResurrection, she was declaredApostola Apostolorum (“Apostle to the Apostles”) by the Church in 2016, with her memorial raised to the rank of feast.
Santa María Cleofe/Reina María Cleofe (Mary, the mother of James, wife ofClopas) – She bears a whisk broom, as tradition holds she swept clean theHoly Sepulchre before Christ was laid in it.
Santa María Salome/Reina María Salome (Mary Salome) – She bears athurible or bottle, pointing to her role as one of theMyrrhbearers.
Reina Fé (Queen Faith) – She represents Faith, the firsttheological virtue, and carries a cross or crucifix.
Reina Esperanza (Queen Hope) – She represents Hope, the second theological virtue, and carries an anchor.
Reina Caridad (Queen Charity) – She represents Charity, the third and chief of the theological virtues, and carries a red heart or an image of theSacred Heart.
Reina Sentenciada (Queen Convicted) – She representsEarly Christians, particularly virgins, who werepersecuted andmartyred for the Faith. With hands Boi together using ropes or metal chains, she is sometimes escorted by two Roman soldiers.
Each figure in this group refers to a title of the Virgin Mary in theLitany of Loreto, or a figure associated with her. They are preceded by eight girls or women, dressed in white gowns as angels, each holding a letter of theAngelical salutation “Ave Maria”.
Reina Abogada (Queen Advocate/Lawyer) – Defender of the poor and oppressed, she wears a blackmortarboard cap andgraduation gown, and carries a large book. She is a representation ofMary, Help (Advocate) of Christians. Some processions addReina Doctora (Queen Doctor) as another title linked with a degree, and alludes to the Virgin’s intercession for the sick under various titles. Another title,Reina Migrante (Migrant Mother) may be added, representing the modern title "Solace of Migrants" (Solacium migrantium), alluding to both Mary's guidance to migants and travellers and also of the huge Catholic presence among Overseas Filipinos.
Reina Justícia (Queen Justice) – She is a representation of the title "Mirror of Justice" (Speculum Iustitiæ), whose attributes are thescales of Justice and a sword.
Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) – She bears ashepherd's crook or an image of a lamb. She represents her care for Christians as the flock of her Son, Jesus.
Reina de los Ángeles (Queen of Angels) – Representing the titleRegina Angelorum, she has a bouquet or garland of white or coloured flowers, and is escorted by ladies in white, representing theBodiless Powers.
Casa de Oro/Bahay na Ginto (House of Gold) - Representing the titleDomus Aurea as well as the modernRegina familiae (Queen of the Family), she carries a replica of abahay kubo or abahay na bato, honoring Mary's role as the protector of the family and as a reminder of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Luklukan ng Karunungan/Asiento de la Sabiduría (Seat of Wisdom) – She represents the titleSedes Sapientiæ, and carries theHoly Bible.
Susì ng Langit/Clavé del Cielo (Key of Heaven) – She bears two keys, one gold and the other silver, adapted from thePapal arms. She also represents the titlePorta Cœli (“Gate of Heaven”).
Reina de las Estrellas (Queen of the Stars) – She holds awand or staff topped with a star. It can allude toStella Maris (“Star of the Sea”), a title of Mary often invoked by seafarers.
Rosa Mística (Mystical Rose) – She bears a bouquet or garland of roses, a single rose, or preferably, theBarra Alta.
Reina del Santísimo Rosario (Queen of theMost Holy Rosary) – She represents the titleRegina Sacratissimi Rosarii and so carries a large set ofrosary beads. ThePhilippines is sometimes calledPueblo Amante de María (“People Who Love Mary”) due to the many fervent and varied devotions to Her who is theMother of God.
Reina de los Patriarcas (Queen of Patriarchs) – She represents the titleRegina Patriarcharum, and bears the wooden staff of authority commonly held by thePatriarchs, ancestors of Israelites.
Reina de las Profetas (Queen of Prophets) – She represents the titleRegina Prophetarum, and holds anhourglass orclock symbolic ofTime: past, present, and future. It also alludes to Mary’s role in bearing Christ as fulfilling Old Testament prophecies, especiallyIsaiah 7:14 onImmanuel, and God's words toEve and the Serpent inGenesis 3:15.
Reina de los Mártires (Queen of Martyrs) – She represents the titleRegina Martyrum, and bears theCrown of Thorns or a pierced heart, as a second manifestation of theMater Dolorosa. She stands for the Martyrs, those killedIn odium Fidei (“In hatred of the Faith”).
Reina de los Apóstoles (Queen of Apostles) – She represents the titleRegina Apostolorum, and holds thePalm of Martyrdom, an originally Roman symbol of victory now given to those who heroically died rather than renounce Christ. Mary, understood to be Jesus’ first disciple, is also honoured by His other chief disciples, theApostles.
Reina de los Santos (Queen of Saints) – She represents the titleRegina Omnium Sanctorum, and bears a golden wreath symbolising theCrown of the Saints. She is often escorted by two more ladies in white, standing in forAll Saints.
Reina del Cielo (Queen of Heaven) – She holds a flower, and is often accompanied by two ladies dressed in white.
Reina de las Vírgenes (Queen of Virgins) – She carries a rosary orlily, the latter signifyingchastity. She is also escorted by two ladies dressed in white, symbolisingVirgins in general,martyred andconsecrated.
1.Reina de las Flores (Queen of Flowers) – She is considered Queen of the religious pageant. She processes under an arch festooned with flowers, and carries a grand bouquet.
2.Reina Elena (Queen Helena) – She represents Saint Helena herself, and holds a cross orcrucifix to symbolise the True Cross of Jesus. This considerably prestigious role is often awarded to the most beautiful girl or most important matron of the pageant. Some communities keep secret the identity of aReina Elena until theSantacruzan itself. Other places allow more than one woman this normally singular honour.
Constantino – the traditional escort of theReina Elena, representing the historical figure’s son,Constantine the Great (272–337 AD). Despite the Emperor having been an adult at the finding of the True Cross, this role is almost always for a boy or adolescent youth (rarely a grown man). He is often dressed formally or as a king, wearing a crown orcoronet and bearing a sword.
3.Reina Emperatríz (QueenEmpress) – Always the last member of the procession, she is symbolic of Saint Helena’s titleAugusta ('empress' or 'queen mother'), which she received from Constantine in 325 AD. A theory fortwo representations of the saintly Empress is that several women wanted the role, and this secondary manifestation was created to accommodate them.
The procession is accompanied by a local brass band, playing theDios te salve (a Spanish setting of theHail Mary). Devotees bear lighted candles and sing the hymn as they walk. In more modern arrangements, a speaker truck is used to broadcast this and other hymns. It is customary for participating males not in costume to wear traditionalbarong tagalog or Western-style formal wear, while females wear any Filipiniana-inspired dress or designer outfits.
Media related toFlores de Mayo at Wikimedia Commons
