Flores
de Mayo at Santacruzan
Flores, from Spanish flores or "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 .
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).
A Santacruzan
is a religious-historical beauty pagent held in many cities, towns and
even smll villages 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.
The festivity commemorates
the search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena (Reina 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.
Nine days of prayer (a
novena) in honor of the Holy Cross precedes the Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan.
This festival was introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines and has since
become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love and romance.
This colorful pageant parade
is arranged in this 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 all that glitters
will end up as dust like what he
is toasting.
2. Reyna Banderada - a young
lady dressed in a long red gown carrying a yellow triangular flag. She
represents the coming of Christianity.
3. Aetas - represent the
state of the country before the coming of Christianity. These are the
unconverted Filipino pagans.
4. Reyna Mora - represents the dominant religion before Christianity (feminine
of Moro from the Moslem religion).
5. Reyna Fe - symbolizes the
virtue of faith - the first of the theological virtues. She carries a cross.
6. Reyna Esperanza -
symbolizes the virtue of hope - the second theological virtue. She carries an
anchor.
7. Reyna Caridad - symbolizes
the virtue of charity - the third theological virtue. She carries a red heart.
8. Reyna Abogada - the
defender of the poor and the oppressed. She wears a black graduation cap (toga)
and gown and she carries a big book.
9. Reyna Sentenciada - has
her slim hands bound by a rope. She is the symbol of the innocents who have been
convicted. She is accompanied by two Roman soldiers.
10. Reyna Justicia - a
personification of the "mirror of justice". She carries a weighing scale and a
sword.
11. Reyna Judith -
representing Judith of Pethulia who saved her city from the Assyrians after she
beheaded the cruel holoferns. She carries the head of the beheaded man on one
hand and a sword on the other.
12. Reyna Sheba - who visited
the famed King Solomon and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power and richess. She
carries a jewelry box.
13. Reyna Esther - the
biblical Jewish who spared her countrymen from death and destruction through
timely intervention with the King Xerxes. She carries a scepter.
14. Samaritana - the woman
who Christ spoke to at the well. She carries a jug on her shoulder.
15. Veronica - the woman who
wiped the face of Jesus. She carries a bandana imprinted with the three faces of
Jesus.
16. Tres Marias: Mary of
Magdala - she carries a bottle of perfume; Mary, Mother of Christ - she carries
a handkerchief; Mary, mother of James - she carries a bottle of oil.
17. Marian - celebrating the
many titles of the Virgin Mary.
a. A-v-e--M-a-r-i-a --
represented by eight (8) girls all Wearing long white dressess with wings to
make them look like angels. Each one carries a letter to complete the word "AVE
MARIA."
b. Divina pastora (Divine
Shepherdess) - she carries a shepherdess' staff.
c. Reyna de las Estrellas
(Queen of Stars) - she carries a wand with a star.
d. Rosa Mystica - she carries
a bouquet of roses.
e. Reyna Paz (queen of peace)
- she carries the symbol of peace.<
f. Reyna de las Propetas -
she carries a hour glass.
g. Reyna del Cielo (Queen of
Heaven) she carries a flower. She has two (2) angels.
h. Reyna de las Virgines -
she carries a rosary and is surrounded by two (2) little angels.
i. Reyna de las Flores (Queen
of Flowers) - she carries a bouquet of flowers.
18. Reyna Elena (Queen
Helena) - the legendary founder of the true Cross, represented by the small
cross she carries. She is escorted by her son, Constantine.
The procession is followed by
the steady beat of rondalla, playing and singing "Dios Te Salve". The devotees
walking with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and singing the
prayer.
Dios Te Salve (Hail
Mary)
Dios te salve Maria
Llena eres de gracia
El senor es contigo
Bendita tu eres
Entre todas las mujeres
Y bendito es el fruto
Y bendito es el fruto
De tu vientre Jesus.
Santa Maria Madre de Dios
Ruega por nosotros
Pecadores ahora
Y en la hora
De nuestra muerte amen. Jesus.
After the procession there is
a pabitin that serves as a culminating activity for all the children to
enjoy. Pabitin is a square trellis where goodies (candies, fruits, etc.)
are hung by strings. This trellis in turn is tied to a rope and is suspended on
a strong branch or pole. The children gather under the trellis and they jump as
high as they can to try to pick the goodies as the trellis gets lowered to them
while someone pulls it up and down repeatedly until the goodies are gone.
For the Santacruzan to be
more exciting, the chosen Reina Elena is kept a secret until the day of the
parade to surprise the people.
It is requested that male
members attending the Santacruzan wear Barong Tagalog and the women wear any
Filipino costumes, if available.
.