Where do you plan to spend your Holy Week or Semana Santa

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Holy Week or Semana Santa is one of the most celebrated religious event in our country. A week is spend in remembering the last few days of Jesus. A lot of religious people thin ks that it is the time to think and reflect on their life. How do you spend it? This year Holy Week starts on April 5 and ends on Easter Sunday which is on April 12. Do you knw what are the traditions during this time? Let me refresh you a bit: April 5, Sunday, this is the day where we reenact the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem. It is called Palm Sunday. People rush in to church with palms or young coconut leaves, singing and waving the leaves as the priest pass them and bless their leaves. This is one of my favorite day during the Holy week. This not only show how religious we are but also show how talented Filipinos can be. Can you just imagine the creatures and artistic images done using young coconut leaves? Monday and Tuesday, there is not much emphasis on the importance of this day. Well as you know, e still have office work during Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday. If there is thing I can remember that gives a bit of respect to this days, it is Eat Bulaga's Holy Week presentation every year. LOL Holy Wednesday. In our province, Holy Wednesday is the day where a procession is held. A carozzas filled with flowers were in procession. This carrozzas hold a life size images and scenes form the Passion of Christ. Our family is included in this procession. My grandmother is taking care of the image of Christ while he was praying at the Garden of Gethsemane. My family would be busy preparing the carozzas. There are more than 40 floats in procession. I think one of the more famous place for this is Bulacan. They have the grandest carozzas and images. Maundy Thursday. From my childhood, I remember this day as the washing of the feet of the Apostles. In a nearby church we can watch the reenactment of this. It is also the time where people church hop or known as Visita Iglesias. There is also an activity in Antipolo where people walk from their place to Antipolo. I have seen that last year. Thursday night as we drove out of the city, I have seen a lot of people walking towards Antipolo. Have you experienced that? You can also see a lot of people doing their sacrifice. I have seen people hurting their backs, some carrying the cross. Good Friday. Now this day is one of my favorite. At 3 PM in the afternoon, they say, is the time when Jesus died. And so a lot of beliefs this time. One is that you cannot take a bath after 3 PM, sounds weird eh? I remember an incident when I took bath after 3PM and an earthquake hit our place, I know it is coincidental, but I just can't forget that incident. It was so funny.In some places people make a stage play re enacting the crucifixion. I never seen one. I don't have the courage to watch it. Then there is again a procession of carozzas but this time afloat is added. The one carrying the dead body of Jesus. I also love the Pabasa or the readings of the Passion of Christ in musical way. We sometimes go around town watching the oldies sing their hearts out. Some people even playfully sung it in pop tunes. I hope that younger generation could learn how t sing it nicely. It is one of the traditions that is fading over time. Black Saturday is believed to be the time where Jesus is still dead. Before we used to have an outing during this day, but realizing that we should not, we stopped. My favorite part of this day is the mass on the afternoon. You know when the first fire is lighted. It is so grand! I can still remember how overwhelmed I felt during this masses. There would be a bonfire in front of the church and then the priest would bless the candles and some water. It was also said that when judgment time comes, it is the candles that are blessed during Black Saturday are the ones that can be lighted. Ok that one, I don;t believe.. LOL Easter Sunday is also on of the best. Sunday dawn, we call it Salubong. It is a re enactment of Mary and Jesus seeing each other again. I really really love watching this show. In a crossing road, they would set up a stage. From the other side, an image of Mary with black veil will come, from the other side an image of the resurrection of Christ will meet her. Just before they meet or just in time when their floats met, an angel will come down and will take Mary;s black veil. Isn't that grand? I am so proud on how artistic Filipinos can be. A good family outing will mark this week. On Easter Sunday most families head on the beach and celebrate the resurrection of Christ and or for some, the last day to have a summer blast. [b] So this coming week? where will you be heading? Are you gonna hunt down some young coconut leaves for the Palaspas? Or are you gonna watch the processions? Go church hopping, visiting churches? Walk in Antipolo? Come on guys I want to know [/b]