Maniolas

Pope Francis in the Philippines gave the Filipinos and the rest of the world more than just amazing snapshots of a series of anticipated motorcades on the pope mobile, a sea of faces in the streets and papal meeting venues waiting for seemingly endless hours to catch a glimpse of St. Peter’s successor, or the millions of Catholic faithful attending an open air papal mass despite storm downpours. Pope Francis in the Philippines gave Filipinos this – resounding messages of mercy and compassion amid tragedies, both natural and man-made, leaving the predominantly Catholic population of a country in economic and political turmoil fired up and raring to go on missions of Jesus Christ’s good news to the rest of the country, to Asia and the world. For 5 days, the country went on a spiritual journey to follow the Vatican head as he met with the country’s executives, concelebrated Holy Masses with local priests, met with Catholic and non-Catholic religious leaders, spent time with Filipino families, addressed young Filipinos, commiserated with the survivors of super typhoon Haiyan and earthquake victims, and blessed a record number of mass-goers in the country’s central park. After the pope’s departure for Rome on the morning of January 19, 2015 Manila’s Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle urged Filipinos to reflect and act on the pope’s messages. GoodNewsPilipinas is publishing the full text of messages from the pope’s public statements after his arrival in the evening of January 15, Day 1. Pope Francis’ speech in Malacanang [via Read More …

Maytinis [via by Chona Aguilar Kapunan Facebook] A centuries-old religious tradition by the people of Kawit, Maytinis is a colourful event celebrated every Christmas Eve in this small town of Cavite province, south of Manila. Anticipated by crowds of tourists and Caviteños alike, the Maytinis is a long procession of floats depicting biblical characters from Adam and Eve to Joseph and Mary’s journey before Christ’s birth. Biblical characters are sometimes played by famous entertainers or celebrities, but most often by the local beauties of the town. The storytelling is dramatized through a serenade by Joseph and Mary whose float makes a stop at several houses to ask for shelter and a place to give birth. They are shunned until they reach the 17th century St. Mary Magdalene Church where the Virgin Mary and Joseph are welcomed by angels in a giant “Belen” (Nativity Scene) which covers the whole Retablo or Altar of the church. The 20 or so floats sponsored by a barangay of the town, an organization or individuals traditionally depict the sequence of the history of salvation from the Old to the New Testaments of the Holy Bible. Each float is followed by young ladies and lads of the town dressed in shepherd clothes carrying the theme of the float they are following. Clowns join the procession featuring creative expressions of the town’s sentiments on current national issues, all done in jest but nevertheless thought-provoking. Marching bands come from all over the province join the parade floats. The Read More …