by Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
Semana Santa in the Hearts of Children
Semana Santa during our days started with Miyercoles sa badlis sugod sa pagpoasa. Since our school was just beside the church, pupils then were encouraged to attend mass. Paghuman sa misa, pabadlis mi dayon ug abo sa among agtang. Before, church altars were all covered with granite; at present, with purple or violet.
Lola Danday used to have Spanish words in her conversation as she was schooled in the escuela de ninas towards the end of the Spanish regime. Though fasting was observed only on Good Friday, there was still no meat for us until Easter Sunday. Mao nga humot gyud kaayo ang sinugba sa Domingo sa pagpakabanhaw.
Our town being the cradle of Christianity in Bohol, has its people taking pride over its human-sized santos for Holy Week. The santos and carrozas are the pride of families living in Baclayon. Some of these families are the Tuminongnongs, Ayaays, Realistas, Narons, Malons, Oppuses, Revils, Villamors and Valerosos. By Monday of the Holy Week, you can see people repairing and cleaning the carros in preparation of the Holy Week.
For the Wednesday procession, family members bring pots of ornamentals and the petromax. During this time, do not go fishing, hence, their petromax lamps are being placed on their carros.
Thursday afternoon until evening, we were in church equipped with kopakkopak which was otherwise known as the tenieblas from our grandmother. Our Lolo Ado was the one who made the kopakopak for us so we can have its sound during the mass – at that part when Judas would kiss Jesus. This is the time when the whole church would be dark. “Gidakup na si Jesus”, I would usually say.
Then the last supper would be held in the convent. Here bells would stop ringing until the Easter vigil.
During the Good Friday procession, the focus is on the Santo Entierro.
The libud sa Soledad is a tradition for us in our hometown. It’s Mary with the tres Marias and St. John coming home from the burial of Jesus. In our town, the encargados of the Dolorosa are the members of Revil family.
Mater Dolorosa follows the Sto. Entierro during the Good Friday procession.
Hugos was at 4 in the morning. The statue of the Risen Lord is taken care of by the Luza Oppus family. The statue of Mary is taken care of by the Real family represented by Iya Irag, a teacher and a good custorera. We, as children then, would wait for the burning of Judas.
Going home from the hugos which is still early morning, nag aso aso na sa sinugbang baboy ang mga kabalayan. Coming home duna nay sinugba. Pagkalami!!!! 40 days of poasa di ba?