Note: This is Holy Week here in the Philippines, and while I wrote this article for Holy Week 2007, it applies today as much as it did then. I decided to re-run this article for those who might not know about the significance of Holy Week here in the Philippines.
The week before Easter Sunday is a huge thing in the Philippines. I would say that it is probably a bigger holiday than even Christmas here. It is Holy Week.
A lot of businesses are closed starting from about noon on the Wednesday before Easter until the following Monday! Almost all businesses are closed on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Easter, and Easter day as well. On Easter Day, though, more places start opening their doors again. Even grocery stores and such are closed, so it’s a good idea to stock up and make sure you have all the provisions that you need for Holy Week!
Can you imagine, even most of the TV stations are off the air. The radio waves go silent for Holy Week. The country comes to a standstill. Well, almost. The only thing that is not at a standstill is that practically everybody travels! Time for a vacation, or to go back home and see the family. Since all the businesses are closed, they can all travel, because they are all off from work.
My first couple of years here, I had a real hard time adjusting to Holy Week, but it’s getting better for me now. I do find it inconvenient, but I have adjusted enough that I don’t go crazy with nothing to do for almost an entire week!
Where are you going for Holy Week?
Hi Bob,
It's true what you said about Holy Week in the Philippines. That's because more than 80% of Filipinos are catholics. And we take it seriously. When I came here in the US, I had a hard time adjusting, too because it feels like it's not Holy Week. If I am not mistaken when I was at a very young age, I think businesses and government offices were closed starting Monday. We're so glad when there's no school for a week.
Liklik
P.S. Bill's well, thank you. We just got back from our 2 weeks vacaction.
Hi Liklik – from what I see in the Philippines, I don't know if I can agree that the reason for Holy Week is because of deep religious faith. From what I can see, people are more happy to have holidays so they can party, travel or do other things. I am sure there are some who spend their time solemnly and religiously, but I don't think it's the majority any more.
Hi Bob,
I agree with you. It started with religiosity. I remember as a kid, we can't even hear any music playing on the radio starting on Holy Thursday. All you hear is prayers. Holy Thursday and Good Friday were the most solemn days. At home, my Mom would prohibit us from playing any music.
Nowadays, Holy Week is a chance to get away from the city, go to the beach and hang out since it's also the start of the hot summer season and school vacation. I know I'll be at the beach for a few days during Holy Week… 😉
You are right ladies, Holy Week in the Phils is no longer holy as I experienced in the past. My grandma observed it religiously–no loud noise, she didn't even take a bath especially on Good Fri! We took the pleasure of eating food that my folks got to fix seemingly for an eternity, like the ginataang nangka. And the Panaad in Camiguin ? My friends call it Paniid (interpreted as being "nosy" rather than being "observant"). I loath those visiting and local drivers who drive like crazy hopping from one resort to another in the island.
Hi Tina – You are right with everything you say.
Hi Jul – interesting to hear about your holy week experiences too. I am not familiar with Panaad or Paniid. Can you fill me in?
on tv, it's chuck heston's time to shine.
i think its pretty funny that friends still regularly email me during holy week and ask me what my travel plans are for the week (fyi: i live in California).
Hi Macky – Ha ha… yes, that is indeed funny! When I first came to live in the Philippines, when Holy Week was upon us, I was shocked! I had never heard about it before, and could not believe that virtually the entire country closed down for Holy Week!
You're right about Charlton Heston! He is the star of stars during Holy Week!!! 😉
Bob, Panaad comes from the word "saad" or promise. Roman Catholics go around the island (63 km. circumference) on foot as a penintential sacrifice. Usually one does this if he/she got an answer to a prayer (eg. passing an exam, getting a job or health related) or still praying for a specific request. It used to be a religious activity where the people who walk pray and light a candle in every church they pass-by. Anyway, this later became a social/cultural/religions activity during Holy Week in the island when few professionals from around CdO and Camiguin made it more organized. It became popular when the Tourism/Prov'l govt promoted it. Now, when one wants to walk, I guess you have to register, personal effects will be loaded in a vehicle (to make you lighter!) and emergency vehicles are available for a ride if your feet can't make it . It usually starts on a Wednesday. I really didn't know the details because I have never done this.
Hi Jul – Wow, that is quite interesting. A walk of 63 Km is quite demanding on your body. I will watch out on the news to see if I hear anything about Panaad during Holy Week.
Thanks for telling me about it.
Bob,
We used to do something similar where we went to different churches – it's called "Visita Iglesia", but we didn't walk. I forget now if it's done on Holy Thursday or Good Friday and I think we had to go to 6 or 7 different churches.
One ritual I enjoyed was the "Salubong" (Tagalog) or "Tabo" (Bisaya). It is the reenactment of the meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus after His Resurrection. This is done at 4am of Easter Sunday. There are 2 processions, one following Jesus and the other following the Virgin Mary. At the point where they meet, there are angels singing hymns and tossing flower petals. We used to grab these petals for good luck.
So different from how we celebrate Easter here with the Easter Parade down Fifth Avenue – a contest of who comes up with the most outlandish Easter hat.
Hi Tina – Interesting! Yeah, I haven't seen too many people around here in their "Easter Bonnet"!
To some level, Holy Week in the Phil is no longer as Holy as it should be or is it us who have become less holy? I am convinced though that if you want to stay Holy during Holy Week, stay put in Manila and not give in to your friends insistence to join them in their out of town trips. In my observation, every decadence that is totally inappropriate during Holy Week happens in the provinces. I used to think that people in the provinces are more "religious", "more innocent about wordly plaesures", of course, this was debunked by my constant provincial trips. To be fair, I also think that people's attitude towards Holy week also depends on the community. There are communities in the provinces who properly observe the Lenten season and there are those who are many, who play mahjjong and finish it in time before the procession, along with teenagers who drink alcohol and fornicate during the entire Holy week!
Hi Roy – Thanks for sharing your insight about Holy Week. It is very interesting.
Hi Bob! Holy week now is different than it was 20 years ago. I think now the only day that remains holy even for Catholics is Good Friday. But the rest of the week is like any other day. I would still try to instill Catholic rituals in my kids while they are young. We don't really go out of town during Holy week as we still observe what we have grown up doing. And I know a lot of people who do that. Confessions, easter vigil mass, eating no meats, fasting and lots of prayers.
Oh, btw, when we were kids, we were prohibited to laugh loud, take a bath, cut our nails and get injured esp on Good Friday. Our grannies told us if we get injured on a Good Friday that it will never heal.
Hi Bob – Good re-run. Holy Week in the Phils (now a little less reverent than decades before) mirror 18th and 19th Century European cultural experiences (of course, mostly Spanish).
Have to say, though, that we had similar observances in the neighborhood I grew up in during the 50s. Music and loud voices/noises were frowned upon from Holy Thursday afternoon to Easter Sunday Morning. Good Friday "prohibitions" similar to those Cathy mentioned in #15 were also in place with lolas (or, in my case, "bushas") providing the same exact rationale. Most businesses were closed either all day or half day Good Friday, all of Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Plenty of other similarities, too (fasting & total abstinence from meat on Good Friday; food blessing on Holy Saturday; family eating blessed food immediately after midnight services on Easter, etc.).
How things have changed in the USA! Also, how they are changing in the Phils. I'm sure that to "today's American," the Philippine "Holy Week experience" does seem overly religious and inconvenient. "Yesterday's American" said the same thing about their "Holy Week experience" over 50 years ago. 😉
(Remember, if you can, no store were open on Sundays at all until the mid-1960s! 😆 )
Hi Bob,
Here in Georgia, which is mostly Baptist, Easter is celebrated and Good Friday also by most.I have to work Good Friday. Easter is not as big as it was when I was a kid. We have a plant in Mexico and they are shut down for holy week. It will be interesting to experience Holy week, if I ever move to the Philippines.
Hi Bob,
I usually spend Easter in Davao with family. This year, however, Holy Week happened too early (it’s usually in April), some say since 1913! Anyway, so here I am in NY still and will be watching the Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue.
BTW, just wanted to wish you (you’re Irish, aren’t you?) 😉 and every Irish out there a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. I’m making corned beef and cabbage for dinner tonight. Oh, I have to pick up green beer!
Hi Bob- It will be Holy week for Marilou and I if the flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro is on time on Saturday. Thats all we ask of the Holy week, so put a prayer in for us please.
Hi Cathy – Yes, I have also observed that in the time we have lived here in the Philippines Holy Week has changed. It is less strict, less somber than it was the first couple of years that we lived here.
Hi Paul – Thanks for sharing your thoughts, very interesting!
Hi Richard D. – It would be very interesting to compare the Holy Week differences between your company's employees in Mexico and Georgia!
Hi Tina – Yes, it is very early this year, isn't it? And… yes, you are right that I am Irish. We had Irish Stew for dinner last night. No green beer here, though! 😆
Hi Jim – I hope that and Marilou have a safe flight, and a wonderful trip to the Philippines. If you have time to make it to Davao this trip, we would be most pleased to see you!
Hi Bob,
Your article and the comments above brought back memories and feelings of homesickness. I remembered as a young girl, we were told to refrain from being happy; no playing and laughing, no music and yes, no having showers after 3:00p.m. on Good Friday? Never really figured that out? My Mom tried to pull the same when she was visiting here in Vancouver around Holy Week, too.
What I really missed is the devotion to celebrate the days before Easter. As a practicing Roman Catholic (I don't even consider myself devout) in North America, it is quite difficult to get accustomed to the ways things are around this time of the year. Nothing changes except Good Friday is a stat holiday therefore offices are closed but retail stores, theaters, etc. are still open. There's even hockey and soccer games going on. I noticed it's all about the Easter bunny and the egg hunt- basically, commercialism. Of course, it goes without saying, Canada is a melting pot of immigrants from all over the world and as such, Christianity is only a small percentage of the various religions being practiced here.
So, we just do what the Catholic church expects us to do- confessions, stations of the cross, no meat Fridays, Easter vigil and Easter Mass. We are allowed to laugh though! and yes, we do take our showers on Good Fridays!
Just sharing my thoughts…..Happy Easter to you all!
Hi Veechee – I understand your homesickness. It is natural for a person who lives away from their home to get like that during different times of the year, especially during times that are special times at home. Good luck to you.
Hi Bob,
I remember not being allowed anything to eat from dawn to sunset on a Good Friday. To drink water was sufficient, my mom would say. We also used to wrap our guitar or any instrument with black cloth. Since I stopped going to church 30 some years ago, (I believe my church is within me) I still do my fasting during the Holy Week for health reasons. A good tradition, I thought.
Hi MarcelinaWW – Very interesting that you have kept up the fasting tradition. I wish you all the best.
Back when I was in college I used to attend a holy week prayer with very special spiritual group in Bicol .. I remember the spirit came to her body saying that during holy week you are not suppost to have s.x other wise if you get pregnant .. your baby will turn guy if female become tomboy if male become bakla
so that is the reason Filipino observe holy week.. now Filipino some observe holy week some are not .. i think coz filipino are now corrapted of deffirent believes in life.. that is why we have many guy in the world.. plus addid to
"you tube " I came across by Jorge Carlin Relegious is Bullshit..
Hi Passuwa – Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Very interesting. I had not heard about that before.
Holy Week to me is Moriones Festival here in Marinduque. If you have not heard of the Moriones Festival, there are several good websites that gives details of our pageantry and religious revelry associated with the Festival( just type Moriones, Marinduque on google search).
This is the week when the sleepy province of Marinduque becomes a world tourist destination. So, I hope I arouse your curiosity about the Moriones Festival and maybe someday you visit us here in Marinduque.
Cheers to ALL! David of Marinduque (http://marinduqueawaits.you.blogspot.com)
Hi David B Katague – I am not familiar with the Moriones Festival, I'll have to look into it.