Cathedral Parish of Saint Paul the First Hermit 2017 Holy Week Activities

* 2017 Palm Sunday in San Pablo City, Laguna

 
The Holy Week is essentially a commemoration of the life and the death of Jesus Christ for the people of the world and is therefore one of the high holidays of the Christians particularly the Roman Catholics.

Here in San Pablo City, Laguna, the Parish of Saint Paul the First Hermit (San Pablo Ang Unang Ermitanyo) and its workers have prepared the prepared the following activities:

April 7 – Palm Sunday
07:30 am – Blessing of Palms with Bishop Famadico with procession at the 4 corners of the church patio (Jubilee Courtyard)

April 10 – Monday
04:00 am  – assembly for Visita Iglesia (see post “2017 Visita Iglesia of Cathedral Parish of Saint Paul the First Hermit”)
04:30 am – Departure for Visita Iglesia

April 11 –Tuesday
09:00 am – Chrism Mass (Cathedral)
02:00 p m – General Station of the Cross with re-enactment of several stations by the PVM (Sampaloc Lake)

April 12 – Wednesday
06:00 p m – Holy Procession on the Passion of the Christ

April 13 – Maundy Thursday
05:15 pm – Mass of the Last Supper (Cathedral)
07:00 pm – 12:00 mn – Adoration of the Blesses Sacrament (Access Area near Liceo de San Pablo)

April 14 – Good Friday
07:00 am – Tenebrae (Cathedral)
12:00 nn – 03:00 pm – The Seven Last Words (Cathedral)
03:00 pm – 06:00 pm – Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion (Cathedral)
06:00 pm – onwards – General Solemn Procession

April 15 – Black Saturday
08:00 pm – Blessing of Fire and Water / Easter Vigil Mass (Cathedral Patio)

April 16 – Easter Sunday
03:00 am – Salubong (Men: Barleta Street, Women: Hermanos Belen Street)
After 02:00 pm mass – Egg Hunting (Cathedral Patio)
   

Musing on This Year’s Araw ng Kagitingan

During the recent Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration activities here in San Pablo City, Laguna, I made way again to the same spot I chose way back in 2012 to take photos of the World War II (WWII) veterans and their relatives as a form of my tribute to them. It has been years since I started my pet project on a local history-related work on World War II (producing one research paper that was fortunately published and a bunch of unread drafts and references) but my admiration of these people is still here.

Although saddened by the observation that in this year's activity, only women WWII veterans/pensioners were present, it is still consoling to note that this commemoration (despite the seemingly mechanical and predictable flow of program each and every year) is still being done. It’s the least that we could do, particularly us who are not involved in the processing of pensions long due to most of the WWII veterans all over the country.

These veterans may not be wearing the battle scarred faces and bodies we usually see in the movies but their existence is the closest we could get to real-life heroes that are mentioned in the pages of our Philippine history books. It is my fervent hope that the simple commemorative rifle planted on a tomb-like base in Doña Leonila Park will stay there for many more years. We may now find that the names of those who fought during the War that are etched there are incomplete but the annual commemoration of their bravery is our version of salute to these Filipino fighters, names etched or un-etched alike.

San Pablo Cathedral's Belfry Renovation and How You Can Help

Recently, the San Pablo Cathedral started undergoing renovation much like the façade a few years ago (see post “Bayanihan sa Katedral: A Call for Help for the Renovation and Preservation of San Pablo Cathedral, San Pablo City, Laguna”), although I am yet to find the foreman overseeing the day-today- activities to ask him about the differences (or similarities) with those of the façade. Besides the funds (I assume) that are allotted for this work, more is still needed to fast track the repairs.
  

One can help by becoming what is called Companions of St. Paul the First Hermit. As a member, you will:

- support the Cathedral belfry restoration
- be part of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Diocese of San Pablo
- enjoy a Companions Member's privileges such as:
   > enlistment in the commemorative Golden Book to be kept in the parish archives
   > inclusion in the monthly intentions of the Holy Mass every 15th day of the month at 05:15 pm
  > receipt of the St. Paul the First Hermit commemorative medal with the Golden Jubilee Logo