Previous | Next :: Holy Week Act of Penitence : Barangay Lourdes Angeles City : The Philippines | April 19, 2014, 3:42 pm

Well, Easter in The Philippines may not be to everyones taste ........... There has been a fair bit of self mutilation in acts on penitence ......... some resulting in splatters of blood being liberally distributed over on lookers and nearby photographers ........... Nearby photographers are getting through bucket loads of sanitizing gel because the whole business seems a massive risk to the health of all concerned ..........

But hey it's not all grim .......... I just literally came back from a rather lovely ceremony at midnight called : Salubong ..... (Filipino for "meeting" it re-enacts the reunion of Christ and his mother after the Resurrection) ........ In the ritual angels reveal to the congregation and to The Virgin Mary that Christ is risen ............. Little girls in angels costumes floating on trapezes above the crowd first drop petals then pulled back the curtains from Mary's face and the Priest cried out : 'Jesus is alive !!!!!!!!!' ......... Everyone ran and embraced including all the priests and choir boys and the whole crowd ....... they all cheered, cried, danced and celebrated like a bunch of overjoyed soccer fans while fireworks burst overhead .......... it was all rather wonderful ..... I found myself laughing out loud at the amazing joy on display .........

But like I say ..... Some of the rest of Holy Week here could pretty easily be viewed as totally on the grim side ......... especially for anyone expecting the Easter bunny and a few chocolate eggs ........ see above:-///

Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXX

PS......... Happy Easter to all who are reading Jezblog and like to celebrate Easter :-)))) ....... have a good one no matter if you are celebrating with a chocolate egg or if you having been whipping yourself all week in acts of Holy Week penitence :-))))))))))))))))) XXXXXXXXXX

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