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ArchiveLent - Pinoy Style    September 8, 2010
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Lent – Pinoy* Style
 
By: Dr. Jun Maniego
 
The Philippines, being the only Catholic nation in Southeast Asia, boasts of Lenten traditions as colourful as our colonising country, Spain, but uniquely Filipino in style and appeal.
 
The Holy Week starts with “Palaspas” or palm branches everywhere. They adorn every corner of the church. Every parishioner has one in his hand, intricately woven by himself or conveniently bought from several make-shift stalls outside the church.
The first morning Mass is usually preceded by a procession of the image of Christ on a donkey, and the faithful holding palm fronds instead of candles.
 
In some parts of the country, Palm Sunday celebration begins with a queue of people alongside the street several blocks outside the church. At the end of that queue, is the parish priest astride a young horse (we don’t have donkeys in the Philippines), representing Jesus as he enters Jerusalem. Then he proceeds towards the church, blessing the palm branches people wave as he passes by. 
 
Another version of this, which can be seen in other provinces is the Paglalatag, where the parish priest, while going towards the church on foot is met by the parishoners spreading mats and carpets along his way.

 

  
 
 
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We would like to thank Sidney Snoeck for his permission to use his pictures on these pages.

Further great pictures can be found on his blog click here

We would also like to thank Padre Jacques Bourdages from the Foreign Mission Society in the Philippines and for his help in finding Sidney for us and also for introducing us to the Filipino community in Montreal  more

  
 
 
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