Santacruzan

By Charles Adrian C. Rabanal

Santacruzan is held annually in the warm month of May and is considered to be

the “Queen of Filipino Festivals.” According to Marunong (1984), “A Santacruzan is a

religious-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns, and even small villages

throughout the Philipines during the month of May.”

Flores, from Spanish flores or “flowers”, also known as Flores de Mayo (Flowers

of May), Flores de Maria (Flowers of Mary) or alay (offering), may refer to the whole

Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in tribute to the Virgin Mary. The

Santacruzan was a novena procession remembering St. Helena’s mythical finding of the

cross. St. Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. According to Legends, 300

years after death of Christ, at the age of 75, she went to calvary to conduct a search for

the cross. After some archeological diggings at the site of the Crucifixion, she unearthed

three crosses. She tested each one by making a sick servant lie on all three. The cross

where the servant recovered was identified as Christ’s, St. Helena’s feast day falls on

August 8 but the anniversary of the finding of the cross is on May 3 rd, in the Philippines,

this celebration took the form of the Mexican Santa Cruz de Mayo.

Many towns celebrated Flores de Mayo with the community congregrating in the

afternoons to pray the rosary, offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, and share homemade

delicacies and snacks. “The festivity commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by

Queen Helena (Reina Elena) and her son, the newly converted emperor Constantine.

After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, there was a

joyful celebration for thanksgiving.” (San Diego, 1989).

 In 1800, This Filipino tradition (“The Queen of May Festivities”), introduced by the

Spanish conquerors, is more than 100 years old and lives on even in Europe and

Ameroca. Filipino Communities and Associations all over the world rejoice the

santacruzan with the same pageantry and glamour as tge towns folk in their homeland.

In the Tagalog region, their customs and celebration started after the

proclamationof the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. According to

Mondragon (1996), experts on par excellence, explains that a proper Santacruzan pays

tribute to the Virgin Mary,gives proper obeisance to characters of both the Old and New

Testaments and ends with relies of the Crucifixion being brought back to Christendom

by the Empress Helena.

Some of the Reyna’s of the parade, Reyna de las Virgines, carries a rosary and

is surrounded by two angels. Reyna Fe (Faith), symbolizes the virtue of faith, she

carries a cross. Reyna Justicia, the “mirror if justice”. She carries a weighting scale and

a sword. Veronica, the woman who wiped the face of Jesus, she carries a boquet of

roses. Reyna Mora, represents the dominant religion before Christianity. (Moro Filipno

Muslims). Reyna Esperanza, symbolizes the virtues of hope, she carries an anchor.

We recognized that at this modern era the Santacruzan, little by little seemed to

turn into sort of beauty pageant, we must always remind ourselves that it is a Christian

tradition and each. “reyna’s” the woman represents has significant meaning For Luzarus

(2004) states: “Santacruzan is a symbol of the strong catholic faith of the Filipino

people”. Filipinos will be able to bring back the value of giving honor, respect and

importance to our culture and traditions.

 Bibliography

Book:

Laya, J. (1982). Prusisyon religious pageantry in the Philippines. Mandaluyong

City: National Book Store.

Mondragon, B. (1996). Life in the Philippines. Quezon City: Mindshapers

Company, Inc.

Internet:

Luzarus, A. (2011). Flores de Mayo & Santacruzan festival. Retrived from

http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/santacruzan.html

www.seasite.niu.edu (2007). Flores de Mayo at Santacruzan. Retrieved from

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/cynthia/festivals/flores_santacruzan.htm