Easter Sunday and Egg Hunting

Egg hunt is a game during which decorated eggs, real hard-boiled ones or artificial, filled with or made of chocolate candies, of various sizes, are hidden in various places for children to find. The game may be both indoors and outdoors. The egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in Pagan celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the rebirth of man at Easter. Traditionally the game is associated with Easter and Easter eggs (Easter egg hunt), but it has also been popular with spring time birthday parties.
When the hunt is over, prizes may be given out for various achievement, for the largest number of eggs collected, for the largest of the smallest egg, for the most blue/red/etc. eggs, consolation prizes, booby prizes, etc. Real eggs may further be used in egg tapping contests. If eggs filled with confetti are left from Mardi Gras (cascarones) were used, then an egg fight may follow.
Eggs are placed with varying degree of concealment, to accommodate children of varying ages.

Liturgical Observation of Easter

Me and my family attended the mass.

Father Tony releasing the balloons.

Angels singing.

Mama Mary ready to meet Jesus.

The traditional, liturgical observation of Easter, as practised among Roman Catholics and some Lutherans and Anglicans begins on the night of Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil. This, the most important liturgy of the year, begins in total darkness with the blessing of the Easter fire, the lighting of the large Paschal candle (symbolic of the Risen Christ) and the chanting of the Exultet or Easter Proclamation attributed to Saint Ambrose of Milan. After this service of light, a number of readings from the Old Testament are read; these tell the stories of creation, the sacrifice of Isaac, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the foretold coming of the Messiah. This part of the service climaxes with the singing of the Gloria and the Alleluia and the proclamation of the Gospel of the resurrection. A sermon may be preached after the gospel. Then the focus moves from the lectern to the font. Anciently, Easter was considered the most perfect time to receive baptism, and this practice is alive in Roman Catholicism, as it is the time when new members are initiated into the Church, and it is being revived in some other circles. Whether there are baptisms at this point or not, it is traditional for the congregation to renew the vows of their baptismal faith. This act is often sealed by the sprinkling of the congregation with holy water from the font. The Catholic sacrament of Confirmation is also celebrated at the Vigil. The Easter Vigil concludes with the celebration of the Eucharist (or ‘Holy Communion’). Certain variations in the Easter Vigil exist: Some churches read the Old Testament lessons before the procession of the Paschal candle, and then read the gospel immediately after the Exsultet.

In predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, the morning of Easter (known in the national language as “Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay” or the Pasch of the Resurrection) is marked with joyous celebration, the first being the dawn “Salubong,” wherein large statues of Jesus and Mary are brought together to meet, imagining the first reunion of Jesus and his mother Mary after Jesus’ Resurrection. This is followed by the joyous Easter Mass.

Our Lady of Fatima Procession

In the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines, the day is commemorated with street processions, the Way of the Cross, and a Passion play called the Senakulo. The Church keeps the day solemn by not tolling the church bells, and no Mass will be celebrated. In some communities (most famously in City of San Fernando, Pampanga), the processions include devotees who self-flagellate and sometimes even have themselves nailed to crosses as expressions of penance. After three o’clock in the afternoon of Good Friday (the time at which Jesus is traditionally believed to have died), noise is discouraged, some radio stations and television stations sign off, businesses automatically close, and the faithful are urged to keep a very solemn and prayerful disposition through to Easter Sunday.
Major television networks are paid to broadcast events at Roman Catholic parishes. These events include the reading of the Seven Last Words, the recitation of the Stations of the Cross, and the service of the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion.

Today we went to our Parish Church, Our Lady of Fatima Parish Church located at Brgy. Lawa, Calamba City and joined our townmates in the procession. It was a long walk but it was a worth one.

Celebrating Filipino Holy Week

In this predominantly Roman Catholic nation, Holy Week, known as “Semana Santa” or “Mahal na Araw or Cuaresmá”, is treated as one of the most important religious festivals of the entire year. At Mass on Palm Sunday, Catholics carry “palaspas” or palm fronds to be bless by the priest. Many Filipinos bring home the palaspas after the Mass and place these above their front doors or windows, in the belief that doing so can ward off evil spirits and avert lightning. Holy Monday marks the beginning of the “Pabasa” (literally, “reading”) or the Pasyon, the marathon chanting of the story of Jesus’ life, passion, and death, which continues day and night, for as long as two straight days. A popular Holy Thursday tradition is the “Bisita Iglesia” (“Church Visit”), which involves visiting a church or several churches at which the faithful would pray the devotion known as the Stations of the Cross.
The last Mass before Easter, also celebrated on Holy Thursday, usually includes a reenactment of the Washing of the Feet of the Apostles; this Mass is followed by the procession of the Blessed Sacrament before it is taken to the Altar of Repose. Good Friday, a public holiday in the Philippines, is commemorated with solemn street processions, the Way of the Cross, the commemoration of Jesus’ Seven last words (Siete Palabras) and a Passion play called the Sinakulo. In some communities (most famously in the province of Pampanga), the processions include devotees who self-flagellate and sometimes even have themselves nailed to crosses as expressions of penance or in fulfillment of a “panata” (a vow accomplished in thanksgiving or exchange for a granted request or prayer). After three o’clock in the afternoon of Good Friday (the time at which Jesus is traditionally believed to have died), noise is discouraged, bathing is proscribed and the faithful are urged to keep a solemn and prayerful disposition through Black Saturday.
Easter morning is marked with joyous celebration, the first being the dawn Salubong, wherein statues of Jesus and Mary, along with other saints such as St. Peter and Mary Magdalene, are brought in procession together to meet, imagining the first reunion of Jesus and his mother Mary after Jesus’ Resurrection. The statue of the Virgin Mary is veiled in black, showing her state of bereavement. A girl dressed as an angel, positioned on a specially constructed high platform/scaffold or suspended in mid-air, sings the Regina Coeli and then dramatically pulls the veil off of the image, signifying the end of her grieving. This is followed by pealing bells and fireworks, and the joyous Easter Mass.
Throughout the week, television shows with more solemn or serious content are shown on channels, especially films and programmes with a religious theme. An example is the airing of the Seven Last Words (live from churches) on various local channels and films about the life and death of Jesus. During the Easter Triduum, usually a public holiday, some television stations even interrupt broadcast altogether until Black Saturday and establishments shut down operations until the said day in observance of this solemn occasion.