CEBU, Philippines – Following the route of the Crusades centuries ago, SM City Cebu once again held the Santacruzan sa Sugbu 2009. 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 celebration of thanksgiving.
This year’s Santacruzan was held at the Atrium of The Northwing at SM City Cebu starting off with a procession at the main lobby and followed by the introduction of reinas and zagalas at the stage area. Blending religiosity and pageantry, Cebu’s recognizable designers under the tutelage of Cary Santiago, pooled their talents together, each creating the modern terno to be worn by Cebu’s creme de la creme spearheaded by Mrs. Queenie Malingin Ammann as the Reina Emperatriz and Mrs. Merce Abellana Brenner as the Reina Elena with her son Stuart Daniel as Constantine. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s virtues and titles were then distributed to Cebu’s top models and a trickle of society’s young women. Serenading the reinas and the Blessed Virgin Mary was renowned artist Bo Cerrudo and soprano Izarzuri Vidal.
Kudos to the management and staff of SM City Cebu for uplifting our age old tradition and bringing awareness to the relevance of the Santacruzan.
Bravissimo!