Santacruzan, the holy cross prayer procession for mankind’s salvation

To match the growing awareness and spirituality of the New Age, we must develop a new level of appreciating the traditional Santacruzan town processions celebrated in May in honor of the Blessed Mother Mary. The personages and symbols of this procession are mixed representation of the country, the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Litany of Our Blessed Mother. The most powerful prayers in the world to Our Lord is through the intercession of the Blessed Mother whose many titles include the “Lord’s Co-Redemptrix.” Thus, the whole Santacruzan procession symbolizes the rosary as the intercessory prayer of the Blessed Mother to help solve the problem of peace and unity.

The Santacruzan history of Greenhills

Since 1973, I have belonged to the active Ladies Committee from the four Greenhills village associations – North, Northeast, East and West. Yearly, we took care of the regular Santacruzan. We held three processions once weekly for each Greenhills village. On the fourth week, we had the largest one which included all Greenhills villages. Later, we also did a quarterly All Greenhills Gazette sharing common concerns on security, garbage disposal, fellowship events, among others.

In the ‘80s it was difficult to persuade our children in high school and college to become sagalas. During this time the teenagers including my own daughters were only comfortable in jeans and t-shirts. High heels and long gowns were not their cup of tea. After many years of persuading our children, we mothers got tired and volunteered to be the sagalas. We had to show this young generation the real thrill of dressing up in Philippine ternos (classic gowns), having our hair done, and wearing make up to honor Our Blessed Mother.

Lo and behold, this was the best attended Santacruzan where hundreds of villagers swarmed around in the circumferential street of Unimart where we passed. Our Reyna Elena, former Ms. Philippines Myrna Borromeo, succeeded in shedding off eight pounds to look good in a terno. Actor Eddie Gutierrez was her escort. She helped wrap-up the huge celebration with an extravagant fireworks display.

Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire converted by the sign of the Cross

Instead of focusing on the pageant of beauties parading during the Santacruzan, I would like to remind all that this procession should focus on the Cross carried by Queen Helena. The small angels and the young lady sagalas (maids of honor), including Muslim Princess Mora, represent the rosary beads to which the Cross is attached and the Litany prayers reciting the various attributes of the Holy Mother.

Empress Helena or the Reyna Elena, the most important sagala of the whole Santacruzan is usually accompanied by a child, representing the young emperor, Prinsipe Constantino. The empress carefully raised her son to be a worthy ruler. She was converted to Christianity even before her son. At this time the Roman Empire stretched from England down to France, Italy, Spain and Africa. It extended toward Asia through Greece and Constantinople – then known as Asia Minor.

One time, the young Constantine (306-337AD) led his soldiers to the battlefield. Seeing the Cross appear on the sky, the young emperor heard the words within him: BY THIS SIGN THOU SHALL CONQUER. True enough the emperor then converted to Christianity, won battle after battle and eventually united the empire spiritually that it became known in history as the Holy Roman Empire.

Our Lady of Liberty and Love accompanies our Lord of Wisdom and Compassion

Two floats accompany the procession. One carries three miraculous statues of Our Lord of Compassion and Wisdom, and our Lady of Hope and Liberty, while a charming Niño Bonito wearing the O.B. Montessori preschool uniform sits in front. Our Lady wears a golden cape without the traditional crown and holds a lotus in one hand to symbolize ecumenism. Mother Mary also asked to wear the Star of David. Meantime, Our Lord descends the “heavenly stairs” to invite each one to stay close to him. Done on the mystical request of the Holy Ones through mystic-artist Punay Kabayao-Fernandez, just before the Gulf War in 1991. These were requested by the Holy Ones to be shown to the public.  The Holy Ones stressed respect for other religions. Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims should unite as one brotherhood. Non-Christians recognize God Almighty but address Him with different names.

We used to wonder why out of the 23 holy monuments of the Greenhills Shrine Avenue these three were done in wood while the rest in heavy cement and held fast to the ground. We realized later that they were meant to be transported on the Santacruzan float. The second float carries the seven-foot paper maché version of Angelique Victoria, the eight-story angel painted on the façade of the O.B. Montessori Center, Greenhills. Fronting her is the Ark of the Covenant with a modern 6 ½ foot Picasso-type blue, black and gold Cross. Below the angel’s fuschia-red robe is the inscription “A dolore ad gloriam” (from pains to gains), a reminder that the Holy Cross can raise us from the burdens of the flesh so ultimately we develop fortitude.

The Blessings of The Santacruzan Circulate in Metro Manila

Since 2000, we have enjoined the four Greenhills villages to celebrate simultaneously the Santacruzan. Right after we decided to shift the venue to Roxas Boulevard starting at the Plaza Rajah Sulayman so we can share the generous blessings manifested to other communities. They are showered upon the participants and the crowd who come to revere the holy monuments. Such blessings were manifested in photos. Then at Sta. Ana, the procession circulated from our school to the market area adjacent to the historical heritage church of Our Lady of the Abandoned. Then Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim led it. The Marikina town center was the site of the succeeding Santacruzan where former Metro Manila Chairman Bayani Fernando and wife Mayor Marides became the hermanos.

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