Viva Semana Santa!
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
EVER WONDER how Spain, which brought Christianity in the country, celebrates Holy Week or Semana Santa? BusinessWorld talked with two Spanish gentlemen, Instituto Cervantes Manila director Carlos Madrid and cultural section head (and award-winning fictionist) Jose Maria Fons, both of whom have lived in the Philippines for more than two decades, and asked them to share how the two countries celebrate the annual Holy Week tradition.
ON RELIGIOSITY
“It’s somehow ironic because Spain brought the Catholic religion but it’s much more intense in the Philippines. One example is the visit of the Pope. This is a more religious country than Spain. I’ve never seen strong Catholicism,” said Mr. Fons, who is married to a Filipina and has lived in the Philippines for 10 years.
ON EMBRACING MODERNITY
The Philippines is relatively more religious, but both countries embrace modernity, Mr. Fons said. For the longest time, every establishment was closed during this season, and there were hardly any shows on television. “Then Spain changed a lot. We’re now open to tourism. And Semana Santa has become vacation time. Everyone goes on vacation,” Mr. Fons said. The same has happened in the Philippines. Mr. Madrid, for his part, said, “We impose self-restriction, we limit TV exposure, but we don’t switch the networks off entirely.”
ON PROCESSIONS AND PENITENTS
In the Philippines, processions are held only during Biernes Santo (Good Friday), but in Spain, street processions are organized every night, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. According to Mr. Madrid, the cofradias (brotherhood) organize the processions. “It goes beyond religion, there’s community involved. There are many street celebrations. Everyone’s dressed to the nines,” he said. As in Spain, the celebration of Holy Week here differs among the towns and provinces. “Bulacan or Marinduque celebrates Semana Santa differently from Intramuros, for example. In Spain, Cordoba celebrates differently from Valladolid or Seville,” Mr. Madrid said.
Both countries have their penitents too. In Spain, the nazarenos (penitents) walk barefoot and some do flagellations. So do the Filipinos. In the Philippines, particularly in Pampanga, however, it’s bloodier. Some Catholics deem crucifixion as the ultimate repentance. But this has drawn local and international tourists whose presence has somehow made this sacrifice a sideshow. “It’s just a minority of the Catholics. I don’t think it represents the values of Semana Santa. I think some are overdoing it,” Mr. Madrid said.
EVER WONDER how Spain, which brought Christianity in the country, celebrates Holy Week or Semana Santa? BusinessWorld talked with two Spanish gentlemen, Instituto Cervantes Manila director Carlos Madrid and cultural section head (and award-winning fictionist) Jose Maria Fons, both of whom have lived in the Philippines for more than two decades, and asked them to share how the two countries celebrate the annual Holy Week tradition.
ON RELIGIOSITY
“It’s somehow ironic because Spain brought the Catholic religion but it’s much more intense in the Philippines. One example is the visit of the Pope. This is a more religious country than Spain. I’ve never seen strong Catholicism,” said Mr. Fons, who is married to a Filipina and has lived in the Philippines for 10 years.
ON EMBRACING MODERNITY
The Philippines is relatively more religious, but both countries embrace modernity, Mr. Fons said. For the longest time, every establishment was closed during this season, and there were hardly any shows on television. “Then Spain changed a lot. We’re now open to tourism. And Semana Santa has become vacation time. Everyone goes on vacation,” Mr. Fons said. The same has happened in the Philippines. Mr. Madrid, for his part, said, “We impose self-restriction, we limit TV exposure, but we don’t switch the networks off entirely.”
ON PROCESSIONS AND PENITENTS
In the Philippines, processions are held only during Biernes Santo (Good Friday), but in Spain, street processions are organized every night, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. According to Mr. Madrid, the cofradias (brotherhood) organize the processions. “It goes beyond religion, there’s community involved. There are many street celebrations. Everyone’s dressed to the nines,” he said. As in Spain, the celebration of Holy Week here differs among the towns and provinces. “Bulacan or Marinduque celebrates Semana Santa differently from Intramuros, for example. In Spain, Cordoba celebrates differently from Valladolid or Seville,” Mr. Madrid said.
Both countries have their penitents too. In Spain, the nazarenos (penitents) walk barefoot and some do flagellations. So do the Filipinos. In the Philippines, particularly in Pampanga, however, it’s bloodier. Some Catholics deem crucifixion as the ultimate repentance. But this has drawn local and international tourists whose presence has somehow made this sacrifice a sideshow. “It’s just a minority of the Catholics. I don’t think it represents the values of Semana Santa. I think some are overdoing it,” Mr. Madrid said.
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