Angeles offers artistic alternative to bloody crucifixions
- Source:http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/2016/03/23/1565821/angeles-offers-artistic-alternative-bloody-crucifixions
- Thursday, March 24, 2016
- By Ding Cervantes With Evelyn Macairan, Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Instead of the bloody crucifixion scenes in many provinces on Good Friday, this city is offering a more colorful and artful alternative to Lenten celebrations.
Richard Daenos, city tourism officer, said a weeklong reenactment of the scenes leading to the suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ will be done in the city’s barangays.
The events, which would be attended by Singaporean tourists, would depict scenes of the Catholic faith in Pampanga and are dubbed as Panata at Panalangin, a presentation by choreographer Peter de Vera on the various practices of the Kapampangan faith and sacrifices through a fusion of visual arts, music, drama and dance.
Also to be presented is the Sa Kanyang mga Sugat – a Lenten themed play by Teatro Angeleno; and Apunan ning Pasasanmetung, which is more of a community event as people bring their own baon (provisions) and place them on banana leaves spread on tables that are placed to form a line of about 300 meters in Barangay Tabun.
Daenos said residents and visitors could partake of the food for free.
Also slated is Ang Martir, a dance drama centered on the martyrdom of San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint.
“All these activities are open to the public for free up to Easter Sunday. We will be more biblical. One Kristo will be nailed to the cross. The other two to be crucified would represent the two thieves,” Daenos said.
The true-to-life crucifixion, which is a part of the live Stations of the Cross, would be held at a makeshift Golgotha in Barangay Lourdes Northwest on Good Friday, he added.
Except for the crucifixion, the events will be done at the Heritage District – Angeles’ old downtown and location of the Pamintuan Mansion where Emilio Aguinaldo led the second anniversary of Philippine Independence in 1899.
Daenos said tourists could stay the entire week to witness the events.
He admitted though that despite the solemnity of the Holy Week observance, Fields Avenue – the city’s traditional entertainment district since the years of the US military base at Clark – would still have a “life of its own.”
“Visitors will find other food options there,” Daenos added. Anti-tetanus shots
With all the reenactments of the crucifixion, Department of Health Secretary Janette Garin yesterday advised penitents, especially those who go for flagellation and actual crucifixion, to get anti-tetanus shots to avoid the possibility of acquiring infection like tetanus.
She added that they should use sterilized materials and their wounds must immediately be washed with soap and water.
Tetanus infection generally occurs through contamination of a cut or deep puncture wound. A person infected with tetanus suffers from headache, locked jaw, high fever and weakness.
In severe cases, Garin said, a patient may develop respiratory spasm that may lead to death.