Santacruzan at SM City Car Park

By Wein P. Gadian

Filipinos love fiestas. They are celebrated all-year round all over the country. The colorful celebration commemorates a piece of history in the place. One fiesta that is celebrated nationwide in the summer is Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan.

Santacruzan is held annually in the warm month of May and is considered to be the "Queen of Filipino Festivals". Beautiful town belles are selected to participate in this colorful pageant parade. The stars are selected not for their looks alone, but for their embodiment of traditional feminine qualities. It is a week-long street pageant in almost every town, from the dirt road barrio to the metropolis honoring beautiful Philippine maidens and their handsome escorts under the hand-carried bamboo archs adorned by fragrant native flowers.

May is also the month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. Filipinos turn each of the 31 days in May into a charming tribute to the virginal virtues in Flores de Mayo— the flowers of May fiesta. Spiritual virtue seeks to reach even the young. Every day in May, children, with cutflowers and baskets of petals in hand, march down the church center aisle. As the children march down the aisle they sprinkle the fragrant petals for Mama Mary. This custom is called alay sa Birhen . Because it is an offering ( alay ) to the virgin ( birhen ), at the main altar, the youngsters sing hymns to Lady Immaculate, and leave their bouquet of flowers loose and bethroned.

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 joyful celebration for thanksgiving.

Nine days of prayer (a novena) in honor of the Holy Cross precedes the Flores de Mayo or Santacruzan. This festival was introduced by the Spaniards in the Philippines and has since become part of Filipino traditions identified with youth, love and romance.

May 28 SM City's Fiesta in the City, culminates the week long celebration with the Santacruzan at SM City's Car park. It featured 16 beauties and serenaded by Polo Ravales.

The parade comprises the festival queens of Miag-ao, Aklan, Ajuy, Antique, Pavia, Passi City, Maasin, Guimbal, Leganes and the Island of Guimaras. They were followed by the SM Department Store Queen, Reyna dela Paz, Reyna del Mundo, Reyna Emperatriz, Reyna Elena and Reyna delas Flores from Iloilo City.

In the traditional Santacruzan, there is a pabitin after the procession,

serving as a culminating activity for all the children to enjoy. SM City uniquely celebrated Santacruzan with the crowning of each queens. There were Fireworks and a cultural presentation from the Prima Galaw of the Cultural Club of St. Paul's University Iloilo.