The Passion (of John and Rich)

Good Friday

At around 3pm, in the comfort of an air conditioned room, numerous fluffy pillows and the feel of soft linen bed sheets on your tighs because you're wearing boxers instead pants, my mom came in and asked us to go down since the procession was about to start. I speak for my cousin when I say that my room was heaven because we are still adapting to the barbecue weather here in the Philippines having been used to the extremely cold weather in the States for the past 3 and a half months for me and the rest of his life for him.

So, I introduced my cousin to the family/country tradition. Every Good Friday, the 5 families of Kamuning (our district) participate with 700 people in a 3 hour procession. (Okay, I really don't know how many families there are but it seemed cool to make it Godfather-like.) Each family is assigned a karosa (meaning cart with a Holy Catholic figure on top of it ) which will be pushed during the whole time. The procession is, of course, led by St. Peter and the last karosa is Jesus Christ in a beautiful glass coffin. Our family has Sta. Martha, an important biblical figure who served as a follower and friend to Jesus Christ, for the perplexed.

The procession started at around 3:45 pm and ended at around 6:30 pm. Richard and I marched through the streets of Kamuning with family, friends and a lot of other strangers under the scorching sun. When the devout Catholics wouldn't look, we would sneak out and get an ice cream cone or a bottle of water, but during the majority of the procession, we were marching and panting our way back towards the procession's point of origin: Sacred Heart Church. (The nearly half-century old church found beside our ancestral home.)

We were, of course, tired but I would say it was a memorable experience, most especially for my cousin.

Of course, to mourn Christ's death, we had a few drinks in the house after.

Krispy Kreme Update: 48 out of 56

-"It's hard to let go isn't it?"
-"Yes."
-"Well, that's life. What can I tell you?" -Joe Black and Bill Parish, Meet Joe Black

Back in the Game

Holy Thursday

We arrived on Holy Thursday here in the Philippines. (That is, my cousin Richard and I)

Note to self: Never ever forget to take off your long johns when flying back to the Philippines. Otherwise you have what I would call a "sweaty flight."

Our Lola requested that we come home at such a time in order for Richard to experience the very unique and grand tradition of Goof Friday here in the Philippines. (FYI: the celebration of the passion of Christ is celebrated in the Philippines yearly in a very special way. Special because it actually attracts the Discovery Channel and National Geogrphic people to document it so I need not say more.)

So we await my area's celebration tomorrow wherein we get ourselves involved in a 3 hour, 700-person, walking-under-the-sun, procession. Whoopee.

Krispy Kreme Update: 52 out of 56 left

"And you give yourself away..." U2, With or Without You