Christ the King Celebrates Santacruzan

April 2009 Issue
Fil-Am Observer, Page 8



KAHULUI, Maui-- Every year, during the month of May, Christ the King Church celebrates a tradition in the Philippines commemorating Queen Helena's search of the Holy Cross.

More popularly known as the "Santacruzan," this event includes elaborate parades or processions with queens representing the Blessed Mother, some historical beauties, and some biblical characters. The queen representing Queen Helena usually leads the procession.

On May 2, after the 5 o'clock mass, the church will have its interpretation of the Santacruzan with the following participants: Dr. Charmaine Bissen, Juliet Quemado, Elsa Espiritu, Merlita Crespin, Dr. Gloria Rongcal, Sarah Nielson, Annie Ibabao, Celia Santos, Lumen Hernandez, Conchita Pigao, Helen Ong, Levy Cadavis, Shirley Somera and Nora Agdinaoay.

Filipinos are famous in having celebrations. One celebration that Filipinos in the Philippines celebrate in the month of May is the Santacruzan. Santacruzan is the festivity to commemorate Queen Helena's search of the Holy Cross. The legend tells us that Queen Helena at the age of 75 around 300 years after Christ had died on the cross, she went to Calvary in search of the Holy Cross. She was able to discover three crosses. She instructed one of her sick servants to lay on all three crosses and the one where the servant was miraculously healed was believed to be the Holy Cross. That cross was housed later in the church built in Golgotha in Israel by her son, Constantine, the Great. The anniversary of Queen Helena's discovery of the cross is on May 3.

Today in many places in the Philippines, Santacruzan is celebrated with elaborate parades or processsion with queens representing the Blessed Mother.***

[imposte ni Rudy Ram. Rumbaoa/April 19, 2009]
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