373. APO IRO! APO IRO! Discovering the Year-Long Cult of St. Peter in Apalit, Pampanga, by Ross M. De Leon

(Transcribed from the magazine article published on Weekend Malaya 20 Sept. 1987)

By Ross M. de Leon, Photos by Zek Barroso & Jolly David

Apalit town becomes exceedingly alive from June 28 to 30 every year. It is when the whole town becomes one and celebrate the feast of Sta. Peter whom folks lovingly call Apo  Iro. Actually, the people get busy as early as May when the fiesta committee members start mounting the bamboo poles for the buntings.

That the Apaliteños put their minds and hearts in the fiesta event is eveident in the buntings alone. The colors are well-chosen, the hangings have identical shapes and sizes.Arranged very close to each other, the buntings would look like one bg canopy. If one views it from the window of a century-old two-storey house, it turns into a magnificent rainbw that dips somewhere in the Pampanga River.

With a band playing fiesta tunes and people coming in with their glorious smiles, the scene takes a different appeal. It is as if time hangs suspended for three days and everyone is reborn. Nothing occupies the people’s attention except to give their best to Apo Iro. The life-size image in pure ivory is 287 years old. It is the only on in the country which sits on a throne.

Most of us are familiar with St. Peter in an upright position holding a rooster and keys. But Apo Iro of Apalit is a magnificent Prince of the Church in papal robes. Fr his feats, he wear a three-tiered crown symbolic of his being a first Pope. He has a scepter, a huge cross around his neck, a ruby ring and keys. On other days, Apo Iro wears a simple, priestly robe, not the old pajamas and baseball cap he used to. “A pope would never appear in public wearing pajamas, would he?”, asks Rick Badenhop who is married to the camarera, Erlinda Sazon-Badenhop.

Through the Years. It is Linda’s ancestors, specifically Don Pedro Armayan Espiritu, who bought Apo Iro t the country. Don Pedro got the image done in Spain including its original crown, scepter, ring , keys, necklace , cross, the fisherman’s shoes in pure slver. All those have remained intact since Apo Iro’s arrival in 844 at the old home of Don Pedro in Alauli, Apalit. Don Pedro transferred it to a bigger house in Capalangan and has stayed there ever since.

St. Peter’s shrine in sitio Capalangan, Apalit, Pampanga

From 1974 till now, Apo Iro has been under the care of Dña. Elisa Sazon, a direct descendant of Don Pedro. The old lady died in May this year which made her daughter Erlinda, the new camarera.

The family has undertaken the awesome task of being host to Apo Iro’s numerous visitors throughout the year. But it is on his feast day when the preparations are even bigger. Linda, a well-known dentist, is not daunted by the responsibilities for she has fund the perfect partner  in Rick. The latter is a busy executive of Equitable Bank and has accepted Apo Iro graciously as part of his life.

The very old Spanish home of Rick and Linda opens its doors to everybody ob Apo Iro feast day. Rick reveal as , “we have to hire no less than 40 cooks to feed the devotees for free.” About 10 to 20 cavans of rice are needed each year, four large pigs, 300 peces of chicken, 40 kilos of beef, and a jeepload of bihon and not less that 30 cases of softdrink are consumed. “Of course, there are other ingredients and other items butthose are the staples. The cash donation may reach up to Php 15,000 but we always add Php20,000 to that”, declares Linda.

Devotees expecting miraculous cures for rheumatism, asthma, and other ailments.

Aside from which, the family spends over Php3,000 for the coconut oil which the devotees request. Then there’s the maintenance of the chapel and the garden built in 1981 which come from the Badenhop’s purse. “We will keep the tradition the way Linda’s parents and ancestors did it. You cannot just close the shrine for lack of fnds. We believe that Apo Iro will help in every way,” says Rick without hesitation.

The Badenhop’s faith in the miraculous power and generosity of Apo Iro is echoed by the devotees who flock by the thousands. Maria Santos, a 68 year old resident of Caloocan, and her whole clan come yearly in 4 jeepneys. There are 80 of them and they have been faithful to Apo Iro for the last six years. “Lahat kami pati dalawang apo ko, pinagalig ni Apo Iro,” remarks Aling Maria, a furniture shop owner.

Aboard the barge are Apo Iro and the Virgin Mary on their 6-hour  fiesta time journey to the Apalit Cathedral.

She herself goes down the river when the fluvial procession begins. The woman explains, “Dati hindi ako makalakad dahil sa rayuma sa pareho kong paa. Pero simula nang magdebosyon ako kay Apo Iro, gumaling na ako.” In between fiestas, Alig Maria usues coconut oil to massage her feet. “Mabilis ang ginhawa. Ganon din kapag nagbabad ka sa ilog na dinadaanan ni Apo,” came the simple declaration of faith. Her two grandchildren were rid of their asthma again through the water and oil from Apo Iro.

There’s Felisa Cabildo Albina who is now 73 years old and widowed. She began her panata at 17. Aling Feling’s eyesight was failing because of cataract, “pero iniligtas ako ni Apo Iro.” She used to suffer from hypertension and severe headaches. But she does not look her age nor does her illness seem to bother her when she dances on the street with other devotees. This, they do, when Apo Iro leaves the shrine for the población and on the day that he returns.

Felisa Albina, 73, has been dancing for Apo since 1921.

The dancers bring with them all kinds of leaves but especially guavaleaves. “Kahit anong halaman basta isinama kayApo Iro nakagagaling,” relates Aling Feling. “Pakulo ka lang ng tubig at yoong dahoon pag may sakit ka ng tiyan, ulo o lagnat at tiyak na wala.”

For this year’s festa, however, there were signboards requesting devotees not to destroy the plants. Rick points out, “They can get the leaves but nothing should be uprooted. We spend a lot in the upkeep of the plants.”

Miracles? Another devotee of Apo Iro is 14-year old Nicomedes Estrella of Iba. He was only 4 years old when he got leukemia and his parents were told that he would die soon. Once, when he was delirious, he told his father, “Itay, dalhin mo ako kay Apo Iro.” He and his parents stayed in the chapel for two weeks after which Nick recovered for good. He is now a healthy teener who for the last 10 years has been spending the last 3 days of June with Apo Iro.

Aling Maria, Aling Feling and Nick are only three of the tousads of devotees who greet Apo Iro on his feast. They wait rain or shine till Apo is brought out from the chapel and down into the river. The chanting of “Apo Iro, Apo Iro!” is awesome, the kind that makes your hair stand on its end and sends shivers down your spine. There is a marvelous rain of petals, confetti and leaves followed by a thunderous applause. Dancing on the street continues as Apo Iro is carried to the river by the Knights of St. Peter.

Devotees Mary Indiongco, Knights of St. Peter Macario Vargas 
and Amado Arceo with Dr. Erlinda Sazon-Badenhop in front of the
287-year old Apo Iro.

Despite the gaiety, the festivities do nt turn into a circus that would lessen the solemnity of the event. More people await Ao Iro at the river where he takes a barge. From Capalangan, he is transferred to a bigger, more splendid float at the point where the Calumpit and Pampanga Rivers meetfor his 6-hour journey to the Apalit población.

The fluvial procession is a sight to behold, a powerful feast of colors for photographers. The large float carrying Apo Iro and and the Blessed Mother is followed by smaller bancas, barges, etc. all filled with people. The banks are lined with more devotees who immerse themselves in the water for everyone believes that this is the only time of the year when the water becomes curative through Apo Iro.

A vigil and procession are held at the Apalit cathedral for a day when Apo Iro returns to the shrine in Capalangan. The return journey is awaited with greater joy and enthusiasm as if the Apo left the sitio not for a day, but for years. Dancing, dousing of water, and feasting are the order of the day. The folks stay till late at night in thanksgiving, for their belove Apo Iro is back and safe.

371. SAN MIGUEL ARCANGEL of Angeles City, Pampanga

SAN MIGUEL of the Evangelista Family, Photo: "Pisamban Maragul" book.

This 110 year-old image of St. Michael Archangel was commissioned in 1910 for the family of the prominent businessman Roman Bernardo Evangelista of old Culiat. The santo is depicted bearing a sword and helmet on his head, in the act of battle with Satan who is fallen and tampled underneath by the heavenly warrior. The San Miguel was intended for the La Naval celebration of Angeles.

Don Roman  Evangelista with wife Dona Francisca Dizon Dela
Resma , and their 2 older sons: David and Marcos  Ca. 1899 

The Evangelistas, known for their pioneering telecom business in the city, also owned the Sta.  Misericordia, a Holy Week tableau.The San Miguel image was bequeathed to Francisco and Domingo Evangelista upon the death of Don Roman, and successively passed on to their descendants.

The city of Angels also is home to other antique angel santos: El Santo Angel Custodio (Holy Guardian Angel, 1830, with Holy Angel University), San Gabriel Arcangel ( Jose Sanchez Family, 1916), and San Rafael Arcangel (Mariano V. Henson Family,1915).

As most of the Evangelista descendants have moved abroad, the carro and the image of San Miguel are both under the custodianship of the family of the late Jess Panlilio.

SOURCES:

Dr. Raymundo Feliciano Albums

Additional infor: Josel Evangelista Suarez

Pisamban Maragul: The Living Chrch of Angeles City, Nina Tomen in collabration with Bishop Virgilio David. Angeles City 2014

368. NTRA. SRA. DEL CARMEN of Brgy. Valdes, Floridablanca, Pampanga

Virgen del Carmen, in 1957 and the replica of the original today.

The story of the altar image, Ntra. Sra. Del Carmen, is inextricably linked with the founding of barrio Valdes, where the chapel in which the revered image is enshrined. Barangay Valdes was carved out from a portion of Floridablanca wildlands called “Masulput” (full of amorseco weeds) that was thought to be unproductive. The vast forested land was used as hunting grounds by outsiders.

The Valdes Family—who are of Cuban-Spanish and Filipino stock—were mainly responsible for clearing the land and turning it into viable agricultural estate known as Hacienda Valdes, possibly ca. 1840s-early 1850s.

It had live-in tenants who worked the sugar fields with their families. It gained a barrio status under its first head, Vicente Climaco S. Valdes, son of Capt. Basilio Bayot Valdes of the Spanish Navy and Manileña mestiza, Francisca Salvador, who managed the hacienda with help from his brother, Lubao-born Dr. Benito S. Valdes.

Original Virgen del Carmen, courtesy of Jcob Bacani

The new barrio of Valdes, one of the largest in Floridablanca,  was put under the patronage of Ntra. Sra. Del Carmen, to whom Vicente had a special devotion. It is said that he bought the image in Spain and installed it in a makeshift wooden visita, that would be modernized in the years to come.

The classically carved wooden image depicts Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, cradling Baby Jesus in one arm, and holding a scapular on the other hand. It is a mannequin figure of medium size,  dressed in richly-embroidered vestments in traditional Carmelite colors of yellow and brown.

Barrio Valdes became quite developed, drawing people to buy property in the area, which were converted into sugarfields, that proved profitable in the world market.

In time, more houses and buildings were built, and the population grew that warranted the creation of a new barrio, Del Carmen, as a tribute to the patroness of the Valdes pioneers. It was formed with the condition that no chapel must be built there, in deference to Barrio Valdes, which already has one.

American businessmen who saw a promising future for the burgeoning sugar industry put up a sugar central within the area called PASUMIL Del Carmen, not knowing it was technically in barrio Valdes. So as not to confuse its clients with regards to its exact address, the location of the mill was referred to as Del Carmen-Valdes.

Vicente’s nephew, Gen. Basilio J. Pica Valdes, the son of his patriot brother, Dr. Benito with first wife Filomena Pica, took over the reins of the Hacienda. He was a national figure as he was Pres. Quezon’s Chief of Staff and defense secretary.

Source: Replica Image, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel FB Page

The care of the image of the Ntra. Sra. del Carmen was assigned to the Valdes-Rodriguez descendants. Findly called “Apung Calmen”, the age-old image of the Virgen del Carmen is kept by the Rodriguezes, while a well-made replica reposes in the chapel, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel, enshrined in a baldachin.  The patron’s feast day, observed every July 16, is marked with big fiesta celebrations in the barangay. The “pyestang barrio” on the other hand, used to be celebrated every May 18-19.

SOURCES:

Valdes Barrio Fiesta Souvenir Program, May18-19, 1957

Photos: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel FB Page, Media & Social Communications, Jcob Bacani

Basilio Pica Valdes, geni.com

Floridablanca, Historical Data Papers

“Fortune Helps the Brave: Gen, Basilio J. Valdes”, viewsfromthepampang.blogspot.com

367. LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION de TABUÑGAO of Minalin

In the oldest barrio of Minalin, Pampanga, known today as Sta. Maria, one can find the revered and ancient image of La Purisima Concepcion de Tabuñgao, whose origin is wrought in a miraculous legend still told in this Kapampangan town. The barrio’s old name –“Tabuñgao”—refers to the 1609 discovery of the image, where people found floundering on the flooded river, a large, dried gourd (upo), or “tabuñgao/tabungo”.

The local folks fished out the floating gourd from the river which was near the ‘visita’ (chapel) they were building, and to their utter surprise—the tabuñgao, when opened, yielded an image of the Blessed Virgin.

Carved of wood, the small image depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a globe base with a snake coiled at her feet. She has a steady gaze, with the palms of her hands together in an act of prayer. Devotion spread from Tabuñgao, as the pueblo was established with the expansion of its frontiers.

Today, the present barangay known as Sta. Maria still has the visita or chapel that has been named after her. In the central niche of the altar, La Purisima Concepcion reposes, standing watch over Her people whom she has showered with an abundance of blessings.

In gratitude, the community have embraced her with love and lavish attention. Her designated camareros are the Intal Family and Nevil Pineda, a longtime devotee in charge of her vestments. 

In 2008, the “La Purisima Concepcion Festival” was organized to honor her on her feast day, Dec. 8. Replica images (festejada) of La Purisima have also been made for other devotional events including Marian processions, novenas and rosary crusades. She has also been gifted with rich vestments made by Borda de Oro, under the auspices of benefactor PJ Nepomuceno (+). 

Indeed, today, there is only one Queen who reigns in the hearts of Minaleños—La Purisima Concepcion de Tabuñgao.

 SOURCES:

Sta. Maria Archive Minalin (Nomer Pangilinan) FB page: https://www.facebook.com/stamariaarchive.minalin

Visitas ning Sta. Maria FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/visitasning.stamaria

La Purisima de Tabungao FBPage: https://www.facebook.com/lapurisima.concepcion.de.tabungao

Minalin Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minalin

Many thanks to Romel Zapata Tubig Jr, Tourism Officer of Mianlin, for the additional info.

364. Lump in My Throat: SAN BLAS in Ivory

SAN BLAS (St. Blaise), the bishop-martyr of Sebaste, in Armenia, is not familiar to many Filipinos, except perhaps in Sebaste (yes, namesake of the bishop’s episcopal see!), Antique, or in Bangar, La Union and Villasis, Pangasinan, two municipalities with barangays named ‘San Blas’.

Apparently, in Pampanga, a prominent family from Guagua are devotees of San Blas, as they keep an exquisite ivory figure of the saint invoked against throat diseases, that has afflicted some members in their clan.

This ivory santo belonged to a couple who ran a successful popular and successful meryendahan in the town. They often lent their image unselfishly to people in the community with various throat issues, who, after touching the revered image, crossed themselves on the neck as they pray for relief.

According to a legend , San Blas saved a boy who had a fish bone stuck in his throat-- just one of the many miracles that he wrought. That led to him being adopted as the Patron Saint of people with throat ailments.

When the childless couple passed away, the image was bequeathed to a niece, an unamarried public school teacher. She cared for the image until she retired and passed away just this year, ahead of her remaining elder sister.  As of yet, the next caretaker of San Blas has not been named.

Typical of many classically carved santos, this San Blas has a manikin body, but has been redressed, his original bishop’s vestments now long gone. His most common iconography includes a mitre (also replaced) and a crozier. Other depictions of him in art includes an iron comb—an instrument of his torture, and a candle, in reference to a candle brought to him in jail. Images of him holding a martyr’s palm are rare.

The feast of San Blas is celebrated every February 3.

 MANY THANKS TO : MR. JERRY PUNZALAN SAGMIT for the information and photos.

361. PORAC’S LITTLE JOHN of the SANTOS FAMILY

The small, but handsome image of the young SAN JUAN APOSTOL is a family heirloom from the Familia Santos of Porac, led by Leon Santos, a planter and businessman. Family lore has it that the image was originally owned by a local Chinese who gifted it to the Santoses. The image was inherited by Leon's son Isidoro Ponce Santos, whose overseas-based children now contributes the funds for his upkeep, including procession expenses.

The San Juan image is just 3 feet tall, with articulated arms. In this version, San Juan has carved, brown-painted hair, that falls gracefully down his nape and shoulders. Over his stiff collared top, he wears a tunic of green with a red, shawl-like drape on his shoulders. He is topped with a brass halo and shown holding his attributes: a feather quill and a book.

For years, it was a regular participant in the annual Lenten processions of Poblacion, Porac, Pampanga, until 2000. His entry is preceded by his symbol as an evangelist, a carved figure of an eagle, which has the ability to gaze directly at the sun, representing the divinity of Jesus.

Last procession appearance of San Juan, 2000

As San Juan was the smallest religious image in the procession, the Santoses decided to pull it out and caused a new, taller image to be made, to  match the size and proportions of the other Lenten santos.

MANY THANKS TO MR. JERRY PUNZALAN SAGMIT for the photos and information.

359. SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR: A Bone to Pick, A Santo to Fix

Some 15 years ago, I was driving in the direction of Lubao when I found a row of stores along the road, and one instantly caught my eye: “PRINCE SECOND HAND-LUMBER and Antique Shop”.  Of course, I had to stop. When I came in, I was met by a young couple, and their little boy, who was carrying an old silver-plated monstrance. I asked if the monstrance was for sale, and the father said, it is, but right now the boy wouldn’t let it go, as he was “playing prusisyon”, walking around the room, holding the monstrance, pretending to be a priest in a procession.

The father said to give him a few minutes while he talk with his son—Prince--who, at that point was adamantly holding tight to the monstrance and would not let it go In the meantime, he said, please feel free to check the other stuff in his warehouse.

Thank God, the big piles of lumber from demolished old houses were separated from the “antique” section of his shop, that included vintage furniture, aparadors, salvaged architectural details and iron grills. I noticed a few religious items there: an escayola Buenviaje in its own urna, a framed communion certificate.

There must be more where they come from, I thought to myself. And sure enough, when I opened a comoda, an inner shelf revealed something extraordinary—a naked santo, with a thin manikin body, outfitted with a solid bone head and hands! 

One look, and I saw a vision of San Isidro Labrador holding a farm implement. The shop owner entered the room at this point, ending my reverie. “Oh, you found the old doll”, he said. I corrected him by saying that the figure is, by all indications, a santo. “Ah, I didn't know it's a santo! That means it will be a little bit more expensive then”, he continued. Me and my big mouth.

When he mentioned the price, well, it wasn’t bad as I imagined it to be! In fact, I could pay for it now! So that’s how I got the bone-faced San Isidro home.

The next work week, straight to the taller of Dr. Raffy Lopez the santo went. The 10 inch high santo, he said, was finished well, considering it was bone, a medium difficult to carve as it is brittle, breaking easily. This does not allow the carver much leeway to carve in finer details, which explains why bone santos do not have well-delineated faces and hands, looking stiffer, more folksy than their ivory counterparts. But this did not diminish at all the charming quality of this piece.

There was a possibility too that the santo was originally a San Jose, as it was found without identifying elements associated with San Isidro, like an ox, kneeling landlord, a plowing angel. But Dr. Lopez was confident he could recreate San Isidro’s likeness using this bone figure, even without those iconographic parts.

The first thing he need to do was to look for a proper base for it, and he found one—a folksy painted mortar base with remnants of green and dull yellow colors. Once he had that, he started his work on the bone santo, a process that took a month.

When, finally, he revealed SAN ISIDRO LABRADOR, the results were dramatic as seen from these photos. Only the lips needed to be defined, as the bone head still had its original glass eyes and painted beard. A new jusi wig and an old halo from the doctor’s collection topped the head of the santo.

The deep yellow satin cape and the knee-length drab green tunic complemented the colors of the base, which raised the santo’s height to about 16 inches tall. The gold embroidery was limited to the hems of the cape and the lower part of the tunic, fitting for a male saint.

The restores San Isidro sports knee high, leather boots, fashioned from soft imitation leather scraps. His left hand clutches a new, long-handled shover made of wood and tin. As the santo was tall and narrow. I had a customized glass case made for him, similar to Japan-made glass doll cases.

I only have 5 bone santos in my collection, and this restored San Isidro is one of the more special ones because of the story of its discovery, finding it by mere happenstance. 

Oh, and the silver monstrance? I got that too, the next day, pried off from the hands of Prince by his father, while he lay sleeping. I wonder what happened when he woke up. He should be about 18 years old now—is he pursuing a priestly vocation? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.