306. TWO RELIEVES OF CANDABA CHURCH

Adoration of the Shepherds and Adoration of the Magi form part of the series on the Nativity in the collection of Don Luis Araneta. Both are bas reliefs of polychromed molave taken from the old catholic parish church of Candaba, Pampanga, and dated approximately from the 17th century. They represent some of the earliest samples of religious wood work done in the Philippines.

Pampanga is well-known to be one of the centers of image-making during the period. Most pieces coming from here are made of hardwood and the treatment best approaches the classical among all other regions of the Philippines. The artisans of this area are relatively well-versed in the handling of drapes. Although there are deficiencies in anatomical proportions, the quality of craftsmanship is already advanced.

For instance, the Adoration of the Magi was evidently done by the same craftsman as the one who did the front cover but with a more polished effort. The color is even more exciting and vivid due perhaps due to the psychological effect of the subject dealing with kings on the sensibilities of the craftsman. The similarity in the expression of the faces is so characteristic of the images of Pampanga.

279. Vanishing Traditions: DIA DE LOS TRES REYES (TATLONG HARI)

MAY TATLONG HARING NAGSIDALAW. 3 Kings Parish, Gapan, N.Ecija

Time was when the Feast of the Epiphany or  3 Kings was a fixed date—January 6—which also marked the end of the Christmas season. With the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar,  the date has become  variable,  celebrated on the first Sunday of January.

THE 3 KINGS, part of the Nativity Set of the Three Kings Parish, Gapan, N.E.

Gapan, Nueva Ecija has the distinction of having a parish named after the 3 Kings—and, together with the Virgin Mary as Divina Pastora, are considered patron saints of the city—even if the biblical Magi are not saints. 

THE ANTIQUE IMAGES OF GAPAN'S TATLONG HARI.

There are at least three sets of the kings known in Gapan—the antique, dressed festejadas that are processioned every January 6, the all-wood images in the altar of Nativity, and a set of devotional images of the Adorable family, now in the U.S.

VIEW THE 3 KINGS PROCESSION HERE:

In the Philippines, the 3 Kings were looked at as gift-givers, the way Americans looked at Santa Claus. This began in the Spanish times when the “Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos” was celebrated in Filipino homes with feasting, merry-making and gift-giving. Children would leave their buffed shoes all in arrow outside their rooms to find them stuffed with gifts the next morning—courtesy of the 3 Kings!

CASA ESPANOL'S TRES REYES MAGOS, in horseback, Manila. 1935.

The Spanish community kept the custom alive, even after the Americans introduced their own Christmas, through the efforts of Casino Español de Manila, a socio-civic-recreational club founded in 1844 for Spaniards living in Manila. On January 6, Spaniards dressed like Melchor, Gazpar and Balthazar, take to the streets lined with Spanish children to distribute gifts.

JUAN SOUCHEIRON, as Baltazar, 1935.

 Instead of camels, the Kings ride horses, wending their way as children cheer. To this day, Casino Español has continued to celebrate the 3 Kings’ gift-giving tradition without the pompous street parade, limiting the activities at the Casino de Español grounds.  The Feast of 3 Kings is also known as “Araw ng Matatanda” in the Philippines.

Sources:

Vanishing Christmas Tradition, "FilipiKnow" by Alex R. Castro

“Celebration of 3 Kings”, The Philippine Free Press,  12 December 1936, p. 28-29

Many thanks to Reichardt Lionel (Richard Dino) and John Kevin Ligon for the use of their 3 Kings photos from their facebook page.

youtube: Three Kings procession, Gapan City, uploaded by nejournal, 5 January 2009. Three Kings of Gapan

14. THE THREE KINGS OF GAPAN, NUEVA ECIJA

Source: The Chronicle Magazine, 6 January 1962 p. 6- 8

Epiphany, better known as the Feast of the Three Kings, marks the end of the Christmas season in the Philippines.


The religious observance which falls on January 6, commemorates the long journey of the Magi or Three Wise Men from the East in search of the Child Jesus. They traveled days and nights through deserts, mountains and dales, guided only by a heavenly star. Finally, they found the Holy Infant in His lowly birthplace in a Bethlehem stable as the angel had announced to the shepherds.


The Three Wise Men—themselves kings of earthly kingdoms---recognized even then the Infant Jesus as the King of Kings. They worshipped Him, offering gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts, according to Catholic beliefs, signified three things: gold for Christ’s kingship; the incense, for His divinity; and myrrh, for His humanity.

And so it was that the Magi started the centuries-old tradition of gift-giving on Christmas. From the obscure little town of Bethlehem, the practice has spread throughout the world, like the Faith which was born there.


Different localities in the country celebrate Three Kings Day in their own way. But the essence is the same: gift-giving and revelry. Also, it is a feast exclusively for the children.

The local Spanish community observes the feast with gift-giving to children in Manila and the suburbs. The gifts are distributed at the Casiño Español by three men personifying the Three Kings.


In Gapan, Nueva Ecija, the Feast of the Three Kings is also the town fiesta. Legend has it that once bandit-ridden, the town was freed from such a scourge by three young men who appeared from nowhere and routed the bandits. These three mysterious men, the townspeople believed, were the Three Kings.


Hence, the annual celebration in Gapan with the the images of the Three Kings as the center of the festivities. According to the townsfolk , the images, all carved out of hardwood, have been there for centuries. The images were originally owned by one family, but now Gaspar is under the care of Marcela Baison, Melchor belongs to Conchita Manikis and Balthazar is owned by Consuelo Cabañez.


The Three Kings of Gapan are considered protectors of the town rather than as gift givers. Hence, the absence of gift-giving during the traditional feast day.