366. Found Identities: THE CHAPEL SANTOS OF UBIHAN

Old photos of 3 Santos on their andas, 1922.

Stashed among my collection of religious photos are these 2 snapshots taken over a hundred years ago in 1922. On the back were short lines written by a Mother to his Son, David, updating him of the goings-on of some religious events happening in their place, which unfortunately, was not named. For over a decade, I have not been successful in identifying where these santos came from, as the real photo postcards have no postmarks.

The first photo shows a trio of images: St. Joseph with the Child Jesus, a Crucified Christ, and an Immaculate Conception, on top of individual andas (shoulder-borne platforms). The mother writes:

David:

Ang Retrato ng Señor ay hindi nakunan sa prosesion pagkat nĝ dumating ang kukuha ay tapos na ang prosesion, bukod sa rito, ng tang(g)apin ni Jacin ang sulat mo ay sa 11 nĝ Enero sa kaniang kasera. Yto na lamang at kahi(t) ma na wari pagpalain ka ng P. (oong) D. (iyos) at nĝ mahal na Virgen.   Ang iyong Yna

 (David, The picture of the Lord was not taken during the procession because by the time photographer came, the procession had already ended. Also Jacin received your letter on Januray 11 from his landlady.  This is all for now, and may you be blessed by the Lord God and our beloved Virgin.---Your Mother).

The second photo shows a picture of the Crucified Christ nailed on his Cross, outfitted with an opulent metal burst and paper flowers. The back has this handwritten notation:

David:

Pinagpilitan na ming pakuhanan ng retrato ang poon sapagkat bagong lubog na lahat ang kaniang kasangkapan na iyong makikita rito; sa pecha 27 ng Deciembre ng 1922.   Ang iyong Yna.

(David: We made an effort to have the picture of the Lord taken because all His metal  accessories that you see here have been newly re-plated; on this date 27 December 1922.)

Just last month, Robby de la Vega, a friend from Intramuros Administration, alerted me about the photos, informing me that they are those of the still-extant chapel santos of brgy. Ubihan of Meycauayan, Bulacan. The key was the date written by the mother—December 27---which is the date of the fiesta of the barangay patron—Sto. Cristo.

Checking online, I found the FB page of the “Sto Cristo de Ubihan”, which has posted pictures of the Crucified Christ in my old photo—and indeed, they are one and the same image. There were also fiesta photos of their images of  San Jose con Niño Jesus, and the Inmaculada Concepcion on new carrozas, as the andas in the old photos are long gone.

I also learned the Ubihan was one of the most remote barrios of Meycauayan which thrived on fishing and aquaculture as it was surrounded by rivers and fishponds. It was so named because ube plants used to be planted in abundance in the barrio. In 1882, Ubihan was plagued by cholera that decimated the population. So distant was the barrio, that revolucionarios used Ubihan as their hiding place. As such, it was constantly raided by Spaniards. The Americans burned the barrio in 1900 at the onset  of the Philippine -American War and once gain razed by the Japanese in the last world war.

Inspite of all these tragic calamities, both natural and man-made, Ubihan survived, and continues to thrive--certainly protected by their 3 Patrons who, after over a century are still very much around, cared for and revered by  the local faithful in gratitude for the blessings received and the salvation of their humble barangay in the most trying years of its existence. 

CREDITS:

MANY THANKS to Mr. Robby dela Vega of the Intramuros Administration

Photos from the "Sto. Cristo de Ubihan" FB Page

City Government of Meycauayan website:https://meycauayan.gov.ph/ubihan/

307. Retro-Santo: STA. SALOME of CANIOGAN, MALOLOS, BULACAN

THE MYSTERY PICTURE OF STA, SALOME, ca. 1920s.

A decade ago, in one of my visits to a local antique dealer, I picked up this photo postcard of what seemed to be a family before an heirloom wooden statue of Sta. Salome, on a small wooden carroza. The people are dressed in modest clothes, in their Sunday’s best—nothing expensive or flashy. The women on the left looked like they were in mourning clothes, indicating a death in the family, maybe the pater familia. The grove of slender bamboos in the background gives the scene a real, rustic feel. It would appear that they are about to leave for a procession.  I liked how this 1920s photo evoked the spirit of bygone days in the province, —simple, unhurried, when people’s devotion to their faith was deeper, more unwavering.

But what drew me to the picture was Sta. Salome herself. It is the plain-ness of the carving that makes her remarkable. She projects a sweet expression, a slight smile evident on her face. The santa who cleaned Jesus’ tomb clasps a broom on one hand—a walis tingting—and a hanky on her left hand. Her vestments, though with traces of gold embroidery, have a  homespun quality to the way they were created. The ends of her half-cape are folded over into “palikpik” that extended till her shoulders. She wears a belt that is uniquely trimmed with a ribbon. 

On her head, Sta. Salome  wears a brass diadem, and an umbrella-type halo or paragua. She stands on an ochovado base, outfitted with spindly albortantes, topped with glass floral shades and adorned with paper flowers.

PHOTO: YVES PAULINO

The mystery over this vintage picture, however, had just begun.

Who is the family that owns this beautiful Sta. Salome?

Where was this taken?

More importantly, what fate befell the santa and her carroza?

If she survived, where is it now?

PHOTO: YVES PAULINO

For years, these questions remained unanswered. In the meanwhile, I even used the picture as an illustrative example of Philippine processions in an article I wrote for one of my blogs. Sometime in 2015, one blog reader from Bulacan—Yves Paulino-- saw the picture and noticed some startling similarities with the image of Santa Salome of Caniogan in Malolos.

PHOTO: YVES PAULINO

The overall stance of the image—for instance, in the way her hands were posed, were similar to their Sta. Salome. And so were the diadem and the “payong”. The manner in which she was dressed-- specifically, the upright ‘palikpik’—was very similar too. The most telling, however, was the unique belt. Upon closer scrutiny, Paulino noticed that the santa in the picture was wearing a unique ribbon belt—identical to the original belt on the waist of  the Caniogan image.

PHOTO: WENCY CAMIGAY, flickr.com

Despite these striking similarities, Paulino wanted to be really certain. Since my blog was about Pampanga, he assumed that the picture came from the province, and therefore the image had a Kapampangan provenance. Besides, I had identified the image in the picture was a “Sta. Maria Jacobe”. He then sent me period pictures of their santa so that  could compare the 2 statues myself.

PHOTO: JHENNEL PAULINO, FB page

When I saw the picture of their patroness, I could tell right away that this was indeed, the same one as in my picture. I pointed out that I did not identify the image as coming from Pampanga, In the caption, I had written  “….A family from Central Luzon rolls out it heirloom image of Sta. Maria Jacobe”. It is also to be noted that certain provinces interchange the names and attributes (broom and hanky vs. censer) of Maria Jacobe and Salome.  I had no doubt in my mind that the mystery santa in the picture was indeed, the Sta. Salome of Caniogan, Malolos.

PHOTO: WENCY CAMIGAY, flickr.com

The only missing information are the real identities of the people in the picture. No one in Caniogan seem to know, not even the old folks in the neighborhood. They could only tell that “someone long ago, donated the image for the chapel to use”.  

PHOTO: WENCY CAMIGAY, flickr.com

Today, the image of 5 foot  Sta. Salome with her bastidor body has her own chapel in Caniogan, and she remains under the care of “hermanos”, who,  on rotating duties, take care of the image. An assigned hermano gets to take home the statue, her vestments and even her cabinet where she is kept. Nowadays, the younger set takes care of dressing her up for her “fiesta”. All these years, she wears her original ribbon belt and her diadem, but her halo and her broom  have been replaced. She also wears a donated human hair wig.

PHOTO: JEMUEL PALACIO PAULINO

Not only did the antique image survived too, but even her wooden carroza shown on the picture is still in existence, used by the old Santa Cruz of Caniogan—a slender, holy cross that is also a treasured sacred art of the barangay.

PHOTO: STA, SALOME CANIOGAN, MALOLOS FB page

Sta. Salome’s double feast days are observed with festive dancing and celebrations—first, during the Easter Salubong, where she is feted with a procession after her return  from the Sta. Isabel Church, and on Oct. 22, her official Feast Day, where a novena is held in her honor.

PHOTO: ROBERT 'BOB' BERNABE, FB page

The only mystery left are finding the identities of the family members  in the picture. No one in Caniogan seem to know, not even the old folks in the neighborhood. They could only tell that “someone long ago, donated the image for the chapel to use”.  But that is immaterial at this point in time, for in their stead, a whole community of people have come to rally around Sta. Salome, showering her with love and devotion that are sure to last into the next generation and beyond.

PHOTO SOURCES:

Sta. Salome Close Up: flickr via Wenceslao Camigay, https://www.flickr.com/photos/wency_gentrias/2954162271

Picture of Sta. Salome with Sta. Cruz: Sta. Salome (Caniogan, Malolos) FB Page, https://www.facebook.com/stamaria.salome.3?ref=br_rs

Sta. Salome Chapel: Wenceslao Camigay, https://www.flickr.com/photos/wency_gentrias/2958003486/

Photo of Sta. Salome in church altar: Bob Bernabe FB ( posted on Sta. Salome FB page)

Medium shit of Sta. Salome: JehnNel Paulino FB ( posted on Sta. Salome FB page)

Other vintage pictures: Yves Paulino

Photo of Sta. Cruz with Carroza, Jemuel Palacio Paulino

293. BARRIO SALUYSOY’S SANTO CRISTO AND SAN PEDRO: Then & Now

THE TWO SACRED IMAGES OF SALUYSOY, MEYCAUAYAN

In the ancient barrio of Saluysoy, in Meycauayan, Bulacan, there kept in the visita of the barangay, two old images revered since one can remember: the image of Santo Cristo (Crucified Christ) and San Pedro (Saint Peter).

Saluysoy, located adjacent to the heart of the town, takes its name from a slow-flowing gurgling brook which cut northwards at the eastern side of the original location of the barrio. “Saluysoy” means the sound of a brook’s steady water flow.  But when the water dried out, residents relocated to the west of the barrio where  a faster-flowing river was found. People dug up wells to ensure that they do not run of water anymore in their new place, which retained the name “Saluysoy”. The former abandoned site was named “Palanas”.

VISITA OF SALUYSOY

The barrio played a small, but significant part in the second world war. In 1941, when the Japanese Army broke through the USAFFE lines en route to conquering Manila, the barrio folks put on a gallant resistance that delayed the march of the invaders to the capital city by 11 days.

In the 1950s, it was said that indolence was unknown to the hard-working people of Saluysoy. Though small in size, the barangay thrived on many industries—shoemaking, wood carving, blacksmithing, goldsmithing, farming, fishing, and making of religious images.

It would seem that the two processional images were carved locally for the chapel, as the people were also known for being devout and religious. The chapel itself was rebuilt after the war, and at one time was considered to be the most beautiful in the whole province of Bulacan. It was fully funded through the efforts of “Samahang San Pedro”, a leading religious organization.

Today, Saluysoy is one of the more prosperous barangays of the city of Meycauayan, its prosperity driven by its jewelcraft and goldsmithing industries. Every year, the images of the barrio patrons—Santo Cristo and San Pedro—are brought out for processions during the May 4 barangay fiesta. San Pedro’s feast day is also observed separately by Saluysoy folks every June 29.

CREDITS:
Many thanks to Mr. Robby de la Vega for the photos and for the background on brgy. Saluysoy from the Historical Data Papers of Meycauayan

250. 50 Years After: VIRGEN DE LOURDES of BARRIO TALANG, CANDABA

VIRGEN DE LOURDES, patroness of Brgy. Talang, Candaba,
as she appear today, and in 1966.

In 1966, the barrio of Talang, in Candaba, Pampanga was featured on the December 25 issue of Sunday Times Magazine, then the country’s most popular weekend magazine, in an article entitled “Christmas in Huklandia”.

THE OLD VISITA OR CHAPEL, in 1966.

 Back then, Talang was a remote and impoverished barrio of Candaba, where Huk dissidence marred the quest for peace and progress of this rural place. But though mired in poverty, the faith of the barrio people remained unshaken. All because of their devotion to their patroness that they kept in a ramshackle “visita” or chapel that stood in the middle of the small clearing: Virgen de Lourdes or Our Lady of Lourdes.

VIRGEN DE LOURDES and Lourdesenian Youth Group.

 The Virgen de Lourdes in 1966 was described thus, by the writer of the article: “It is not a well-sculptured, richly-garbed, bejeweled icon that lords it over the rough-hewn archaic facsimile of an altar here. Instead, the four-foot image of our Lady of Lourdes, seemingly embarassed by the provincial touches of imitation,gaudy adornment, hides within the principal niche above the altar. There are no tall candles on gleaming candlesticks, to light up her sad-eyed, benign features with, and the flowers,still to be picked from some garden plot by her devotees, are conspicuous by their absence on the two-tiered facade flanking her post.” 

The people of Talang have their own pressing needs, but during the Christmas season, they put priority to the needs of their patroness first. In the days leading to Christmas day, the barrio folks unite to go on fund-raising initiatives; for 1966, the objective was to raise money for the Virgen’s carroza. 

DANCING FOR ALMS, Talang barrio folks go from town
to town, to raise funds by dancing.

 The Lourdesenian youth groups would organize themselves into carolers and venture out of their barrio, carrying the image of the Virgen with them as they sing for alms. Adults, on the other hand, become itinerant dancers, going from town to town to dance for alms for their church’s patron. For them all, the days are rich in love and goodness and goodwill, even as violence rage menacingly along the periphery of their private lives.

THE CHAPEL, then and now.

There is a happy postscript to the story of the Lourdes Virgin and the barangay Talang, after fifty long years.

VIRGEN DE LOURDES CHAPEL INTERIOR.

The once-decrepit wooden visita is now a modern concrete structure—now known as Virgen de Lourdes Parish Chapel-- with a floor area, many times bigger than the old chapel, carved pews and stained glass windows. It was established in 1983 through the efforts of Fr. Nolasco Fernandez.

VIRGEN DE LOURDES, in the chapel that was built
in 1983. Photo: Dr. Raymund Feliciano.

Bright and well-lit, it features main retablo and lateral altars, the right side of which houses the original Lourdes image, the same revered icon that was featured in a magazine over five decades ago.

VIRGEN DE LOURDES, Photo: Dr. Raymund
Feliciano

Virgen de Lourdes even sports a new globe base, and a kneeling figure of the visionary St. Bernadette has also been added.

 As for Barrio Talang, it has indeed, moved forward. Thankfully, the Huk unrest that plagued Candaba and the barrio in the 60s has abated. Today, the barangay has its own own barangay hall, elementary and high schools and is dotted with many leisure farms that attract visitors from Pampanga and beyond, especially during their February fiesta days (Feb. 10-11).

OUR LADY OF LOURDES, pray for us.

 Resident devotees will always attribute their changing fortunes to the workings of Virgen de Lourdes; but undeniably, it is also the people’s resilience and unwavering faith in a time of hate and discord that has served them well, as the once-lowly barrio continues its strive for lasting peace and enduring progress.

 SOURCE: “Christmas in Huklandia”, Sunday Times Magazine, by Gloria Garchitorena Goloy, Photographed by Dominador Suba, 25 December 1966

PHOTO CREDITS: 
Virgen de Lourdes: Taken by Dr. Raymund Feliciano
Virgen de Lourdes Parish / https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Virgen_de_Lourdes_Parish_Church_(Talang,_Candaba,_Pampanga)

138. Retro-Santo: SANTIAGO MATAMOROS

SWEET SAINTLY JAMES. A fine processional statue of Santiago Matamoros (St. James, the MoorSlayer), depicting the saint trampling on the Moors as he fought in the battle of Clavijo in Spain. Photo dates from 1928.

St. James the Greater, (Santiago) was the son of Zebedee and Salome who became one of disciples of Jesus. He figures in many ancient traditional stories and one of the more popular is his engagement in battle at  Clavijo (Spain, 844) against Muslims, symbol of Reconquista. Saint James, it was said, appeared as a warrior-knight on his white steed holding aloft a white banner as he helped the Christian armies of King Ramiro I in attacks against the Moors. As a result of their victory, St. James has come to be known as "Matamoros".

Santiago is Spain's patron saint, and in the Philippines, he is also the titular patron of such towns as Plaridel (Bulacan), Bolinao (Pangasinan), Betis (Pampanga), Libon (Albay), Ibaan (Batangas) and Dapitan. The famed Fort Santiago in Manila features the wooden relief of the saint is carved on a gateway arch.

The beautiful processional santo of Philippine origin shown above represents the saint vanquishing the Moors. At least three decapitated heads are at the feet of his white horse, excellently carved and outfitted with glass eyes and perhaps, abaca hair for its mane and tail. Santiago is of the articulated manikin type of santo; he wears a human hair wig. On his head is a knight's helmet, decorated with a feathered plume. He brandishes a sword and an embroidered shield in his hands. He wears an elaborated set of gold-embroidered vestments.

Martyred by Herod Agrippa in AD 44, his remainswere transferred to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Santiago is the patron of veterinarians, equestrians,  pharmacists, tanners and furriers. His Feast Day is December 30.

PRAYER

O Glorious Saint James, because of your fervor and generosity

Jesus chose you to witness his glory on the Mount

and his agony in the Garden.

Obtain for us strength and consolation in the unending struggles of this life.

Help us to follow Christ constantly and generously,

to be victors over all our difficulties,

and to receive the crown of glory in heaven. Amen.