(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.
