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Santacruzan Titles

Flores de Mayo is a month-long Catholic festival in the Philippines honoring the Virgin Mary, culminating in the Santacruzan pageant that celebrates Helena and Constantine's discovery of the True Cross. The event features various biblical characters and personifications, each representing different virtues and titles associated with Mary. The procession includes music, candlelight, and a pabítin activity for children, with participants often dressed in traditional Filipino attire.

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304 views4 pages

Santacruzan Titles

Flores de Mayo is a month-long Catholic festival in the Philippines honoring the Virgin Mary, culminating in the Santacruzan pageant that celebrates Helena and Constantine's discovery of the True Cross. The event features various biblical characters and personifications, each representing different virtues and titles associated with Mary. The procession includes music, candlelight, and a pabítin activity for children, with participants often dressed in traditional Filipino attire.

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rgfbermudez
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Santacruzan, Sagala o Flores De Mayo

Flores de Mayo (English: "Flowers of May") is a Catholic and Aglipayan


festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. Lasting for a month, it is
held in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Santacruzan refers to the pageant on
the last day of Flores de Mayo, held in honour of Helena (known as Reyna
Elena) and Constantine finding the True Cross in Jerusalem.
Biblical Characters and Traditional Personifications
Matusalém (Methuselah) - bearded and bent with age, he is depicted as
riding a cart and looking preoccupied with toasting some grains of sand in a
pan over a fire. This is a reminder that everything in this world is passing and
will end up like the dust which he is toasting.
Reyna Banderada (Queen with a banner) - a young lady dressed in a
long red gown carrying a yellow triangular flag. She represents the arrival of
Christianity.
Aetas - represents the first Filipinos who settled the islands prior to
Christianisation by the Spanish.
Reyna Mora (Queen of the Moor) - represents Mother Mary, mother of
Jesus. Mary is known to Muslim Filipinos (and mentioned in the Koran).
Muslim Filipinos inhabited selected parts of Mindanao and Manila Islam. They
arrived in the Philippines two centuries before Christianity and was not the
dominant religion of Philippine Islands in terms of number of believers (but
only in terms of material, social, and political development).
Reyna ng Saba (Queen of Sheba) - represents the unnamed queen who
visited King Solomon and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power, and
riches. She carries a jewelry box. The Queen of Sheba is further associated
with the Santacruzan via her inclusion in the Golden Legend in which the
provenance of the true cross is determined (see article on the True Cross).
Rut at Noemi (Ruth and Naomi) - ancestresses of King David and Jesus
Christ.
Reyna Judít (Queen Judith) - represents the Biblical widow Judith of
Bethulia who saved her city from the Assyrians by slaying the cruel
Holofernes. She carries the head of her victim in one hand and a sword in the
other. She is also known as Infanta Judith.
Reyna Ester (Queen Esther) - the Jewish queen of Persia who spared her
people from death at the hands of Haman through her timely intervention
with King Xerxes. She carries a scepter.
Cleopatra - represents Cleopatra VII Philopator, the famous last pharaoh of
Ancient Egypt. She is escorted by a man representing Mark Antony.
Samaritana/Sta. Photina (The Female Samaritan/St. Photine) - the
woman with whom Christ spoke to at Jacob's well. She carries a jug on her
shoulder.
Sta. Verónica - the woman who wiped the face of Jesus, she bears her Veil
which, according to traditional Hispanic iconography, has three imprints of
the Holy Face of Jesus instead of one.
Tres Marías (Three Marys) - each Mary holds a unique attribute
associated with the Entombment of Christ:
Sta. Maria Magdalena (St Mary Magdalene) - a bottle of perfume, as
Catholic tradition once conflated her with Mary of Bethany who wiped Jesus'
feet;
The Virgin Mary - a handkerchief, for she is in mourning;
Sta Maria de Cleofás (Mary, the mother of James, wife of Clopas) - a
bottle of oil.
Reyna Fé (Queen Faith) - symbolises Faith, the first of the theological
virtues. She carries a cross.
Reyna Esperanza (Queen Hope) - symbolises Hope, the second
theological virtue. She carries an anchor.
Reyna Caridád (Queen Charity) - symbolises Charity, the third theological
virtue. She carries a red-coloured heart.
Reyna Sentenciada (Queen Convicted) - has her hands bound by a rope,
she stands for the Early Christians, especially the virgins, who were martyred
for the Faith. She is sometimes accompanied by two Roman soldiers.

Marian Titles
Each figure in this group alludes to a title of the Virgin Mary or to a figure
associated with her. Each of the letters of the angelic salutation "AVE MARIA"
is carried by an "angel"—a girl wearing a long white dress and wings.
Reyna Abogada (Queen Advocate/Lawyer) - defender of the poor and
the oppressed, she wears a black mortarboard cap, Graduation gown, and
carries a large book. Her appearance is a representation of Mary, Help
(Advocate) of Christians. In some Santacruzan processions, the figure of the
Doctora also makes an appearance, which may be an allusion to Mary,
Health of the Sick.
Reyna Justiciá (Queen Justice) - a personification of the "Mirror of Justice",
one of Mary's titles in the Litany of Loreto. Her attributes are a weighing
scale and a sword.
Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) - bears a shepherd's staff.
Reyna de los Ángeles (Queen of Angels) - bouquet of white flowers,
escorted by angels.
Luklukan ng Karunungan (Seat of Wisdom) - carries a Bible.
Susî ng Langit (Key of Heaven) - two keys, one gold and the other silver.
Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of the Stars) - a wand with a star.
Rosa Mystica (Mystical Rose)- a bouquet of roses.
Pusó ni Maria/Corazón de Maria (Heart of Mary) - a pink heart.
Reyna del Santissimo Rosario (Queen of the Most Holy Rosary) - she
carries a big rosary.
Reyna Luna (Queen Moon) - she represents the moon, as the throne or
footstool of Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse.
Reyna Cándelaria (Queen of Candles) - she carries a long lit taper.
Reyna de la Páz (Queen of Peace) - a dove.
Reyna de los Patriarcas (Queen of Patriarchs) - a wooden rod.
Reyna de los Profétas (Queen of Prophets) - an hourglass.
Reyna de los Confesores (Queen of Confessors) - a scroll.
Reyna de los Martires (Queen of Martyrs) - a crown of thorns or a
pierced heart (Mater Dolorosa).
Reyna de los Apostoles (Queen of Apostles) - the palm of martyrdom.
Reyna de los Santos (Queen of Saints) - a golden wreath, symbolic of
the crown of the saints.
Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven) - a flower; accompanied by two little
"angels".
Reyna de las Vírgenes (Queen of Virgins) - a rosary or a lily; also
escorted by two little "angels".
Reyna de las Flores (Queen of Flowers) - The queen of Flores de Mayo.
She carries a bouquet of flowers.
Reyna Emperatríz (Queen Empress) - this is another representation of
Saint Helena, this time as mother of the Emperor who bestowed upon her the
imperial title of Augusta (honorific) meaning 'empress' or 'queen mother'.
Reyna Elena (Queen Helena) - the last member of the procession, she
represents Helena of Constantinople who found the True Cross; this is
alluded to by her attribute, a small cross or crucifix that she carries in her
arms. This considerably prestigious role is usually awarded to the most
beautiful girl participating in the pageant. In some communities, the identity
of the woman who will portray the Reyna Elena is kept a secret until the day
of the procession. Some towns boast of three Reyna Elenas in their
processions.
Constantíno - the escort of Reyna Elena; traditionally a young boy
representing the Emperor Constantine.
The procession is accompanied by the steady beat of a local Brass Band,
playing and singing the Hail Mary ("Dios Te Salve"). The devotees walking
with the procession hold lighted candles in their hands and sing the prayer
as they go along.
Dios Te Salve (Hail Mary)
Dios te salve Maria Llena eres de gracia El senor es contigo Bendita tu eres
Entre todas las mujeres Y bendito es el fruto Y bendito es el fruto De tu
vientre Jesus.
Santa Maria Madre de Dios Ruega por nosotros Pecadores ahora Y en la hora
De nuestra muerte amen. Jesus.
After the procession, there is a pabítin that serves as a culminating activity
for all the children to enjoy. A Pabítin is a square trellis to which goodies
(candies, fruits, small trinkets, etc.) are tied with strings. This trellis in turn is
tied to a rope and is suspended on a strong branch or pole. Children then
gather under the trellis as the it is slowly lowered. They then jump as high as
they can to try to pick the goodies while someone jerks it up and down
repeatedly until all the goodies are gone.
It is customary for males attending the Santacruzan wear the traditional
Barong Tagalog and that the females wear any Filipiniana-inspired dress.

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