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CHAPTER 1
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CHAPTER 2
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CHAPTER 3
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CHAPTER 4
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CHAPTER 5
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CHAPTER 6
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CHAPTER 7
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  << Cont'd from Chapter 1, Page 4

      The most popular and most widely publicized of Pagsanjan's May time festivals is the Santacruzan (Festival of the Cross). Behind this festival is an interesting tale, which is partly historical and partly legendary, concerning the discovery of the Holy Cross (upon which Christ was crucified) by Empress Helena in Jerusalem during the reign of her son, Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337). According to tradition, she found, with the help of Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem, this sacred relic deeply buried beneath Calvary (Golgotha) hill.
      Out of this search and the discovery of the Holy Cross originated the May time festival of the Santacruzan. This festival is always held in the month of May because of the belief that the recovery of the Holy Cross occurred during this month.
      In the past, Santacruzan was celebrated in Pagsanjan for nine evenings, the last evening being the grandest spectacle of them all. For eight evenings the children (girls and boys) held a religious procession in town, chanting the words and music of Dios Te Salve. The center of attraction was a small girl dressed in queenly robes and carrying a small cross, accompanied by a small boy attired as an emperor. The girl represented Empress Helena and the boy Emperor Constantine the Great.
      The procession ended at the home of the Hermano Mayor or Hermana Mayor. In front of this house was the traditional pabitin, a small hanging bamboo raft laden with fruits, candies, and other delicacies which was raised or lowered by a rope. All the children who took part in the procession would gather beneath the bamboo raft, they would jump high to catch the hanging fruits and delicacies, but could not reach them. Then all of a sudden the man holding the rope would release it, causing the loaded raft to fall. A mad scramble ensued as the children jostled each other to grab a ripe pineapple, a bag of candies, or a bundle of suman. It is interesting to note that the practice of having a pabitin was a Mexican contribution to our culture. In Mexico today it is called piñata. It is a jolly feature of the Mexican Christmas custom known as the posada.
      On the ninth night, the last evening of the festival, the Santacruzan was celebrated in grander scale. This time the partakers were young ladies assuming the roles of Reina Elena (escorted by a young man as Emperor Constantine), Reina Sentenciada, Abogada, Reina Mistica, Matusalem (Methuselah), etc.
      Since World War II the Santacruzan in Pagsanjan has undergone several changes, making it quite different from its prewar prototype. One change is the shortening of its celebration to only one night, usually on a Saturday night. The second is the elimination of its religious spirit for it has become truly a beauty pageant to attract more spectators, especially the tourists. The third change is the procession around town which is supposed to enact the search and discovery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by Empress Helena and her retinue, which has become a colorful parade of beautiful girls, including movie stars, and their gallant escorts who are either cinema male idols or popular basketball players. And lastly, there are more members of the cast taken from the Old Testament, history and folklore, thereby making it really a grandiose pageantry and spectacle.
      Presently, the Santacruzan festival has the following characters; Methuselah, portraying the biblical oldest woman; Divina Pastora (Divine Sheperdess), Abogada, a lady in academic cap and gown; Justicia, a lady in chains, representing the queen who refused to join Empress Helena in the quest for the Holy Cross; Reina Mora and the black savages, symbolizing the existence of paganism at the time of the finding of the Holy Cross; St. Macarius, the old Bishop of Jerusalem who helped Empress Helena in her mission; the three pretty ladies representing Fe (Faith), Esperanza (Hope), and Caridad (charity), which are the three cardinal virtues; Reina Ester, Judith, Reina Sheba, and King Solomon -- all taken from the Old Testament; Reina de las Flores, Banderada (Flag Bearer), and Reina Helena, who is escorted by Emperor Constantine the Great. The different beauties have their respective escorts.
      At times, certain variations are made in the cast. For instance, in the Santacruzan Festival held in Pagsanjan on May 12, 1974, there were three Santa Elenas, namely Santa Elena I (Miss Lotis Key, movie actress), Santa Elena II (Miss Leila Hermosa, another movie actress), Santa Elena III (Miss Marimel Soriano Gagan, "Miss Pagsanjan of 1974"); and one emperatriz (Miss Ma, Rosario N. Santos, the "Miss Green Race of 1974" of the Philippines).
      Great credit is certainly due to Mrs. Carmen Caballes Soriano, the permanent Hermana Mayor of the annual Santacruzan festival of Pagsanjan. She is a well known couturiere of movie star and starlets in Greater Manila and is a daughter of Colonel Pedro Caballes, a revolutionary hero of Pagsanjan. Every year she spends her own time, efforts, and funds to celebrate the Santacruzan in her beloved town, a colorful festival which has gained national recognition because it greatly attracts tourists, thereby enhancing the glory of Pagsanjan.

End of Chapter 1.