Keeping things "holy" during Holy Week break

CEBU, Philippines - We all look forward to the lengthy vacation that the Holy Week affords us. Many of us deem it as a major holiday, and our usual idea of a holiday is hieing off to a beach that never sleeps with its perpetual parties. But Holy Week is “Holy Week.” And yes, despite many a temptation, you can still maximize this highly-anticipated time-off from the daily grind and still keep things holy.

1. Have a “destination” Holy Week. Spend it in another town, city, or if your budget permits, in another country (there are actually travel agencies offering the so-called “divine” travel packages) where you can still participate in Lenten activities. Observing traditions being carried out in another language and in another locale is one fascinating experience, and you’ll be surprised at what distinct practices other places have come up with so as to enrich the many facets of the Holy Week. There’s the Moriones Festival of Marinduque wherein “penitents” are being colorfully masked and costumed as Roman soldiers who’d march around town for seven days in search for Longinus. Legend has it that it was Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye, who pierced the side of the crucified Christ. The blood that gushed forth touched Longinus’ blind eye and restored his eyesight. He converted to Christianity but earned the ire of fellow Centurions. The festival’s climax is the reenactment of how Longinus was caught and beheaded. The Via Crucis is one Lenten ritual that my family tries not to miss during Semana Santa, and if we happen to be in the hometown of my father in Tuguegarao City, we’d visit the Iguig Calvary Hills, wherein you can really internalize the passion and death of Christ through the larger than life-sized concrete Stations of the Cross that are spread across 11 hectares of rolling hills overlooking the Cagayan Valley river. Closer to home, Minglanilla’s “Sugat” (now being dubbed Kabanhawan Festival) has long been a top crowd-drawer for its grand, elaborate production depicting the meeting between the risen Christ and his grieving mother.

2. Incorporate “moments with God” into your schedule. One of the most unforgettable Holy Week trips I had was a cruise with the entire clan on my mother’s side to tourist favorite Samal Island in Davao. We did not scrimp on sea-sand-sun fun, but during the lull time when we were on the boat, instead of doing nothing or engaging in mindless chatter, my lolaSensen made sure that we had Bible-reading and reflections to keep the spirit and real purpose of the Holy Week going.

3. Take a retreat. Nowadays, retreat houses are similar to resorts in the sense that they are also loaded with tranquility and scenery, but without having to spend a fortune to be able to enjoy such priceless features. Breezy Tagaytay, for one, is now known as more than just a picnic haunt as the place has given rise to numerous retreat centers. Here in Cebu, there also retreat centers that hold activities for the whole family during Holy Week like that of Verbum Dei Missionaries, whose congregation specializes in conducting retreats, in Good Shepherd Road, Banawa Hills. You can also arrange for solo or small group retreats and can even request for a theme. The retreat master would normally ask what makes you comfortable: would you want complete silence on your retreat or would you like to have some sharing sessions that the retreat may not be as silent but just as prayerful? An officemate and I recently underwent a three-day retreat also handled by Verbum Dei and paid only P800 (inclusive of full board and lodging). Not only were our personal needs well taken cared of, we felt nourished physically—the retreat dramatically improved my poor sleeping habits—and spiritually through the time spent for reflection, self-evaluation and meditation under the guidance of Colombian priest Father Ramiro Gallo.

4. Embark on a Visita Iglesia. Don’t settle for neighboring churches, go the distance and hit the road. I once joined an all-female pilgrimage by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco for its past pupils and it was practically a whole-day bonding session with long-time and newfound friends as we covered by bus various churches and shrines in the southern part of Cebu (from Naga to Oslob). An interesting experience happened to us during a stopover at the Theotokos Shrine in Perelos, Carcar. As we approached the Greek image of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the main chapel, we were welcomed by a very sweet-smelling fragrance so much so we had to ask one of the caretakers if it was a perfumed area. Quick to say ‘no,’ he smiled and confirmed that some of the pilgrims to the site do get to smell the mysterious fragrance. The Simala Shrine in Sibonga, on the other hand, has been generating big crowds at any time of the week, month and year who have special or specific intentions on love life, finances, family to passing board exams. Answered prayers were displayed in bulletin boards and glass-encased shelves. Nevertheless, adding more meaning to this kind of sightseeing were the free lessons on culture and heritage that we culled from particularly visiting the colonial era churches.

5. If you’d rather stay at home instead of going somewhere else, Holy Week can still provide bonding opportunities with people close to you. Host relatives or close friends/officemates, who are not going home to their respective hometowns during Holy Week. You can watch again classic Holy Week films such as Cecil de Mille’s “10 Commandments” or Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ.” Invite them to join Lenten activities with you and your family. Anything that promotes togetherness has proven to be de-stressing. As ties are now weakened by hectic lifestyles, relationship experts say that observing traditions together doesn’t only build long-lasting connections, but also create very positive feelings.