Making the spiritual Santacruzan relevant for the 21st Century

Done on the mystical request of the Holy Ones, through mystic-artist Punay Kabayao-Fernandez and sculptor painter Pempe Floriano, just before the Gulf War in 1991 the holy statues on two major floats of O.B. Montessori Santacruzan in Greenhills carry details specified by the Blessed Mother. For instance, Mother Mary carries the title Our Lady of Liberty and Hope, and wears a white robe with gold cape and a pendant of the Star of David. Over her, Our Lord of Wisdom and Compassion is sculpted descending the stairs, beckoning the faithful towards Him. He wears a white, gold hemmed robe with a dark red cape. Three years later, on the 25th anniversary of the institution, four-year-old Jesus, “Niño Bonito” was added. All three are done in wood, an exception to the other 20 holy monuments in the school sanctuary, which are sculpted in cement around metal frame, which are blessed.

Yearly mystical manifestations of the procession since 1993

Former Tourism Secretary Rafael Alunan and Mrs. Lovely Romulo, wife of Senator Alberto Romulo, were our Hermano and Hermana Mayores of the 1993 Santacruzan, which winded around Unimart. From then on, this Santacruzan became a yearly call to pray for unity and peace.

By 1994, the holy ones requested that the Santacruzan be held around our Sta. Ana school branch, near the Sta. Ana parish church. This time, a giant Ark of the Covenant was mystically designed in fuschia, blue and gold color combination. The Ark symbolizes the exodus of the Jews from captivity in Egypt. It was a chest commanded by God to Moses to build and place the tablets of stones where the 10 Commandments were inscribed. Carried by seven priests seven times around Jericho, the city of rebels fell with one shout.

Upon reflection, it is also today, God’s promise to release the Filipinos from numerous crises of calamities and bad politics, reminding all to be true to the 10 Commandments and to keep praying.

A modern seven-foot tall wooden Holy Cross, painted Picasso-style in gold, blue and white was added. The Cross is the symbol of man’s redemption. Actually, “Santacruzan” (holy cross) recalls St. Helena’s search for the true cross in the Holy Land. This inspired the crusaders from all over Europe to join the search which lasted many centuries. Again, this signifies that Filipinos should be aware of our profound need for redemption which is only possible through prayers and sacrifice.

Uplifting the status of the family

By 1995, the “Holy Family Temple”, made up of the 12 giant statues of the Holy Family, the Pharisees and the Kneeling Mother breast-feeding a baby was finished in time for the January papal visit. Again, as the “temple” fronts the school, it is meant to remind Philippine society that our families are imperiled, so immersed in materialism and vanity that the children get deviated from work and responsibilities. In May of the same year, we held another procession around the Unimart complex again. By this time, we would set up the O.B. Montessori lobby stage into a huge altar for the whole month of May, so that before and after the Santacruzan, the public may spiritually enjoy Our Lord Jesus, Blessed Mother and Niño Bonito. This altar, so colorfully decorated with bouquets of flowers, followed mystical guidance in its interior decoration, so it would become “Mary’s Spiritual Garden.”

The following year, 1996, which happened to be the 30th anniversary of the O.B. Montessori schools, the giant Angelique Victoria became the mystical mural on the façade of the new O.B. Montessori College, the two eight-storey buildings behind the four-storey building at the corner of Eisenhower and Annapolis streets. A papier maché replica of the special angel became the central figure of the 2nd float. This time, to complete her, a beautiful gold-purple-fuschia décor called “Music of the Sphere” was added to the Santacruzan float. Among the highest in the hierarchy of angelic kingdom are the Angels of Music. Punay Kabayao, a master pianist and violinist, put together the musical repertoires which included the popular compositions of Wagner, Schubert, Handel, Gunod, and Tchaikovsky. Even the drivers and vendors were enchanted by it. Sky blue tulle, simulating clouds covered the flooring of the float of Angelique Victoria. By this time we had already a marching band with 60 grade school and high school students, led by Band Master Antonio Almiñe. We did not have to borrow camp Aguinaldo’s military band.

The ‘magic garden’ of St. Francis

In 1997, the fresco of St. Francis and St. Claire were painted thrice in the Ristorante La Dolce Fontana for the culinary college. The first on the wall facing the main dining hall shows St. Francis feeding a giant humming bird. He and St. Claire are surrounded by 200 animals, many of them, mother monkeys, goats, kangaroos, rabbit, etc. with their young, painted at the bottom of what San Francesco calls “il giardino magico”, his magic garden.

This always amuses the families who frequent the restaurant specially their young children. For the Santacruzan, this was duplicated in a large canvas painting with a peacock, the pet dog of St. Francis, the lamb and flowers in the background. This was again mystically requested to be added to the float. Prince Charles, then president of World Wildlife Fund, honored St. Francis as the WWF patron of the environment. This inspired me to add the environment entourage in the procession.

The cultural aspect

What has, however, remained in the people’s awareness these days is not so much the religious but the cultural aspect of this practice. The chance to socialize with others, “to see and be seen,” so to speak, is really why many enjoy the procession. Santacruzan means pageantry – important people, good-looking men and women in bright beautiful clothes, under glittering lights and loud band music. It is really another instance when religious lessons come packaged in attractive forms.

The O.B. Montessori Santacruzan worked well to fulfill these two traditional functions, yes, but I believe that, as with our shrines, new elements are introduced to help elevate the public’s awareness to a higher level. For the teachers, staff, students and their parents, surely the effort and expense needed for the affair brought new meaning to the pageantry.

The Santacruzan route along Shrine Avenue

Yearly, both the San Juan municipality would coordinate with the Ortigas Company to secure the Santacruzan passage roads. But the Holy Ones meant it to be a religious affair to be shared beyond San Juan, to the whole of Metro Manila. They gave the name “Shrine Avenue” to the streets surrounding the school – McKinley, Eisenhower and Annapolis, which leads to the roads around the Greenhills shopping center. Then they gave the reminder that this area is “where divinity descends for humanity to ascend.”

They also suggested inviting all Metro Manila mayors to inaugurate it. That was in 1996. Mayor Alfredo Lim, Mayor Ignacio Bunye, Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr., San Juan Vice Mayor, Philip Cesar came. In 2007, Mayor Marides Fernando and her husband, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, hosted the holy procession in Marikina. Mayor Lim led the Santacruzan in Manila along Roxas Boulevard in 2006. In 2008, he again hosted another Santacruzan to complement the inauguration of Max’s monument, which he commissioned, across the Aristocrat restaurant, symbolizing “freedom of the press.”

This May, Mayor Guia Gomez of San Juan became Hermana Mayor together with Atty. Tony Salva as Hermano Mayor. Vice Mayor Francis Zamora and her councilors accompanied her. She realized a Santacruzan need not be a vanity affair. It is rich with cultural tradition and spirituality. It gives honor to San Juan. She suggested it be held in the city center next year, closer to the other barangays. Perhaps, in the new Pinaglabanan Shrine fronting the church, where the city hall is being relocated and will be completed by March 2012.