Good Friday processions in Baliwag

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Good Friday processions in Baliuag or Holy Week procession in Baliuag, Bulacan is an event taking place in Holy Week, in a traditional Roman Catholic culture of the St. Augustine Parish Church of Baliuag.

In the Philippines, Good Friday^{[nb 1][1]} while others contend that it is a corruption of "God Friday".^[2] is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Black Friday,^[3] or Easter Friday,^[4][5][6] though the latter properly refers to the Friday in Easter week.

Baliuag Good Friday processions like any other religious processions are found in almost every form of Christian and Catholic worship, such as Holy Week processions. Some biblical examples were the processions with the Ark of Covenant and the procession of Jesus on a donkey into Jerusalem.^[7]

The procession was started by the Augustinian Missionaries who founded Baliwag and established the Church in May 26, 1733. Fray Juan de Albarran, O.S.A. was the First of the Pastores de Baliuag. The oldest record about the procession of Baliuag can be seen on the carriage of "Sancta Maria Mater Angustia" a label engraved with 1863 under Fray Fausto Ambrosio López Palomino, O.S.A. and Fray Matías Novoa, O.S.A. The oldest image is reported to be the “Pietà” carroza, the maternal gaze of the Sorrowful Virgin Mary together with Mary Magdalene, John the Apostle, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. Rolando Villacorte, who authored the book "Baliwag Then and Now"[1] revealed that in the 291-year-old procession, life-sized antiques (religious heirlooms) are mounted on carrozas decorated with brass or wood motifs, flowers, and lights. Ronald Sauco, the 7th generation caretaker (Sauco family) owns the 400 years old image of Saint Mary Salome. “Camarero” Flordeliza Trinidad-Sarmiento inherited, from her grandmother, Candelaria Trinidad, the 100 years old Saint Veronica in the “karo” which has been part of the first 17 carriages paraded since 1863. From the 1950s, the Procession of the Carrozas was held under Rev. Fr. Ruperto T. Del Rosario, D.P., Bishop Amado Paulino y Hernandez (1969–1985) and Bishop, Leopoldo A. Arcaira, who encouraged the faithful to sponsor additional carrozas, to showcase the local's artistry and craftsmanship.^[8]

The original 17 colorful images and carriages became larger in 1966 after the trend to own at least 6-feet tall statues. In 1987, yearly "palabas" had only 60 images, handled by "Hermandad Del Siete Dolores". The images teach pilgrims "moving catechism.” In the 2023 Holy Wednesday and Good Friday processions, 126 carriages were expected to join the procession but less participated.^[9]

The 2024 Holy Wednesday and Good Friday Processions in Baliuag are confirmed as the longest Philippine Lenten processions. Over 127 life-sized statues or gargantuan images depicting the Way of the Cross placed on well-lit and decorated carriages are paraded through the streets. The processions started at 6:00 p.m. from the Church patio to F. Vergel de Dios St., Año 1733 St., R.E. Chico St. to Plaza Naning and back to the Church for Blessing at 11:30 p.m. In starring roles are No 1. - San Pedro (Chico, Rodriguez and Maria Victoria Santa Maria from Patriach Vicente Santa Maria) and the last, No. 127. Virgen Dolorosa (a. Palm Sunday - Ms. Adoracion Esteban), (b. Holy Wednesday - Fr. Federico M. Ramos III from Federico T. Ramos, Sr.) and (c. Good Friday, Christina Vda. De Cruz Family).^[10]

The Good Friday procession is preceded by Ritual of "Pagtatayo ng Krus" at 6:00 a.m. followed by "Pagsundo" ("Dapit") after "serenata" of Santo Entierro, including the parade of Saint Dimas and Hestas images, followed by "Dapit" with Serenata for Mater Dolorosa, Crucifixion, 7 Sayings of Jesus on the cross, Removal from the Cross, Burial of Jesus and Mass of the Presanctified.^[11][12]

In Baliuag, Bulacan, the 2013 "Prusisyon ng mga Santo" was the Lenten rite wherein 96 carrozas participated compared to some 80 religious images that were paraded through the streets in the previous years.^[13] In the Lenten procession, religious fervor and piety compelled the town people of Baliuag to launch over a hundred richly adorned giant floats depicting the passion of Jesus Christ.^[14]

Held every Holy Wednesday and Good Friday, the procession starts at 6:00 in the Evening.^[15][16] The grand procession of more than 80 images became an anticipated attraction on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday.^[17][14][18]

The 2013 Good Friday 96 massive carriages carrying life size dioramas depicting a scene in the life of Jesus were paraded all over town after sunset.^[19] The solemn rite on Good Friday,^[20] called the Baliuag Lenten Procession^[21] was witnessed by local and foreign tourists, including the Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines' Apostolic Nuncio on that time, Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, who was accompanied by his aide Msgr. Gabor Pinter.^{[22][23][24][25]}

It is the longest Lenten procession in the Philippines, followed by the Holy Week Procession from the San Isidro Labrador Parish from the nearby town of Pulilan. The 96 Baliuag (St. Augustine Parish Church of Baliuag) floats showcased the grand parade of lavishly decorated carriages which event culminated in the blessing with holy water of the floats and the faithful by 2 Baliuag Priests from the Team Ministry of the Diocese of Malolos.^[26][27] Passion^[28]

In the 2017 Holy Week Procession, the carrozas has an approximate of 117 carrozas compared in 2016, when there was 114 carrozas only.^[29] In 2018, only 1 carroza was added, making the total number of carrozas to 118, by 2019, there are now 121 (including 3 additional carrozas: 121A, 121B and 121C). When the procession returned in 2022 after a two year break, an additional float was added making it at 122 carrozas. As of 2023, the number of carrozas had reached up to 126.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Good Friday processions in Baliuag.

• Good Friday traditions, solemn rites held today Holy Wednesday Focuses On Judas’ Betrayal Of Jesus Archived February 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
• Good Friday traditions, solemn rites held today Holy Wednesday Focuses On Judas’ Betrayal Of Jesus Archived February 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
• Baliuag processions
• Tourists witness Good Friday procession in Baliwag
• The Eastern Orthodox commemoration of Holy Friday
• Great Friday Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine instructions from S. V. Bulgakov's Handbook for Church Servers (Russian Orthodox Church)
• "Good Friday" article from The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Episcopal Good Friday Service
• Presbyterian Good Friday Service