Papahuli ba naman ang La Naval?...
As I was cleaning my room last weekend, I chanced upon these relatively old photos of the La Naval fiesta...I am no longer sure what year these were taken, I would say mid to late 90's...
The Solemn Procession
Seeing the La Naval procession forever changed my concept of what processions are/should be...
My idea of a procession before La Naval is categorically "small time (modest)"...I spend my Holy Week in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan a relatively small town (Poblacion) where the number of Holy Week images participating can be counted by the fingers in both hands. My other experience of a procession would come from my Lola's residence here in Manila, again similar to San Jose a relatively small town where only 5 carroza's are participating.
...So Imagine my surprise and amazement to watch a procession that takes an hour for all the images to emerge outside the church, to see carroza's so tall and made of metal with life sized santos on board heavily decorated with fresh flowers and other trims, and finally see the majestic La Naval which rightfully ends the line-up of the Church's Blessed and Saints. SPEECHLESS! This is how I will always describe the La Naval solemn procession. I've witnessed a lot of Grand Processions but nothing compares to La Naval's Solemn Procession. It is what a procession should be, a balance of pomp, pageantry, devotion, religiosity and holiness. Amidst all the pageantry and glamor...at the end of the day you still know that this is a procession, a holy event unlike other processions wherein it's either just pageantry or worse it's just a parade...an excuse for people to dance and go crazy on the streets for a religious purpose (daw)...The La Naval procession is marked by prayer. You feel the devotion and love of the people to Mary in each step. You feel that you are one community in prayer celebrating the graces bestowed upon each one through the intercession of La Naval. You feel God's presence. All Catholics who loves processions and participates in processions should attend the La Naval Solemn procession. I guess we all need to learn and experience how the Dominicans organize events like this. They sure now how to do it and they have been doing a good job, well I would assume for 400 years already.
Nothing beats seeing La Naval emerge from the church, past the gates of Sto. Domingo with all devotees waving white towels/handkerchiefs calling out Mary's name...
It was a rainy procession that year (...but no matter what, rain or shine the procession continues!), an umbrella blocked my view...sayang...
Who cares about the rain? People see it as God's blessing, like angels sprinkling holy water to Mama Mary and her devotees...
Not sure what ensemble she is wearing here...
The Last Stretch of the Procession
By the time the procession hits Quezon Avenue (tama ba?...the road in front of Santo Domingo), the last leg of the procession route, I always observe that we have completed praying the 4 mysteries of the rosary, yes this includes the Luminous mysteries already, and we join other devotees in the singing of Marian Songs.
Oh how I miss attending the La Naval processions...
By the time Our Lady leaves Sto. Domingo, the first carroza, that of San Lorenzo Ruiz will have reached the Quezon Ave. gate of the church already.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, first Filipino Saint
Afterwards. one by one the carroza of the Dominican Saints and Blessed will be parked in front of Sto. Domingo awaiting the return of La Naval...reminds me of the President's "Trooping the Line..."
The infamous silhouette of Our Lady
This time around, La Naval will enter the church first. All places of honor are accorded to her, our Queen...she is the Last in the procession, a place of honor reserved for the one who is being honored in the Fiesta and the first to enter. Wow I guess every aspect of the La Naval tradition was carefully thought of...
Inside the church, people are trying to get in front or at least find a good location to witness the enthronement of Our Lady of La Naval back to her throne in Sto. Domingo...
Waiting for the Queen
And when the crowd sees her carroza, instantaneously you'll hear people cheering, applauding, waving their white towels/handkerchiefs...Rose petals will once again flow from the choir loft and there was one instance wherein it was raining rosaries inside the church...
The La Naval being led to the Altar
Her throne. Setting up this temporary structure has always been a wonder for me. How do they do it? This should be featured in Discovery...
The eagle has landed...that is the carroza is now in front of the altar. After a final 360 degress turn (the carroza now facing the faithful)...a back door on the carroza is opened. Someone approaches the image, goes in front of it, checks something (I guess if the image is still secure) and gives a firm push...and the image is now off the carroza to the tracks lining the altar towards her throne. Again an ingenious structure devised by the organizers. Moving the image from the carroza to her throne has never been easy. And from my vantage point, it always appears to be automatic. Once the image is set on the "tracks" a mechanism will pull it towards the throne, inside the lower structure of her throne.
Awaiting the return...
La Naval entering the lower chamber of her throne...the doors of her throne opening up to welcome the Queen
Made it...
Singing of "Inang Maria" usually follows after Our Lady re-merges once again in her altar...however there have been one instance wherein it was already sung while she is entering Sto. Domingo...
And once again silence...anticipating the re-emergence of Our Lady much like the British Royals who have developed this tradition of waiving to their subjects on thier Palace's balcony...Interesting to point out though that people have somehow learned the traditions so well in their hearts that they know the cue or the best time to applaud and cheer and when to keep quiet and just wait...
The Sto. Domingo choir ready to serenade the Virgin
When the lights on her throne started to light up...when people notice smoke emerging from her throne and finally when doves start to fly out...you know it's time, La Naval will soon re-appear to greet her devotees...
This is it!...
Viva La Virgen! And the crowd cheers...
Viva La Virgen! And the crowd applauds...
Viva La Virgen! And the crowd waves their towels/handkerchiefs
Viva! Mabuhay ang Mahal na Birhen ng La Naval! I can hear the voice of the priest hosting the event leading the faithful cheer!
The Last Part of the Closing Ceremony
After the La Naval has been enthroned (again). The choir will now sing Regina Sacratissimi Rosarii. Afterwards, a Dominican representative will provide a thank you speech to those who helped and contributed time, effort and money to ensure the event is successful! This will be followed by the Thanksgiving prayer to Our Lady, the same closing prayer used during the Novena. I am not sure how they select who will lead this prayer, I assume the Hermano Mayor or Hermana Mayor is given this privilege. Next, there will be a special song number, for some time it has been Jamie Rivera (I can still remember her singing Awit sa Ina ng Sto. Rosario...it gave me chills listening to her sing this song) and finally the Tiples will song Adios Reina del Cielo.
Other Observations:
1. The Dominicans are good with timing as well...everything is carefully executed with the aid of their walkie talkies...When the image of La Naval leaves Sto. Domingo, a Holy Mass is started. By the time she arrives at Sto. Domingo, Holy Mass has ended.
2. You can hear Radio Veritas in the background as they cover the event...
3. Home owners along the route of the procession play classical/marian songs...candles are lighted on top of make shift altars...and their families seated in front of their huge houses watching the procession, somehow I feel that this is reunion time for them...
Adios, adios...another Fiesta is over. Now you start to feel tired. The pagod after standing and walking for hours, the sweat that by this time have dried on your skin...now you start feeling hungry as well...but it doesn't matter. A devotion has been completed. A promise has once again been fulfilled. A love has once again been expressed.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!
No comments:
Post a Comment