EVERY year in May, a month-long Catholic tradition called Flores de Mayo or Flowers of May, is celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, fondly called by Filipinos as Mama Mary. Also called Flowers for Mary, the celebration traces its beginnings just after the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. The community honors Mama Mary by holding various devotions such as, daily prayers and saying of the Rosary, floral offerings, and processions.
Highlight of the celebration is the Santacruzan, from the Spanish word santa cruz or Holy Cross, a ritual procession held on the last day of the Flores de Mayo. It is a reenactment of searching for the True Cross by Queen Helena of Constantinople, known as Reyna Elena, and Constantine the Great. The Santacruzan procession or parade highlights the town’s most beautiful girls and ladies wearing their most elegant gowns and walking under arcs adorned with all kinds of colorful flowers. Others wear traditional costumes that represent biblical characters which is also highly anticipated by the townsfolk.
