Filipino Catholics welcome Easter through traditional Salubong rites

Filipino Catholics joined the traditional Salubong on Sunday in observance of one of the core beliefs in Christianity —the Resurrection.

News TV Live reported that several provinces nationwide and cities in the metro celebrated the annual "Salubong,"  a reenactment of the Biblical  account of the  meeting of Mother Mary and her risen son Jesus.

In Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City, the faithful joined the predawn Salubong and renewed their baptismal vows during the Mass.

Hours before Easter Sunday, devotees in Quiapo joined the procession of images of Mother Mary and the Risen Jesus. A musical band accompanied the procession.

In Baao, Camarines Sur, children donning angel costumes were the highlight of Salubong.

People flocked the Saint Bartholomew Parish to join the Easter Mass with "Easter angels" singing Hallelujah.

A hot-air balloon was flown after the Mass.

Easter angles were also the highlight of the Salubong celebration in Kidapawan City, Cotabato in Mindanao.

Instead of using statues, Jesus and Mother Mary were portrayed using human tableauxs.  An estimated 5,000 parishioners took part in the celebration in the city.

On the other hand, people in Boac Marinduque also celebrated Easter Sunday by dancing the “Sayaw ng Pagbati.”

Meanwhile, netizens took social media by storm, posting their own "happenings" this Easter Sunday.

Tradisyunal na Salubong, idinaos din sa Rajah Sulayman sa Roxas Boulevard sa Maynila. | Kuha ni Mao dela Cruz. pic.twitter.com/2qNzDZyQAU

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) 26 March 2016

Pasko ng Pagkabuhay orayt pic.twitter.com/Zu3213nrcd

— Petoy (@fitzdyerald) 27 March 2016

Maligayang Pasko ng Pagkabuhay!
(ctto) pic.twitter.com/UuPi34tvii

— allaine enriquez (@_allaineg) 27 March 2016

 

Maligayang Pasko ng Muling Pagkabuhay! #SantaJuanaDeCuza #EasterSunday #Salubong #FilipinoTradition #Catholicism #StJosephCarmona #CarmonaCavite

A photo posted by Leio Justimbaste (@leiospace) on

Mar 26, 2016 at 7:10pm PDT

In his Easter message Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said recent local and international events tempt Filipinos to be cynical and pessimistic. 

“We cry with the earth as we cry with the poor. Yes we need to cry as we see and visit these tombs. But the Risen Lord changes the whole story,” Cardinal Tagle said,

“We loudly sing Alleluia above the blast of bombs and gunfire.”

From the Vatican, Pope Francis also urged Catholics to not lose hope after what happened in Brussels, where 31 people were killed in a terrorist bombing attack.

"Let us not allow darkness and fear to distract us and control us," Pope Francis said in a homily at an evening Easter vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/LBG, GMA News