Proem

Today is the last day of year 2006. We say GOODBYE year 2006. However in a few more hours we will welcome year 2007. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and SUNDRY!
Is It Not Strange?

Everybody is awaiting the coming of the New Year. We celebrate it with a bang.

However, nobody celebrates the passing of the old year.

Yesterday we celebrated the passing or the death of Dr. Jose Rizal but why is his date of birth, June 19, not a holiday? Nonetheless, in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ we celebrate his birth and his death. Both dates are holidays. Why we are not consistent?

Queer Celebration

Traditionally, Christmas is celebrated in Boholano homes with native foods like biko, puto, sikwati, ubi, etc. In some instances in Tagbilaran City we witness Christmas Parties with plenty of food complete with lechon or roasted pig. However, these parties are not religious in character but only plain celebration parties for the sake of the Christmas Season.

But is it not queer? When the feast day of the Patron Saint of a town or barrio is celebrated, the Boholanos celebrate it with a grand feast. Pigs, cows, carabaos, etc. are slaughtered for the feast and drinks of every kind are offered. It is said that it is done to thank the Patron for his role in advocating for the town to our Lord God Jesus Christ. Usually the feast day of a saint is during his death.

But think about it, in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ we celebrate his birthday only with puto and biko. It pales when compared to celebration for a saint. In fact, during the death anniversary of our Lord nobody is allowed to hold a party. But for the Patron Saint, we celebrate their death anniversary with grand parties. Is it not queer? It seems we honor more the servant than the master.

A Clue from History

The Jesuits arrived in Baclayon, Bohol on November 17, 1596. During the lent of year 1599, the Jesuit priest Fr. Alonso Humanes arrived in Panglao from Cebu. He said that the few Christians of Panglao celebrated the Holy Week with the usual Mass, confessions and other Christian devotions. The non-Christians were also friendly to the priest. They celebrated the presence of the priest with a feast and dancing.

So we can see that the Spanish priests did not bring the fiesta. The Boholanos were already celebrating fiestas for whatever reason before the coming of the Spaniards.

The Spanish priest just redirected the fiesta to honor the Patron Saint to substitute for the local diwata that was honored by the Boholanos.

In 1599, Fr. Alonso Humanes could not do anything. He could not afford to displease the local chiefs who were not yet Christians who celebrated a fiesta even though it was a Holy Week of the Christians. Since the early Boholanos have no local god equivalent to Jesus Christ, the Boholanos acceded to the practice suggested by the Spanish Priests for only biko and puto during Christmas. However, they continued the celebration of the fiesta for the Patron Saint that was made as substitute for the local gods. This is the reason why until the present nobody seems to notice the incompatibility of the situation - a grand feast for the Patron Saint but only native delicacies for Jesus Christ.