A cultural dancer performs the Sinulog Dance in front of the re-enactment of the Conversion of Rajah Humabon, the King of Cebu and the first Filipino baptized Catholic. Anonymous said...
Dear Father,
Good evening Father,maitanong ko long po ano ba tong SINOLOG NG CEBU?Tapos ginawa pang kompitisyon ng ating mga kabayang pilipno,Is this accepted to the Roman Catholic Church?
Thank you... and good evenig...God bless us all.
January 24, 2010 10:25 PM
Fr. Abe, CRS said...
[Good evening Father,maitanong ko long po ano ba tong SINOLOG NG CEBU?]
Ang Sinulog sa Cebu is a cultural dance by ancient Filipinos believed to be practiced by our forefathers in Cebu during the time of Rajah Humabon and his Queen Juana.
When the Spaniards came to the Philippines the Augustinian friars have successfully converted the King and the Queen to the Catholic Faith and gave them the first image of the Sto. Nino or The Holy Child as a gift. That image proved to be very miraculous and considered by the Cebuanos as a magnificent image of the King of the World, the Lord Jesus. One of the miracles of the Sto. Nino gave birth to the Sinulog dance:
"The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is "like water current movement," which describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.
The Sinulog dance steps were believed to originate from Rajah Humabon's adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon's grief when Baladhay was driven sick. He then ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a chapel where the Santo Niño was enthroned. Moments later, surprisingly, Baldhay was heard shouting and was found dancing with outmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to whether why was he awake and was shouting. Baladhay explained that he found a small child, pointing to the image of the Santo Niño, on top of him and trying to wake him up. He, at great astonishment, scared the child away by shouting but couldn't explain why he was dancing the movements of the river. Up to this day, the two-steps forward, and the one-step backward movement dance is still used by the Santo Niño devotees believing that it was the Santo Niño's choice to have Baladhay dance." [Wikipedia]
Since then the Sinulog Dance became an essential part of the Sinulog Festival honoring the most beloved patron of the Metropolitan City of Cebu, the Queen of the South.
[Tapos ginawa pang kompitisyon ng ating mga kabayang pilipno,Is this accepted to the Roman Catholic Church?]
The Sinulog Dance is primarily a cultural dance. It is considered religious only because it is performed as an honor to the Patron Saint. But, it is not a liturgical dance of the Church or an official act of prayer for Catholics. Thus, it is usually used outside the liturgical celebrations of the Church.
The competition is not necessarily bad as long as it is done properly and respectful of the feast. For instance, in many Churches there are singing contest: Single or Choral competitions of Sacred Music. These are not contrary to the faith. What is to be corrected are the abuses. Outside the feast, it can also be performed as part of the culture of the people of Cebu. I have attended many educational or cultural conventions when it was performed to demonstrate to the visitors the beauty of the Culture of the Southern Philippines. And if Tinikling, Pandango sa Ilaw can be used for competition such as those in schools during cultural presentations then it is not contrary to the nature and dignity of the dance and its sacred purpose.
If the competition is done simply to inspire the participants to honor the Holy Child better and better there is nothing wrong with that. It is actually an invitation to find a better way of expressing our Adoration and Worship, not of the image, but of what the image represent THE LORD JESUS THE CHILD BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY.
January 30, 2010 9:50 PM
.jpg)
![ST. JEROME EMILIANI [1486-1537]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6dKQTchkJaA/R0lo013dyBI/AAAAAAAAB_4/XzUAPDESwwQ/s1600/St.+Jerome+in+prayer,+small_1.jpg)
Pag nag paliwanag na si Father Abe no comment na ako..Aba! Kumpleto rekados..Wala ka nang itatanong pa sinagot na lahat..God Bless Father!!
ReplyDeleteDios Mabalos!!
Dios Mabalos, Manoy Simply Catholic.
ReplyDeleteDear Father,
ReplyDeleteGood evening Father, thank you so mutch to your very nice answer. Father iba nanang tanong,Ano ba tong FLORES DE MAYO is thise an offecial doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church?And is this found on the bible?
Thank you and God bless us all...
Welcome Brother.
ReplyDeleteAbout the Flores de Mayo. It is not an official doctrine but a pious practice which is of course Biblical.
Flores de Mayo is Spanish. The English is Flowers of May. But it is basically the Catholic devotion of offering the beautiful flowers of the Spring time [April-May] to remind us of the love story between Christ and His Church and of the Holy Women whose lives were like a fragrant flowers offered to God. The Biblical imagery of flowers in Spring time is very beautiful and is the source of many deep Christian Spirituality and Mysticism as these passages from SONG OF SONGS:
Song 1:14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna–flowers in the vineyards of En–gedi.
Song 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The Book of Songs or Canticle of Canticles of Solomon speaks of a love story between God and the human soul. Here God is presented as a Male Lover, a handsome King and a Bridegroom while the human soul is presented as a Virgin, Pure and Beautiful Maiden.
Even though for Catholic theology that maiden refers to the Church and to every soul thirsting for God we cannot deny that the first lover of Christ among the Christian believers is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the Virgin model of Christian purity of heart whose body and soul have been offered to God. That is why as the Song of Songs speaks of a Beloved Girl the Gospel of Luke speaks of Mary as "lubos na pinakamamahal ng Dios" [Lucas 1:28]. In other translations "full of grace" or "highly favored".
Thus the prophecy:
Isaiah 35:1 "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the ROSE."
has been fulfilled in Israel at the coming of the Messiah, in the Church because of the graces given by the Messiah and of course in Mary because she is the Rose [the Virgin] in whom the Messiah burst forth like a shoot. Thus she is also filled with the 'Fullness of Grace'.
Thus, the spring flowers remind us of Mary and she in turn reminds us of our love of God. Thus, every May we gather flowers, then go to the Church or Chapel, and offer these flowers before the Altar of God and the venerated image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many parishes are even organizing beautiful cantatas, fluvial processions and Santa Cruzan [in the Philippines] to highlight this pious and beautiful devotion.