Devotion through the Ages
Fiesta in February
The Franciscans, just like the other friars who participated in the mission of evangelization, lived with the native population and allowed the merging of indigenous practices with that of Christianity. This was evident in the way demonstrations of the Christian faith such as rites, saints, altars, and crucifix were mounted and practiced alongside the fiesta arch, decorations, and native music and dance during the town fiesta. If oral and written histories were to be examined, this could explain one of the popular legends about the town of Santa Maria.
According to this legend, there was an old woman who lived at the heart of the forest, near a well. It was said that she was kind and generous, and would give drinking water to the hunters who happened to pass by her hut. The legend further said that one time, a vision of the Blessed Virgin appeared on top of the well. Because of this, the residents built a small shrine next to the well and lived in the areas surrounding it. When the old woman disappeared, the residents decided to name the place Santa Maria in honor of the Blessed Virgin and the generosity shown by the old woman.
An interpretation of this legend suggested that the old woman was possibly a babaylan. This legend was seen as a reflection of the merging of indigenous elements and Christian teachings in the hearts and minds of early Filipinos. Thus, this process of inculturation resulted in the gradual shift of devotion from the babaylan to the Blessed Mother when the native population decided to embrace the Christian faith.
It is also noticeable that the town celebrates its town fiesta during the first Thursday of February right after the Candlemas (February 2). Because of this, questions have been raised as to why the town does not celebrate its fiesta on December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Two plausible explanations have been put forward to answer these questions.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was declared by Pope Pius IX in the year 1854. However, as early as February 6, 1578, Pope Gregory XIII issued the papal bull entitled Illius Fulti Praesido that established the Manila Cathedral and named it after the Conception of Mary. It would be possible that the Franciscan friars were influenced to name one of their capillas after the Blessed Mother to commemorate the establishment of the Manila Cathedral.
Second, it is also possible that the town of Santa Maria has been founded on the first Thursday of February in the year 1792. On this year, the first Thursday coincided with the feast of the Purification of Mary (La Purificacion), which is celebrated every February 2. As the oldest of the Marian solemnities, the Franciscans may have decided to name the town under the Blessed Mother’s protection. When the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was declared in 1854, it is possible that the Franciscans decided to rename the parish under the titular of La Purísima Concepción, given that it is one of the most important Marian titles.
Regardless of the reasons behind the February fiesta celebration, what must be underscored is that the evolution of the town of Santa Maria is largely connected to and deeply rooted in the devotion of the people to the Blessed Mother.
Fiesta Celebration
Apart from the usual fiestas in the Philippines, Santa Maria holds one of the longest celebrations in the country. Starting on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and ending in the last Sunday of February the following year, the whole annual celebrations run for three months. It is during this season that the people are busy organizing activities in line with the fiesta celebration which includes sports festivals, concerts, cultural presentations, and parades.
The fiesta activities start with the enthronement of the image of La Purísima Concepción a day before the first day of the novena. The image, which is kept in the Camarin de la Virgen for a week, is transferred to her altar through an enthronement rite. Following this is the nine-day novena masses in her honor, complete with the parade of marching band.
On the day before the town fiesta, an enormous parade of marching bands highlights the streets of Santa Maria. It is a well-known fact that the fiesta celebration of this town will not be complete without these marching bands, most of which are invited from different provinces. Marching bands parade around the major streets of the town in an activity called Paseo. Another fiesta highlight that involves the brass bands is La Torre, where they alternately play three times alongside the ringing of the church bells. The Saludares, on the other hand, is the brass bands’ homage to the venerated image and respectful acknowledgement of the fiesta committee as they enter the church’s patio. The Serenata is the brass bands’ serenade to the La Purisima and is held at the evening before the fiesta. Finally, the Certamen consists of the brass bands’ competition among the invited bands from different provinces.
On the day of the town fiesta, the roads leading to the church are lined with vendors selling different kinds of goods and products, with the famous tuge (dioscorea esculenta), a kind of root crop sold only during the fiesta season, topping the list. Devotees patronize these products as a form of mementos for their visit to the Virgin. The church is filled with the faithful from the first Mass celebrated at the break of dawn until the last Mass of the day is celebrated at night. The celebration is concluded with a procession of La Purisima Concepcion capped by a fireworks display.
The whole month of February is devoted to activities related to the town fiesta. The parish and the local government, with the able assistance of the Fiesta Committee, collaborates to ensure that these activities remain relevant. Older devotees say that the celebration of the fiesta takes place alongside the transition in the weather conditions, with the northeast monsoon, which causes the relatively cooler temperature during the fiesta season, gradually giving way to the summer season.
