22 Superstitious Beliefs and Folkore During Holy Week in the Philippines

Holy Week is also known as Mahal na Araw or Semana Santa in the Philippines. It is the time of the year where people in many parts of the country practice several well-known superstitious beliefs and practices.

photo courtesy : geralt / 21357

In a country where almost 81% the general population belongs to Roman Catholic faith, some of these superstitious belief are still practiced. The practice had underlying pre-Hispanic influences, Malay, Indian, Chinese and religious origin.

22 Superstitious Beliefs and Folklore

photo courtesy :Dariusz Sankowski

22.) Try to finish reciting the Passion of Christ ” Pasyong Mahal” and the reader will be protected and luck will bestow the family. The uninterrupted recitation or Pabasa of the whole epic is a popular devotion especially among older generation.

21.)  Travel is reduce or limited at home- It is widely believe that during the Holy Week, unseen spirits and demons are out in the open, owing to the fact that on these days Christ is suffering and cannot protect people. Anyone who travels during the Holy Week is likely to have an accident on their trips.

20.) Moving to another place or house is not the recommended. This must be postpone until after the Holy Week. Moving in to new house will brings bad luck because it is unprotected. You should let the Holy Week pass because Jesus Christ has risen again and will fill your house with bountiful blessings.

19.) Placing blessed palm frond or “Palaspas” on one’s main door or windows can ward off evil spirits or bad fortune starting Domingo de Ramos or Palm Sunday. When mixed with coconut oil or holy water, these blessed fronds are believe to miraculously cure illness or antidote against kulam  ” sorcery or witchcraft”.

18.) Holding and using of pointed objects and knife is reduced to a minimum. It is widely believed that since Jesus Christ suffered and died during this time, using pointed objects or knife will do some harm.

17.) Wound Takes a Longer time to Heal – old folks believe that getting hurt and wound heal slower during this time.

16.) Swimming and Any outdoor activity is discourage- Swimming, playing basketball or any physical activities must be reduced or discourage.

15.) Avoiding Meat – Meat is associated with impurity and bad luck. It is generally practice  without eating meat for the week. Most older Catholic will also make some fasting especially “Good Friday” to atone their sins. Some would start fasting and eating only vegetables during “Ash Wednesday” and every ” Friday” Although few Catholics would observe and practice.

14.) Placing blessed sting rays tail ” Buntot Pagi” near a pregnant woman’s room to help protect against evil spirits, aswangs (vampire shape shifter ghouls) and manananggals (viscera sucker),tiktik. People believe that these evil beings have the most power during this time of the year.

Photo courtesy of :conger design

13.) Excessive Noise Making is Reduce – Many believed that everyone shall not make any unnecessary sound or noise so as not to distract others’ meditative focus.

12.) Wearing of somber colors- Avoid wearing loud colors like red, pink which are colors of celebration. People would wear white, green, grey, brown and light colored shirts during this time of the year.

11.) Best time to hunt for amulets or “Anting-anting” – Some people in the provinces and mambabarangs would make amulets and herbal concoctions during this time of the year.

10.) Visiting albularyo, mananambals or mambabarangs – Visiting local albularyo, mananambals or mambabarangs during Holy Week especially “Holy Thursday or “Good Friday” is touted to be the time when the native local albularyos are the most potent. Some would visit Mount Banahaw, Mount Cristobal, Siquijor, Mount Apo in order to get holy water or some potions made by local quack doctors. This belief can trace back to pre-hispanic shamans and folk religion.

9.) Putting blessed cross or rosary on one’s door to protect the inhabitants of the house. Although very few pious Catholics had been practicing this. There were still old folks who still practices this.

8.) Taking a bath after 3:00pm during Good Friday is observe – This traditional belief also had some parallel belief with burial customs and practices. This could be influenced by Chinese or Malay traders.

7.) General Cleaning of one’s house is strictly prohibited.

Photo courtesy of : wilhei

6.) Washing clothes or drying clothes especially during Good Friday is not allowed.

5.) Sweeping the floor during Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Black Saturday is not allowed. Old folks believe that sweeping the floor will release any luck, grace of blessings contained within the home or that could come in.

Photo courtesy of : ErikaWittlieb

4.) Covering Mirrors and One must not stare at the mirror after 3:00 pm. Some pious Catholics in the provinces would cover their mirrors with black or white cloth. Mirror serves as a portal for the ethereal beings to visit and haunt living people. Bad elements are strong after the death of Jesus at 3:00 pm onward. A gaze at mirrors during these time will invite evil spirits or demonic spirits.  The cloth is then removed after Easter Sunday celebrations.

3.) Children must hop to grow tall – When one hear of bell tolls during Black Saturday morning, It is believed that the act will make the children grow taller, just like doing it on New Year’s Eve.

2.) Shaking of fruit bearing trees on black saturday or sabado de gloria. It used to be widely practiced among Ilocanos is to shake the main trunk of fruit trees on every sabado de gloria.. and chant ” gloria, gloria, ragsakan ti agbunga” ( glory, glory, fruits be bounty). This will make the fruits trees more fruitful and harvest will be bountiful.

Photo courtesy of : diego_torres

1.) Rain on Easter Sunday has therapeutic powers. One is encourage is take a bath whenever rains fell on Easter Sunday. Aside from healing powers, Easter rains is said to brings good luck.  Old people called these “Agua Bendita” or Holy Water in which they collect and used for healing or anointing of the sick.

Sources, Reference and Bibliographies:

Insight Guides, Philippines, APA Publication 4th Printing 1991, pages 54 to 60

Personal communication -Ms. Erlie Querubin, Aling Cita Arenas, Mrs. Pilar San Jose, Mr. Rodolfo Enalfe

Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines

Mendoza, Liwayway (September 1977). “Lenten Rites and Practices [The Philippines]”. The Drama Review. 21 (3): 21–32.

Cenaculo at Barangay Pio del Pilar in Makati

Captain M Reyes Street corner Valderama Street, Barangay Pio Del Pilar , Makati City

Makati is known to be a progressive city and is also known for its Lenten tradition . I have seen a Cenaculo play / Senakulo play in different parts of Metro Manila and according to long time residents of the place . The Cenaculo is an age -old tradition spanning about 90 years.

band members

The play had been moving within Barangay Pio Del Pilar  along Captain M Reyes street  corner Valderama street , Evangelista and nearby places alternating them almost every Holy Week.

The entire street is usually closed to vehicular traffic and even tricycle .  Usually pedicabs and strictly pedestrian only on the narrow streets. There is a makeshift stage which remind people that there is something going on .  On the eve of Palm Sunday, the passion play begins starting with the Creation story. For the entire week until midnight of Easter Sunday, the Senakulo is played out nightly to local audiences accompanied by a brass band with key scenes of Christ’s life, passion and resurrection.

Jesus Christ together with his apostle walking toward the center of the stage

The local cenaculo might have been influenced by neighboring Malibay, Pasay which started in the mid -19th century and gradually spread by some residents who lived in Makati area .   They are spelled using the old Spanish way .

Jesus Christ with halo together with his apostle

The performers are local community volunteers,  Cast members range from a few veterans who have been doing specific roles for quite a number of years while majority are newbies . This year’s cenaculo had some sort of local twist,  the office of the mayor had sponsored the makeshift stage, hiring of brass band ,  food and catering services for the actors of the play .  There is also several signage which shows the mayor had sponsored the play. I must also commend the props director, the audio and lighting effect . However there are some instances that audio is not clear .

Here is a short video by my blogger friend Mr. Philip Reyes

The play is unlike the typical senakulo that i have seen in some parts of Metro Manila or provinces . Senakulo usually starts on Palm Sunday and ends by Maundy Thursday or Good Friday . Their cenaculo usually start on Palm Sunday and ends until Easter Sunday .  The phasing of the cenaculo is slow and unlike in other parts of the city of provinces .  According to Mr. Philip Reyes a long time resident of Makati , It used to last until around 11:00pm to 12midnight  several years ago and most of the people from other barangays and visitors  ( dayo ) are the ones watching  the play .

last supper

A local barangay folk told me that this year’s cenaculo would end earlier and faster compared to the previous years.  The play started around 8:35pm about 35minutes after the supposed 8:00pm call time, We spend a little over 1 hour before deciding to leave the place. Business is brisk especially among the ambulant food and drink vendors

The props use at the cenaculo were made from local materials and cheap textiles that the actors dress-up portraying the era of Jesus Christ  . There is some touch of modernity among some of the actors ( like short hair style by Judas Iscariot ) maybe their local interpretation .  I also like the stage where they change the setting . The lines are spoken in Filipino / Tagalog and are sung by the actors in a slow manner .

There were some foreign nationals which took videos and photos of the play .  I would like to return back next year and excited on what will be the next play.