By Rowena T. Cruz Lucban residents, along with visitors and local officials, participate in the Easter Buhusan Festival. (Lucban LGU) LU...
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| Lucban residents, along with visitors and local officials, participate in the Easter Buhusan Festival. (Lucban LGU) |
LUCBAN, Quezon - Thousands of Catholic devotees, many having traveled from neighboring towns and even provinces, gathered at the Kamay ni Hesus Grotto in Lucban, Quezon, a pilgrimage site famed for its towering statue of the Risen Christ. In the early hours of Sunday, April 20, 2025, they came to witness the traditional "Salubong," a deeply moving ceremony marking the joyous celebration of Easter Sunday.
The spiritual heart of the Easter celebration began with the Easter Sunday Vigil, a solemn and reflective service held on Saturday evening at the popular pilgrimage site known for its healing masses and towering religious figures. This vigil culminated in the midnight Mass for the Resurrection of the Lord, led by the revered healing priest, Fr. Joey Faller, filled with hymns and prayers that transitioned the atmosphere from the somber observance of Holy Saturday to the burgeoning joy of Easter.
Following the profound spiritual experience of the Mass, the "Salubong" – a traditional reenactment of the Virgin Mary's joyful reunion with the resurrected Jesus Christ – unfolded with reverence. Young children, dressed as angels in white and gold, played a significant part in the ceremony, their voices filling the crisp morning air with traditional hymns of praise and songs of resurrection.
The moment unfolded with graceful choreography as the intricately adorned images of the sorrowful Virgin Mary and the gloriously resurrected Christ were slowly and respectfully brought together. In a symbolic gesture, a young "angel" gently ascended and removed the black veil that had shrouded Mary's face throughout Holy Week, signifying the end of her mourning and the dawn of new hope for all believers.
It reached a vibrant climax as the skies above the iconic Kamay ni Hesus Grotto erupted in a display of colorful fireworks. The "Salubong" at Kamay ni Hesus, a cornerstone of Easter tradition in the region, continues to draw devotees from near and far, including those who make annual pilgrimages, to celebrate the central tenet of the Christian faith – the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Marking this Easter Sunday, the lively municipality of Lucban, known for its colorful Pahiyas Festival, also hosted Buhusan Festival. This unique and much-anticipated tradition involves residents and enthusiastic visitors engaging in playful water dousing, a refreshing and communal act symbolizing spiritual purification and the shared elation of the resurrected Christ.
Social media platforms quickly became filled with lively videos and photos of the Buhusan Festival in full swing, showcasing the infectious merriment and community spirit that permeated the town. The historical city of Tayabas, a neighbor to Lucban, also marked Easter Sunday with its own distinct traditions.
While perhaps less widely known than the Buhusan Festival, Tayabas City has historically observed a lively event sometimes referred to as "Tayabasaan." Similar in spirit to the water splashing festivities in Lucban, "Tayabasaan" involves friendly water fights among community members, particularly younger generations, adding a local flavor of joyous celebration to the Easter Sunday festivities in the city known for its well-preserved ancestral houses and the majestic Minor Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel.
In Tagkawayan, a town known for its strong Catholic faith, many devotees participated in the solemn and deeply spiritual "Salubong," which often took place in the quiet hours after midnight on Easter Sunday, marking the precise moment of the joyous reunion. The local parish churches served as central hubs of activity, welcoming large numbers of faithful to early Easter morning masses filled with hymns, prayers, and messages of hope and renewal.
Even in coastal towns like Infanta, where the observance of Holy Week might have included specific local ordinances out of respect for the solemn occasion, Easter Sunday ushered in a spirit of renewal and community celebration. While large-scale public events might differ from inland towns, the focus shifted to celebratory and well-attended church services, where families gathered in their finest attire to share in the joy of the Resurrection and strengthen their bonds of faith and kinship.
The underlying theme of hope and new beginnings resonated deeply within these communities. The diverse and heartfelt ways in which Quezon province celebrates Easter, from the solemn and symbolic "Salubong" observed in various forms across its towns to the vibrant and communal Buhusan and "Tayabasaan" festivals, and the unique artistic storytelling of the Buhay na Kubol, highlight the region's rich cultural and religious heritage.
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