Marinduque Awaits You

This practice is regarded by many as an inappropriate cultural appropriation of Jewish ritual for non-Jewish purposes. It is distinct from traditional Christian Holy Week observances such as Maundy Thursday—which commemorates the Last Supper—and Easter.

Some Adventist, Sabbatarian Churches of God, Messianic Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other groups have adopted the practice of observing a Christian version of the Jewish Passover, but observances and timing vary both across and within these denominations.

Some Christians eat lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. Others follow the instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples at the Last Supper before he was crucified, and share bread (usually unleavened) and wine instead of roasted lamb. In some versions, the ceremony is combined with washing one another's feet, as Jesus did for his disciples the night that he suffered.

My Special Passover Dinner( Braised Brisket) above was delicious. The Matzo Balls soup was excellent and the green beans cooked to perfection. Kudos to the Kitchen Crew. More special dinners in the future will be highly appreciated. The chocolate with Berries was excellent. I had the Mexican beer for my drink.

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2. Related to The Passover Holiday is the Moriones Festival in the island of Marinduque, Philippines, my second home. Here's some information from Wikipedia on this Holy Week Celebration - A Lenten and Religious Festival. Don't forget to view the two videos at bottom of the page.

2. The Moriones Festival is a lenten and religious festival held annually on Holy Week on the island of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are men and women in costumes and masks replicating the garb of biblical Imperial Roman soldiers as interpreted by locals. The Moriones tradition has inspired the creation of other festivals in the Philippines where cultural practices are turned into street festivals.

It is a colorful festival celebrated on the island of Marinduque in the Philippines. The participants use morion masks to depict the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries within the story of the Passion of the Christ. The mask was named after the 16th and 17th century Morion helmet.

The Moriones refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. Morions roam the streets in town from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday scaring the kids, or engaging in antics or surprises to draw attention. This is a folk-religious festival that re-enacts the story of Saint Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye. The festival is characterized by colorful Roman costumes, painted masks and helmets, and brightly colored tunics. The towns of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in the island of Marinduque become one gigantic stage. The observances form part of the Lenten celebrations of Marinduque. The various towns also hold the unique tradition of the Pabasa or the recitation of Christ's passion in verse. Then at three o'clock on Good Friday afternoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, whereby old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ. One of the highlights of this festival is the Via Crucis. A re-enactment of the suffering of Christ on his way to the Calvary. Men inflict suffering upon themselves by whipping their backs, carrying a wooden cross and sometimes even crucifixion. They see this act as their form of atonement for their sins. This weeklong celebration starts on Holy Monday and ends on Easter Sunday.

Here's a video of the Moriones Festival up to the Via Crucis- from Dave on Arrival, 2024-

Easter Resurrection Street Dancing Not Included, but at bottom of page- Gasan Street Dancing

https://youtu.be/-H7Y61fs1o8?si=g8mM2PQg6BNDP15w

Here's the Gasan Street Dancing held on Easter Sunday-culminating the Moriones Lenten Festival- The Resurrection Sunday.

The Gasang-gasang Festival is an annual colorful Easter festival in the Municipality of Gasan, Marinduque Province. It marks the origin of the name of the Municipality "Gasan", which was derived from the expression "Gasang-Gasang", a type of coral seen near the coast of the province. A live marching band, accompanied by soldiers. dressed in colorful costumes and indigenous materials, danced in full spirit with the accompaniment of drums while walking the main streets of Gasan. "Viva El Kristo", as sung by the participants, can be heard during the festivities. The Risen Christ. Different troupes form different barangays that dance in the joyful street dance and country competition held at Guingona Park in Gasan. Although not as big as other festivals, over the years it has become a festival that can be seen every Easter Sunday in Marinduque. . ..

https://youtu.be/HbS0eve0hXI

Personal Note: Today is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday commemorates the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, during which palm branches were placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. Next Sunday is Easter- Christ is Risen- The Resurrection Sunday.

Easter, also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. From Wikipedia