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Many Filipinos rise before dawn for Easter celebrations, which often begin with a ritual procession called Salubong, or welcome. At Salubong, a statue of Mother Mary, dressed in mourning and carried by the women of the town, meets and welcomes a statue of the Risen Christ, carried by the men.

San Pedro Cutud, a barangay in San Fernando City, Pampanga province, has become infamous as a site of a senakulo that aims to more fully replicate the bloodiest and most violent aspects of Jesus’ Passion. The rites, known as Maleldo, are not endorsed by the church, but do have local popular and political support, notably from the tourist bureau.

In Bustos, Bulacan, north of Manila, Holy Wednesday and Good Friday are marked with significant processions. Many members of the community are owners and custodians of large caros, holy statues that are processed on a carozza in the procession.

On Good Friday, Catholic churches nationwide provide an opportunity for Pahalik, kissing a statue of the dead body of Christ in front of the altar.

Kapitangan, a barangay in Paombong, Bulacan province, is known in the Philippines as the site of one of the bloodiest public reenactments of the Passion during Holy Week, particularly on Good Friday.

A Visita Iglesia — visiting at least seven different churches on Holy Thursday and Good Friday — is one of the most popular Holy Week ho, or sacred vows, that Filipino Catholics make.

Until we are able to develop a section on music of the Melkite tradition as merited, a broad sampling of Greek Melkite liturgical music with English and Arabic lyrics can at least be sampled here .

On Holy Monday, more than 40 life-size statues — Jesus carrying the Cross, a mournful Mama Mary and other persons related to Jesus’ Passion — are processed on decorative carriages through the streets of Angono Rizal.

During Holy Week, a Senakulo — a stage or street play about the life and Passion of Jesus — takes place in many communities, especially in Bulacan, Rizal and Pampanga provinces. An outdoor Senakulo often parades a figure of Jesus carrying the Cross through the streets, and emphasizes the violence and brutality of Jesus’ persecutors.

The recitation or chanting of the Passion story of Jesus – the Pabása ng Pasyón – is one of the oldest Holy Week traditions in the Philippines. Today Pabása is prayed over a 24-hour period in the first few days of Holy Week, in front of an altar decorated with flowers, candles, lights and an image of Jesus Christ.