Reaching Out

My official photo entry for an online contest.

Salubong in Olutanga Island

The Salubong ("Sugat' in Cebuano) is a Filipino tradition done early in the morning of Easter Sunday, wherein the images of the Risen Christ and Sorrowful Mother symbolically meet in a pre-dawn procession.

The celebration starts with two different processions that start at different points. The first one consists of the Risen Christ carried by men while the second consist of the Blessed Virgin Mary (covered with a black veil to denote her mourning) carried by women. These two processions meet at the church courtyard from different routes.

At this point, the ceremony of the meeting begins with the choir singing alleluias as Mary approaches Jesus. Then, an angel descends on top of the head of Mary and lifts the black veil from her, exposing a happy mother who is seeing her son. Little angels will then sing songs of joy.

Pakol!