Saints, not ghouls, go marching in Bulacan

IN a small barrio north of Manila, there will be no children dressed as devils, wicked witches or terrifying zombies and vampires to go trick-or-treating, carving jack-o’-lanterns or playing Halloween pranks on the eve of All Saints’ Day

The eve of All Saints’ Day will instead find these children, aged 5 to 13, from Bagbaguin parish in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, dressed in pristine robes and radiant veils and garments to emulate some of the saints and martyrs venerated by the Catholic Church.

Eleven-year-old Ted Mercado, wearing a Chinese-style collarless shirt will entertain churchgoers with the inspiring story of the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Ira Domingio, 8, in a gold-trimmed purple dress and holding a broom, ladle and key, will tell the story of the life of St. Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany.

In a white gown, aqua shawl and carrying a lamb figurine, Clarina Lengcuyan, 10, will narrate the life and death of St. Agnes, whose beheading was said to be the last and most vicious persecution of Christians by the Roman emperors.

The three will be among the 16 participants in the “March of Saints” — a presentation highlighting 6 p.m. Mass at the St. John the Evangelist Parish on All Saints’ Day eve as children their age in cities follow the Halloween celebration from Western countries.

Instituted by Pope Gregory III on Nov. 1, the “All Saints Day” also known as “Feast of all Martyrs,” is a day of remembering and honoring the holy ones the Church has identified as worth emulating by those people still living on earth, Bagbaguin pastor Father Nick Lalog explained.

He adopted “March of the Saints” from St. Clement Parish in Toronto, Canada, which he visited in 2005.

The Church has a “rich treasure” of saints who lived “beautiful lives” that remain undiscovered—unfamiliar stories to many Filipinos, especially the younger ones, he said.

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