The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
It is Maytime festivities once more.
And one of the traditional and colorful events that is celebrated in the month of May is the Santacruzan, a religious festivity that observes and hails the discovery of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena accompanied by her son Constantine.
In the Philippines, Biblical characters in the historical find of the Holy Cross, Santacruzan is paraded in every nook and cranny of the country to remind the faithful, the Christendom and the whole world that the discovery of the Holy Cross is a testament of the life of Jesus Christ and his salvation of mankind from sins.
One of the most active organizations to mount a Santacruzan is the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Alumni Association which held its Grand Santacruzan at the premises of the university last Thursday.
From the Santisimo Rosario Parish Church in the campus, Aficionado perfumery entrepreneur Joel Cruz, an alumnus of the College of Science of the pontifical university led the procession as the Hermano Mayor with Arts and Letters alumnus Atty. Dwight Ramos.
The sagalas (maidens donned in colorful garbs during Mayflower fest) and their consorts were all UST alumni, some of them Susan Sagarbarria-Corpus (AB Commerce) who played Reina Elena with Dennis Chua (AB Communication Arts) as her consort; 2019 Miss Chinatown Nina Tay Lee (BS Fine Arts) who essayed Reina de la Paz and carried a stuffed dove adorned with artificial twigs and flowers as a symbol of peace with Bon Labora (BS Fine Arts) as her escort.
What made Joel extra joy was the participation of his eight children who held each letter of AVE MARIA, in honor of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Flowers. (Boy Villasanta)