Infanta's town fiesta and St. Mark
By Rudy Arizala
This is an "old issue" and a piece about it, if I recall correctly,
appeared in the website of the Metro Infanta org. Foundation. There
were neither reactions nor comments from either the parish priests of
Infanta or from readers / folks from said town.
I am sharing with you this exchange of views / information of mine
with a friend and former colleague from San Jose Batangas because of
his narrative what people of a parish could do to correct tradition
or religious observance in a town wrongly done or observed.
On 25 April is the Feast of St. Mark - Infanta´s town fiesta. Below are some lines as my "Kuro-kuro" on said occasion instead of writing a long essay.
You may note, however, that in the short six stanzas, I try to convey three main points:
1. The significance of the feast of St. Mark and how we celebrate it - in the past as well as at present..
2. That while we retain the traditional celebration of the town fiesta Mass, we have done away with, according to reports, the traditional town procession wherein images of saints participate; not only during town fiesta but also during Good Friday. Also, during our town fiesta celebration, we no longer hold the traditional "komedya" - the main theme of which is the struggle in spreading Christianity or the "Good News" throughout the world, and
3. That the image or statue at the altar in Infanta´s St. Mark Cathedral is that of an Evangelist accompanied or at his side an "ox" and not a "lion".
According to the New Testament edited by Catholic scholars, St. Mark is represented by the "lion" because he starts his Gospel with St. John the Baptist, "the voice of one crying in the desert," (some say "wilderness) and emphasizes the miraculous powers of the Savior.
St. Luke is typified by the "ox", the animal of sacrifice, because he begins with the history of Zachary the priest offering sacrifice to God, and accentuates the universal priesthood of Christ.
Could it be that the image or statue at the altar at St. Mark's Cathedral in Infanta, Quezon is that of St. Luke because of the presence of an "ox" by his side?
Be that as it may, it does not diminish our respect to St. Mark as the Patron saint of our town and of course to St. Luke, another evangelist like St. Mark.
Perhaps, one day, we could replace the "ox" with the figure of a "lion" to reflect truly the personality of our patron saint accordidng to the scripture..
Rudy
- - - - - -
KAPISTAHAN NI SAN MARCOS
Ni Rudy A. Arizala
25 Abril 2007
San Marcos itinaghal
Patron ng bayang mahal
Infanta ang pangalan
Ngayon ay nagdiriwang
May misa sa simbahan
At mga pagtatanghal
Ibat-ibang libangan
At tinda sa peryahan.
Ang "komedya" nawaglit
Gayon din ang prosesyon
Lumang kaugalian
Dapat na sariwain
Paglaganap binyagan
At Santong kasulatan
Ni San Marcos na mahal
Sa lahat kanyang aral
Kasama ng ating patron
Isang hayop na leon
Tapang at panambitan
Buhat sa kagubatan
Ang kay San Lucas naman
Ay hayop sa bakahan
Tanda ng kasipagan
At pagpapakasakit.
Wakas