Mayor: Filipina Grace America
The History of Infanta Revisited
By Rodolfo A. Arizala*
Santiago, Chile
I. Introduction
To the people of Infanta, province of Quezon, April is a very significant and busy month. During my youth, when there was no Irrigation System yet, we harvest palay once a year only instead of twice a year. We harvest palay either before or after the Holy Week. And two weeks after Holy Week, comes the celebration of the town fiesta its patron saint being St. Mark whose feast day falls on 25th April. So, April is time for harvesting, observance of Holy Week and celebration of town fiesta.
It appears that during the early period of our history, St. Mark was not our patron saint The town´s patron saint then was San Isidro adopted in 1874. According to a story, San Isidro was adopted as the patron saint of Infanta in the belief that he would protect the town against any form of calamities. And true, indeed, it was observed that right after the adoption of San Isidro as the patron saint of the town, the people experienced good harvests and enjoyed peaceful life free from natural calamities. However, seven years later in 1881, a strong earthquake visited again the town and among the structures destroyed were the church and belfry. Subsequently, the people adopted St. Mark as its patron saint.
At the altar of the church in Infanta, Quezon today, there is a statue of a bearded man holding a book with his left hand and with his right hand a quill or writing instrument. At his side is a figure of an animal, an ox. Is the statue that of St. Mark or of another Gospel writer?
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