Holy Week in America

Happy Easter to each and every one of the loyal readers of this column. May the risen Lord bring you hope and peace amidst any hardships and tribulations you find yourself in.

I am often asked, what’s Holy Week like in America? Is it practiced the same way we do in the Philippines? The answers are yes and no. Yes, Holy Week is observed in the United States. As Roman Catholics, church services are celebrated similar to what we do in the Philippines for the reason being that our religion is catholic and universal. What we differ are the ways in which our traditions are practiced. I can think of a few examples which I observe from where I am in New York.

To start off, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are not official holidays. People still go to work on those days. Students go to school, businesses are open, and generally those days feel like ordinary days in springtime. Second, there are no elaborate and grandiose carroza processions across city streets. Maybe in some parts of the US, people walk in religious processions, but we don’t have it here in upstate New York. Maybe that’s because of the climate, or just simply it’s not part of our church’s tradition.

Is there a Visita Igleisa? Yes, but I am not sure if most people would do the rounding of churches across town. Though churches are open until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Maundy Thursday, I seldom see people doing what we do there, such as keeping vigil or going to seven or more churches.

Easter is also celebrated differently here. We don’t have the “Sugat” Mass like we have there: Though we consider it as one of the big feasts in our church calendar, Easter Sunday here feels like just any other Sunday. On the culinary side, there is no traditional food here, so no binignit and biko in every home here.

As religious individuals Filipinos are, they must be able to adapt to the way Holy Week is practiced here. A client once voiced out her opinion on the way Americans observe Holy Week. She says it is more fun in Cebu than here in cold and wintry New York. I told her that she would have to adjust to it. When in Rome, be a Roman, right?

These are some differences I observe here. I am sure other churches from other parts of the country also have their own traditions. What is important is that we get to observe it and appreciate the real reason why we celebrate it.