The feast of the Candelaria

Her complete title is NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CANDELARIA (Our Lady of Candles).

She is the Patronness not just of the Iloilo's Jaro district, but of the whole Archdiocese of Jaro (a religious jurisdiction that covers the whole province of Iloilo). It's actually the biggest religious fiesta in Iloilo province. Classes in Jaro district are suspended on this day and the main streets are closed to traffic.

Being a Jareño/Jareña myself, I have witnessed the swarms of people that attend her feast every 2nd of February. On the bisperas (the day before the feast), many Candelaria devotees can already be seen at the cathedral's balcony where the Candelaria resides. Can you believe that some would even brave the cold (Siberian winds a-visiting) spending the night at the church compound? They are devotees from outside of Iloilo province (like those from Negros Capiz, Aklan and Antique)who have no relatives in Iloilo. They just come over to light their candles and hear Mass to say their thank you's and lift up their requests to the Candelaria. They are not even after the "tsibug" (slang for food/fiesta fare)as many are. Now, that's what I call pure devotion.

For my family and I, we would attend mass in the morning at around 9. (Masses start as early as 5 a.m. There are actually three masses going on simulatenously--one inside the church, two on the church grounds; you can just take your pick. The mass inside the Cathedral takes an hour (longer if its the High Mass officiated by the Archbishop). The two others are thirty minutes long, more or less. After Mass, its everyone's custom to buy to buy the perdon or blessed candles.

Carrying our bought perdon, we head home to prepare for the handa or fiesta fare. The day is just beginning.