F-I-E-S-T-A

F-I-E-S-T-A

It is the Spanish term for festivals honoring the Patron Saint of a certain town. Here in our town it is celebrated every May 16th, rain or shine, during War and in Peace. It is supposedly the date of the Martyrdom of St. John Nepomucene.

Fiesta used to be celebrated lavishly with dozens of brass bands parading back and forth through streets while other varied presentations are going on. Sumptuous foods are offered at every house while visitors enjoy meeting their friends and relatives.

The night before (Eve of the Fiesta) contest between participating brass bands is held during a ‘serenata’. At night on Fiesta Day a long processions of the different Saints of the different Baranggays together with the Patron Saint of the town and that of the Virgin Mary is held followed by fireworks display and then Ballroom Dancing.

There is a lingering belief that changing the date of the Fiesta festival brings about calamities and other problems as what happened when the Chairman of the Fiesta Committee one time change the date of the fiesta to make it fall on a Sunday. A tragic incident happened to one member of the family.

It has been experienced that many untoward incidents are happening during Fiesta revelries in many communities and as an offshoot of this, one politician suggested that the practice be stopped to improved the country’s economy. It turned out to be the end of his political career.

Considering that fiesta is just a motivational gimmick of the Spaniards while Christianizing the Philippines it is deeply imbedded in the psyche of the Filipinos that now the so called Filipino mentality is a great factor in maintaining the sanity of most Filipinos during trying moments. Fiesta will always be with us come hell or high water.

According to Alejandro Roces, “the Filipinos has such a strong feeling for the Fiesta because it tells him where he came from and who he is. The Filipinos love the Fiesta and would therefore, rally in its name”.

Lately, St. John Nepomucene manifests himself as a blue light that suddenly appears when one is praying for his intercession.