A Celebration of Roman Catholic Tradition in the Philippines

Holy Week brings the Philippines to a standstill every year, as Roman Catholic Filipinos (the majority in the country) take advantage of the four-day weekend that begins on Holy Thursday.
Most Filipinos in the cities pack up and leave for the provinces, leaving formerly bustling urban areas desolate for lack of people. But that doesn’t mean there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Paete, Laguna: Holy Week Processions
In the foothills of the Sierra Madre by the coast of Laguna de Bay, you can find the aptly named town of Paete, renowned for woodcarving and named after the paet (chisel).
In Paete, Holy Week celebrations start on Palm Sunday with the commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem with the Payakpak. This is a procession that begins at Ermita Chapel where the priest blesses palm fronds as they head to the beautiful church of Santiago de Apostol while religious women drape their shawls on the path of the priest as they make their way to mass.
In the five days leading to Good Friday, hordes of people pay their respects to a centuries old wooden image of the Santo Sepulkro or the dead body of Christ by kissing his exposed hands and feet. On Holy Wednesday, this image is given a ritual bathing after which a pabasa (a singing of Christ’s life and passion) is held.
On Holy Wednesday, 53 images depicting Christ’s passion are paraded on the streets of Paete in a procession called Salubong after the 6 PM mass. Some of these images are able to move, and do so in three crucial parts of the procession—when Jesus meets Mary, when Veronica wipes the face of Jesus and when Veronica shows Mary the miraculous imprint of Christ’s face on the cloth.
On Good Friday, the Siete Palabras (Seven Last Words of Christ) are recited until 3 P.M. after which the Santo Sepulkro is fetched by male devotees from the recamadero (the keeper of the image) for “burying” in church.
How to get there: By car, the fastest would be through the Manila East Road. From Cainta Junction you will pass by the towns of Antipolo, Teresa and Morong then Tanay. After an hour and half of driving from there, winding mountain roads bring you to lakeshore towns of Mabitac, Panguil, Pakil and then Paete. Expect no traffic after Tanay and kilometers upon kilometers of scenic countryside.
By bus, go to the bus terminals along Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and look for air-conditioned buses headed to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. From Sta. Cruz, take a regular passenger jeepney to Paete.
San Pedro Cutud, San Fernando, Pampanga: Live Crucifixions
For a colorful display of penitence on Good Friday, head to the town San Pedro Cutud where men have themselves actually nailed to a cross after reenacting the Via Crucis, a Kapampangan rendition of the passion play.
See dozens of hooded flagellants walking around whom either are beating their bloody backs with bamboo floggers, crawling on dirt roads or bearing crosses. Be sure to bring a hat with you because all the action goes beyond noon. Not for those who hate the sight of blood.
Before heading home, you may want to linger in San Fernando until evening for the Good Friday procession at the Assumption Cathedral.
How to get there: By car, take the North Luzon Expressway exiting via San Fernando. This is where it gets tricky, you may have to ask for directions from the locals to get there.
Though there are no bus trips on Good Friday, you may try to leave a day earlier if you want to go there by bus. Take a bus headed for Olongapo at the Victory Liner Terminal at Pasay City or Cubao (Both are on EDSA). Get off the Victory Liner Terminal at San Fernando and from there you may take any jeep, tricycle or taxi going to San Pedro Cutud.
Marinduque Province: Moriones
From Holy Monday to Easter Sunday, don’t be surprised to find costumed men and women in Roman centurion masks parading the streets of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in Marinduque.
These masked and costumed penitents are the Moriones and they’re re-enacting the story of Longinus, a half-blind centurion who converted to Christianity when his eyesight was fully restored after Christ’s blood spurted into his blind eye upon piercing his side. When the other centurions hear of his conversion, he is hunted down and beheaded.
Manila: Visita Iglesia
If you want to stay in the city during Lent, do as the locals do and try one of their favorite Holy Week rituals on a Maundy Thursday—the Visita Iglesia, where they visit seven churches in a single evening.
http://goseasia.about.com/od/eventsfest5/a/phil_holy_week.htm

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices. Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world. As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years. Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Things to do in Clark Philippines and Pampanga: do a little wine shopping at the famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

Residents of Pampanga Angeles City, Subic, Tarlac and Clark Philippines know of this wine shop as one of the best places in Clark, a good night out place and simply the best place to hang out, enjoy some good wine with cheese on the roof deck with good atmosphere, or just relax and unwind with friends and family in a cool place. This wine shop in Clark Pampanga is recognized by many to be one of the best places to buy fine vintage wine in the Philippines. Located near Mimosa Leisure Estate surrounded by golf courses, resorts and a casino, this well known wine shop is frequently visited for its good selection of wine not available in Manila or Subic. Clark Wine Center is open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm. Private dinners, wine tastings and group gatherings can be organized by advanced reservation.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

This is one of the frequently visited places for wine lovers from Manila and Angeles City to buy international wines in Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com