Easter eggs what? Happy Easter in Bulusan

Posing at the belfry landings, the Kampanaryo (belfry) is a perfect backdrop for the present aleluya choir, yearly maintained by the parishioners to carry on the well loved 'aleluya' -- a more than three and a half century old tradition in Bulusan. 

Light moments for Tristan and choir members, all local girls and boys.

Tristan radiates happiness after a successful performance as lead soloist for the Aleluya.  Notice the black veil  and the carried over angelic pose of Tristan. Extreme right, is his cantora  teacher.

Starting at a very young age as  choir angel members.

The aleluya choir after the pictorial at the kampanaryo (belfry)

The cantora teachers for this year's Aleluya, Marieta, center and Oya  Ines, extreme  right.

In Bulusan, easter egg hunting tradition for children is not practiced. Easter egg is Greek to almost all the local children  (including myself and my siblings when we were children). In our town, the local kids during Easter Sunday are more familiar with the Filipino folk traditional 'Salubong' locally known as Aleluya where an angel descends from 'heaven' (a tower made for this purpose) singing and lifting the black veil of mourning off  from the Blessed Mother's face. It highlights  the Resurrection of Jesus Christ after the Good Friday commemoration. It is considered the feast of all feasts in the Catholic tradition.

The children if fortunate enough to be part of the 'angelic' choir will have the chance of a lifetime to experience the event up-close that will be carried on down the memory lane (my mother, a former aleluya lead angel soloist  could still sing the aleluya song at the age of 85 from memory). Hundreds maybe reaching a thousand locals and visitors regularly flock to the church ground to witness the Aleluya event.


Photographs by Alma P. Gamil
Bulusan, Sorsogon, Philippines