Gerald Genus (Sac-Town, Cali)
“For my Catholic Religion. To forever wear a cross on my neck.”

Getting inked is something. A tattoo of a seemingly-necklace with a cross as the pendant is another thing. It just shows devotion to Catholicism.

Despite being a predominantly Catholic nation, Philippines was able to produce just one saint in Lorenzo Ruiz’s persona.

He was born of a Chinese and Filipino parents, both Catholic. Ruiz’s devotion started out as early as his childhood days when he became an altar boy and later on a calligrapher for the Dominican friars.

Also known as San Lorenzo de Manila, Ruiz was beatified in the Philippines during Pope John Paul II’s 1981 Papal visit. This ceremony was the first beatification held outside the Vatican City. The saint was canonized due to his resistance of giving up his Catholic faith which lead to his gruesome death after painful tortures enacted by the Japanese.

Karding Satwa (Dubai UAE)
Christ Reaching Arms by Karding Satwa
“For those Filipinos who are in UAE and want to have a difference, call this number 0502469737 (Custom Skin).”

Philippines, being a predominantly Catholic country, celebrates Holy week, locally known as Semana Santa or Mahal na Araw, as one of its most important festivities.

The week starts with Palm Sunday wherein reenactments of Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem are present in almost all Churches celebrating the Holy Mass. Continuous chanting of prayers of Jesus’ life called Pabasa occurs from Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday. Maundy Thursday involves Church visits or Visita Iglesia while Good Friday is commemorated with street processions. Black Saturday should be observed with solemnity but ironically, this also happens to be the best time of the year for family reunions and outings. The week ends at Easter Sunday with a ceremony called Salubong featuring kids dressed as angels who are lifted up into mid-air.

We wonder if the tattoo was done as a form of penitensya, another peculiar activity by the Filipinos during Holy Week.

James Bryan (Honolulu)
Flip Pride

Filipinos’ firm religious belief has long surpassed the colonial period it underwent and never was shaken by any threats of imperialism. Now, with 81% of its population as Roman Catholics, Philippines is known as the third largest Catholic nation in the world next to Brazil and Mexico.

Catholicism is a good object of discussion of debates for its controversial beliefs and practices. Pressing issues on veneration of saints, opposition to contraception, and its separation from the State are among others. Despite all of these, Filipinos remain steadfast to its teachings.

On what makes Catholic a subcategory of Christianity or what’s the difference between Catholicism and Christianity is still a mystery for the author and an amply vague topic to be discussed.