Easter As New Life

For many of us Catholics the joy of Easter Sunday is symbolized by the Sugat or Salubong rites at early dawn around 4 o’clock in the morning. The rites include the two long men in procession carrying the statue of the Risen Lord meeting the women group carrying the statue of Mary, the children angels dressed in white standing on high steel platforms singing Regina Coeli Laetare Alleluia, and throwing flowers to the statue of the Risen Lord and the statue of the Sorrowful Mother, and as they unveil her joyful face. Then the Holy Mass of the Resurrection.

How about the Easter Eggs? This is an American custom whose meaning has been lost on many. People prefer to eat them instead of coloring and hiding them for others to find.

The drama of the Sugat/Salubong has become emotional and touching. I wonder if the people are aware of the meaning of this awesome moment. Experiencing a new life is really awesome. This is the essence of Paschal or Easter celebration.

I had a traumatic and contrary experience of this joyful moment which is not easy to forget. It happened on Easter Sunday April 1992 at 4am during the Sugat on the street between St. Michael’s cathedral and St. Michael’s College in Iligan City where I was bishop for 17 years.

When the two processions stopped and two statues were now facing each other, and children ready to sing, and, just five minutes before I arrived, someone threw a grenade that exploded on the spot where I was supposed to stand between the 2 statues and in front of the children.

The deadly explosion killed 13 little angels on the spot and wounded several adults. There was heart-breaking mourning and sadness that Easter Sunday 1992. One month later Pres. Fidel V. Ramos announced that they arrested Amor Ramus, a gun-runner or seller of arms from Marawi City.

That was a shocking and terrible tragedy on a supposed joyful Easter Sunday.