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History from A Beautiful Miracle

 


    Every history has its own story behind it. If you go back to how the Binatbatan Festival began, you will not only believe in humanity again, but also in God. Back in December 1882, 30 years after a chapel was built in Vigan Cemetery in 1852, a devastating epidemic suddenly broke out, claiming the innocent lives of people in the community.

    The death of 932 residents during the months of November and December of 1882 was the beginning. The shocking and devastating number of deceased residents due to the epidemic alarmed not only the residents but also other natives and mestizos or residents with Spanish blood, so they asked a favor from the then pastor, Dr. Evaristo Abaya, and asked to visit the Santo Cristo Milagro of Sinait. The people conducted a nine-day novena to the Santo Milagroso and the number of deaths slowly decreased and fortunately stopped on the last day. They praised God for the miraculous miracle and the majority of the residents attended a holy mass to honor Santo Milagroso or Apo Lakay and give thanks. In gratitude, they chose May 3 as Thanksgiving Day for Apo Lakay and as the feast day of Holy Cross. 



    In 1995, the Mayor of Vigan promoted Vigan and then led to the birth of Viva Vigan Festival. In 2002, however, the official Binatbatan Festival was introduced to celebrate one of the industries that kept the economy and residents alive, the Abel Iloco handloom mill. Since then, it has been celebrated every year with colorful parades and various contests and dance performances. These kinds of celebrations keep the city alive and magical. However, due to the rise of the global pandemic,  gatherings, festivals, and events have been stopped. Although there are currently no parades showcasing various hand-woven abels and decorations, the magic has never stopped. The Binatbatan Festival is not just about the excitement and parades, it is most important to remember the history behind it.

    The festival started because of an epidemic but is currently stopped by a pandemic, what an ironic situation. It was born because residents and locals became one, they united in prayer for the devastating epidemic to end, and miraculously, it worked. As a Filipino and a current resident of Vigan, I found it both amusing and inspiring. Our history is not just colonization and war, if you research deeper, you can discover such heartwarming events. By learning from our history, it should inspire us to unite. Face this pandemic as one and not deal with it as individuals. A simple but sincere prayer for the well-being of the world in this current pandemic can help the world. Even though we have different religions, we should believe that praying together, following simple health protocols, and living a healthy lifestyle can positively change our future. As a verse in Ephesians 4:3 says, 

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."



Referernces:

Philippine Information Agecncy, Imelda C. Rivero, 23 April 2019, Retrieved from https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1021193

Bible, Ephesians 4:3

Binatbatan Festival 2011, Bryan Rapadas, Flickr, Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/blrapadas/5841713238

Santo Cristo Milegroso de Sinait, Pintakasi, 17 March 2018, Retrieved from https://pintakasi1521.blogspot.com/2018/03/santo-cristo-milagroso-de-sinait-ever.html?m=0




Comments

  1. CharismaJune 27, 2021 at 6:47 PM

    Hello! I enjoyed reading this blog because it is very informative and interesting. I was never really informed about the background of the festival that much and reading it from your blog was amazing. All the best, have a great day!

    ReplyDelete

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