Fil-Am Catholics celebrate Marian Santacruzan

Various religious, cultural and civic organizations take part in the celebration. Image: Andy Tecson/Facebook

LOS ANGELES – The Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Saturday celebrated its 19th Marian Santacruzan at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Led by the Filipino Ministry, various religious, cultural and civic organizations took part in the celebration.

There was a presentation of the sagalas, young girls and women who comprise the Court of Honor for the procession of the Blessed Mary, followed by a celebration of the Eucharistic Mass and the coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace.

The celebration concluded with flower offerings by the youth of the Archdiocese.

Rev. Fr. Rodel G. Balagtas, liaison of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, celebrated the Holy Mass.

The Santacruzan was first held in the 1800s in Malolos, Bulacan in the Philippines.

Rev. Fr. Rodel G. Balagtas, liaison of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, celebrates the Holy Mass. Image: Andy Tecson/Facebook

It is a religious procession commemorating the quest of Queen Helena of Constantinople and her son, Constantine the Great, to find the True Cross: the cross that is said to be the one upon which Jesus was crucified.

It has since become part of Filipino tradition focused on youth and their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mother’s Day 

Meanwhile, Mother’s Day on Sunday will include mothers being presented with carnations during Masses at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and a remembrance service at Hillside Memorial Park & Mortuary.

Archbishop José H. Gomez will celebrate the 10 a.m. Engish-language Mass at the downtown cathedral where he will bless all mothers present. Another Engish-language Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m. and a Spanish-language Mass at 12:30 p.m. All three Masses will be streamed here.

“We should give thanks to God for our mothers every day for all their sacrifices and love,” Gomez said. “For Catholics, motherhood is a vocation, a special calling from Jesus Christ. Mothers especially, are our first teachers about prayer, charity and the practices of our Christian faith.”