41. DR. R. FELICIANO'S 14 FAVORITE LENTEN IMAGES IN PAMPANGA

DR. RAYMUND FELICIANO is a clinical pathologist who currently teaches pathology subjects at St. Luke’s Hospital in Quezon City. A resident of Angeles, his roots are in Mabalacat. He, however, is a doctor  with a unique passion. For over three decades now, he has been taking pictures of our Holy Week traditions--santos, religious processions, churches, Lenten exhibits--all over the Islands, from back in the days of analog photography to the age of digital cameras. 

A photography buff since his high school days at Chevalier School, Dr. Feliciano was inspired to travel  by watching Susan Calo-Medina’s TV show “Travel Time”.  He started in 1987, and began toting his instamatic cameras to interesting places where he took pictures of provincial scenes. But when he got hold of Ricky Jose’s book, “Simbahan”, he decided to focuse on religious subjects—and has not stopped since. The results of this lifetime undertaking are hundreds of santo photos compiled in over 50 albums and donated to the Center for Kapampangan Studies of Holy Angel University in Angeles City. 

After having seen thousands of processional santos, he has come up with a list of his 14 favorite, best-looking Semana Santa images that he shares with us, in this blog.

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The San Pedro statue of Lubao rides a spectacular carroza of the chariot-type. 

Arayat's antique "Manalangin" features a chalice-bearing angel dressed in short pants.

Angeles' "Macagapus" was carved in 1834 with Valentin Tuason as the original owner. It was passed on to his Nepomuceno heirs.

The Senor Desmayado  of Guagua was commissioned by one of the town’s leading citizens, Don Tiburcio Dyco. It was carved in 1882 by the accomplished sculptor, Sotero Dionisio Garcia of Quiapo, Manila.

The small Paciencia image of Guagua is owned by the Familia Cabrera and is a certified antique. 

Porac's Tercera Caida (Third Fall of Christ) comes from the Santa Catalina Parish of this old Kapampangan town, and is known for its complete, well-proportioned character images.

The antique image of Sta. Rita's La Veronica is owned by the Familia Pineda, a prominent family of the town, which also owns a Third fall of Christ paso.

"Macapacu Qng Cruz" or the Crucifixion is also known as Santa Misericordia. It was commissioned in 1907 by Dna. Francisca Evangelista. It was inherited by Leonora Panlilio, and passed on to her present descendants.

Angeleños take pride in their own “Apung Mamacalulu”, or the Lord of Mercy, depicting the image of the dead Christ. It was commissioned by Fr. Macario Paras between 1828-1838, carved by an artisan named Buenaventura.

The spectacular calandra of Sasmuan that contains the body of the dead Christ is owned by the Mercado family. 

Mabalacat's Sta. Maria Jacobe is an antique image that was transported to Pampanga from the Visayas, by a family member when he came to work here, where it was known as Sta. Salome.

The Sta. Salome of Angeles is a transformed image of La Veronica--which is equipped with two heads-- made in 1835 for Vicente Dison. It is still with the Dison descendants.

The antique image of Sta. Maria Magdalena of Arayat is from the prominent Santos-Medina-Samia family.\,who own a host of other processional images like San Juan and Santo Entierro.

The century-old San Juan of San Simon in Pampanga is a short, stocky image that is a fixture in the Good Friday procession of the town.

Hailed as one of the most beautiful Dolorosas in the country, the antique ivory Dolorosa of the Limson Family of Guagua.  Its earliest could be traced to Diego Limson (ca. late 1850s-early 1860s) who married Severina Jingco.

PHOTO SOURCES: 

Tercera Caida: Reichardt Dino, (flickr name: asky)

Paciencia: courtesy of Jerry Punsalan Sagmit

Magdalena: courtesy of Arwin Lingat, (flickr name: pampanga)

Dolorosa: courtesy of Dr. Dindo Limson Juco

Crucifixion, Sta. Jacobe: Alex R. Castro

All others: courtesy of Dr. Raymund Feliciano (flickr name: emongfeliciano)