🇵🇭 VIGAN • Procession: Observing the Semana Santa in Vigan

"I hope everyone shall change for the better. It should not just be a tradition but it should be a goal to enrich our spiritual lives."

Vigan's culture and traditions are intangible part of its rich heritage; and the Holy Week has come. Religious people come out. Vigan's culture during the Lent spills out to a severe degree. Religious people flock to the streets with candles and carrozas carrying the image of the saints.

Vigan Holy Week Crowd

I went to the heritage districts of the city. Riding a motorbike, the easiest way to go around the historic town, never became easy. The street was filled with a lot of vehicles -- traffic jam severely. Walking was the best option.

I am seeing the blend of the old and the new and on how the old manages to survive. Instead of the usual serene Vigan landscape with quiet streets and calesa all around, the historic streets lined with century-old houses became a chaos. Tourists flocked. The traffic jam is highly excruciating.

Parked the motorbike on a less-crowded corner

Not-so-relaxing Vigan street on a Holy Week

So I parked the motorbike. I opted to walk to the core of the city but walking down the old heritage village of a nostalgic city was not a great way to relax. The space becomes very limited. It is hard to breathe. I am missing the old Vigan I used to know when I was a kid.

But who am I to control? I want the people to see the beauty of my hometown and everyone is welcome to see the city because it is for everyone. The Holy Week, being the peak season for tourist arrival in Vigan is a bit of sacrifice on my part to endure the not-so-smooth traffic flow and stress of being in a limited space.

Crowd waiting for the coming out of the saints' sculpted images

I walked to the Vigan Cathedral and still, crowd keeps growing in number. The religious people are waiting for the coming out of the saints' sculpted images. Sometimes I ask myself, is this really just a tradition or a devotion? I believe devotion has more bearing than tradition.

Now the first sculpture went out. A big number of people followed the imagery. Handling their candles, they walked after the well-lighted carroza of the imagery pushed by some of them around the town. It marked the beginning of the Vigan procession on a Good Friday.

With a larger carroza of the saints

So the long procession pursued. As they say, it will always end up at the church however long the procession route might be.

So after this what's next? I hope everyone shall change for the better. It should not just be a tradition but it should be a goal to enrich our spiritual lives.

Aside from the procession, the city's Plaza Burgos becomes a haven for food lovers, specifically street food lovers.

A night-out for foodies

It's shawarma for me

Semana Santa in Vigan is also a chance to buy tiangge-price commodities and the chance to experience a street with cars replaced by food stalls.

Calle Crisologo

It was indeed a Good Friday

I ended my Good Friday walk in Vigan at Calle Crisologo. I am grateful of the great opportunities coming to Vigan and I saw the love of the people here. Tourists continue to flock and it feels cool although there are some not-so-good-friday effects. In the long run, Semana Santa in Vigan is fun if you have set your mind to enjoy the place whatever circumstance may arise.

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