Happy Ishtar (in my hometown Igbaras, Iloilo)
The picture below was taken at the time when Black Friday or Viernes Santo devotees poured out to the streets at around 4-5 pm and wound back to church at 6-7 pm. After that, a vigil followed until midnight. Next midnight, the Mater Dolorosa and her Crucified Son "met" for some sort of "buklas lalaw" where the sorrowful mother's veil is lifted. The deep purple veils of sorrow shrouding all "santos" in the church including the Crucified One, is pulled down and communal worship begins where the minister blesses not only water and oil but as well, all means that makes lives of worshippers abundant. Pardon this repetition, the anticipated rise of the Crucified One, heralds fresh life prompting worshippers to bring samples of their seeds and tools of production that include but not limited to paray, mais, mongo and other beans, etc. brought to church for blessing. In my yonder years as acolyte, the tools dragged to worship included passenger vehicles, priv...