SM Seaside City Cebu and the Archdiocese of Cebu, as part of its 500 Years of Christianity celebration, held a mass and Santacruzan to close the Marian month of May. The mass and Quincentennial Santacruzan was done on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod in SRP, 4 p.m., and SM Seaside City Cebu, 5 p.m., respectively.
The mass was presided by His Excellency, Most Rev. Jose S. Palma, Archbishop of Cebu. After the mass, a procession was conducted from the Chapel to the nearby SM Seaside City Cebu for the Santacruzan.
The Santacruzan is a Filipino tradition that highlights the finding of the True Cross by Queen Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine and caps another beloved Filipino tradition, the Flores de Mayo. These traditions are also showcased in the 500 years of Christianity celebration as fruits of the faith as well as means to share the faith.
The activity is held in partnership with the City of Cebu through its Tourism Commission, SM Prime Holdings Inc., Spring Rain Global, Clothes for Life Inc., Cebu Catholic Television Network (CCTN), Event Photographers of Cebu, Make-up Artists Club-Cebu, DYRF, MYTV, Sunstar Daily. The event was under the direction of the Cebuano world-famous Mr. Patricio “Junjet” Primor Jr.
The Sagalas of the Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan includes representatives from parishes and beauty queens, such as Ms. Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry, Miss Cebu 2009 Kris Tiffany Janson and Binibining Cebu 2018 Steffi Aberasturi; important personalities in the LGUs, public and private agencies and other institutions, such as Atty. Jocelyn Peaquera and Mdm. Cindi Chan, First Lady of Lapu-lapu City who is the Reina Elena and Emperatriz of this year’s Quincentennial Santacruzan.
The activity also featured musical numbers performed by the Jose R. Gullas Visayas Chorale. A photo exhibit featuring the sagalas was also opened after the activity, with photos by the Event Photographers Cebu from locations set at 13 old churches of Cebu with Holy Doors titled “Cebuana Sanctity and Pulchritude Go Together” and will be on display until June 12 at the Mountain Wing Atrium.
