A pious mother searches for a holy relic in the beautiful tradition that is the Santacruzan.
What is the Santacruzan?
When Constantine the Great converted to Christianity (making him the first Christian Roman emperor), his mother, Queen Helena, followed suit. Filled with faith and fervor, she embarked on a journey to find the True Cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. This is the scenario portrayed in the Santacruzan. Spanish for “holy cross,” the Santacruzan is the reenactment of the queen’s search for the True Cross. The event is held at the end of May.
When did it start?
The tradition supposedly started in the 1800s, when it was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards. The first Santacruzan was held in Malolos, Bulacan.
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