Holy Week in the Philippines: Movies to Watch



by: Aileen and Marty Soriano

This article is dedicated to those who are at home during Holy Week.  
Most of the articles coming up are articles about the Lenten Season in the Philippines. 
It is best to take advantage of this season as it comes once in a year. The Philippines is
the best place to spend the days of Lent as we are rich in culture. The Filipino is understood by studying the Lent Season in the Philippines. 



Holy Thursday



      In the morning of Holy Thursday a Chrism Mass is celebrated. 
This Mass is for the renewal of vows of the Ministerial Priesthood. 
Each Parish Priest and Religious Priest with their parishioners 
with the Bishop of the diocese celebrate this important event. 
This is when  the Holy Oils used for the sacrament of the Anointing 
of the  Sick is blessed too. 

       In the evening of Holy Thursday, the remembrance of the 
enactment  of the Holy Supper is celebrated. There are twelve 
men disciples who  represents the 12 disciples during the celebration 
of the Mass. The washing of the feet is also re-enacted. 

      The importance of Holy Thursday is the institution of the 
Holy Eucharist, as the Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus,
God the Son. The Holy Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ. 
The faithful upon receiving the sacrament receives God the Son, 
Himself in his or her heart. 

     Holy Thursday is a day spent in prayer in the morning, in the 
afternoon and in the evening, the Visita Iglesia is usually done.

     The Visita Iglesia is when families visit the different Parishes 
and say a prayer in front of the exposed Holy Eucharist in the garden.
Its like spending time with Jesus during the Agony in the Garden. 
Most families however also goes from different 7 Parishes to gain a
plenary indulgence.

     A plenary indulgence is a gift of prayers which will alleviate the
sufferings of the souls in purgatory or one's soul when the time of
the next life arrives. 

     However, not all can actually go around and visit the Churches
and pray because of sickness or old age or one reason or another. So
after praying in one's homes, a family member accompanies the person
left at home and watch a nice movie about the life of the Saints: 

1. Saint Pope John Paul II 








A story of a Polish Priest who became Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, and becomes a Saint.


2. Saint Catherine of Sienna



                                 
                                          

3. St. Francis of Asisi






Based on the writings of  the life St. Francis' brothers (trailer only)

A story of a very rich young man, who got sick, renounced all his riches, and became a Saint, turns other  people of becoming a Saint too, St. Claire and his barkadas (friends). 
St. Francis of Assisi is the founder the Franciscans. 


4. St. Josemaria Escriva





                   Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWVy91GzfsU

       St. Josemaria Escriva, is the saint of 21st century, his charism is the universal call to holiness.
Ordinary work can be sanctified and offered to God continuously. Each one is called to be a saint in the specific vocation he is called for.

    St. Josemaria Escriva is the founder of Opus Dei.

Roland Joffe: The director of the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mN8DS-kKmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NMb04dPQgs

The actors:

WES BENTLEY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dawM59dknyc
CHARLIE COX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FQzez1Wy4o

5. St. Thomas Aquinas

    Sorry no movies for St. Thomas Aquinas. I just wrote it here hoping that someday there will be.
He is known as the Angelic Doctor. St. Thomas Aquinas is a Dominican.

6. St. Ignatius of Loyola

     A movie that will make you think.

7. St. Francis Xavier

   No movies either... only a cartoon. I hope a movie will be upcoming.


8. St. Bernadette



                               Full Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6zAoq8tRfI
    Movie is not at youtube.


Good Friday

     This is the day when Jesus died. At 3:00 p.m. services start at the Church. Good Friday is a day spent with family in prayer.  Although it seems most of us are at prayer, the government and the army are expected to be in full alert most of the time of the Holy Week. These are the days when they are most busy keeping order in the cities and keeping watch in the islands. These is there penitentiary workload for the whole week especially the police, the army and those who are in charge of security. 

      For those who are left at home, here are movie listings which can be watch to keep to the hour of prayer. 

1. The Passion of Jesus Christ
by:  Mel Gibson



Best Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzzVwci8qJY

The Making:

The Actor: Jim Caviezel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f8FpwKPmcc
The Making: Casting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUKSk0oh18w
The Impact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsmyB7NR-T8


2.  St. Pedro Calungsod







                 This is a story of St. Pedro Calungsod who is a sacristan like St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

           A sacristan is somebody who assists priests in their missions and also a catechist. St. Pedro Calungsod was murdered when assisting another Saint in his missions. Miracles were  attributed to St. Pedro Calungsod which paved the way to his canonization. His miracle was a 2 hours dead woman from Leyte because of a heart attack. The doctor who was administering prayed to Saint Pedro Calungsod, and the woman was revived back to life. 
                             
        Saint Pedro Calungsod is a sacristan to Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Spanish Jesuit missionary from Burgos. He is a missionary priest in the Mariana

                  
       All Saints before recognized as such by the Catholic Church is studied scientifically using a rigorous process. A miracle is an event when no science can explain its phenomena. It can be a miraculous cure or a phenomena in nature caused by the intercession of the Saint. 


3.  St. Lorenzo Ruiz

   There is one movie of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, he is a sacristan assisting the Dominican priests.
He was martyred in Japan with other Dominican Saint Priests. The Dominican missionaries
aimed at converting and baptizing the Japanese to the Catholic faith.

    The miracle that led to his canonization is a miraculous cure of a hydrocephalus ,
a brain atrophy of Cecilia Alegria Policarpio.



4. Cristeros Survivors

     Cristeros are Catholics Christians who fought a president tyrant in Mexico.


      
 

5. Blessed Luis Sanchez de Rio





Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnPi5cXlVHo
http://www.splendorofthechurch.com.ph/2016/01/30/the-approved-miracle-for-the-canonization-of-blessed-jose-luis-sanchez-del-rio/


EWTN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnPi5cXlVHo

Holy Saturday


Holy Saturday is the day when Jesus is dead, like the saints whose body is incorrupt. But more than a saint, this is the day known when Jesus descended to the souls of the dead, and on the third day (Easter Sunday) he resurrected and brought with him souls worthy of heaven to rejoice in God's Kingdom."Ipse Christus" - to be like God with God.

Documentary Films:

1. St. Therese of Liseux


Documentary on the life of St. Therese of Liseux:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK6imHIHltE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK6imHIHltE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yN1LKwXvm0

2. St. Bernadette



Documentary on the life of St. Bernadette

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5OCmTpnCJA

3. St. Padre Pio






Documentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ssMhUqE5E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkV8mMwbm_0

4. Sister Lucia



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVezarWQiMI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srjN76hNLSw




5.Liwanag sa Dilim

    Liwanag sa Dilim is an actual film about the actual possession of evil spirits and cure.

7. The Incorruptibles Part I and II

     Are stories of saints and their relics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jE0j8M1Pfo

6. Risen

    A movie about two brothers who need to locate the body of the risen Christ.

7.  Ben Hur (2016)

     Judah Ben - Hur  (2016) is a prince of Jerusalem who had been badly accused of a crime he did not commit by his own adopted brother. He was redeemed later on and became a famous charioteer competing with his own adopted brother. The competition was bloody, but he won later on, decapitating his adopted brother. He was won over by Christ, who during his Crucifixion healed his mom and sister from leprosy. He later on went to his adopted brother who is now invalid and very angry, and seeks for a reconciliation.

8. Ben Hur (1959)

     The 1959 Judah Ben-Hur has a different tweaked and has its own unique story. Though similar to Judah-Ben Hur (2016) it has its uniqueness when he also learned to forgive by being forgiven first.


EASTER SUNDAY

            Easter Sunday is like Christmas but more grandiose in celebration. This is celebrated either by attending the Easter Vigil Mass or attending the Holy Mass for Easter the next day. This is a day of great rejoicing. We go for another pilgrimage here in the morning, great to visit Jubilee doors this day, because you can gain lots of plenary indulgences, and a feast - not too much wine, just right.

           On Easter Sunday, we usually do not have much time to watch movies as this is a family celebration when families are together after the Easter Sunday Mass, bonding and telling stories together. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hair Styles in the Philippines

All Saints and All Souls Day Coming Up in Novaliches, Quezon City

Documents Needed for a Catholic Wedding in the Philippines