LENT 2015: HOLY THURSDAY @ ABONG-ABONG

As the tradition in Zamboanga City, most of the devotees would find their way to Abong-Abong, Pasonanca to go up the Stations of the Cross until they reach the Cruz Mayor.

It is now quite late and the devotees are now in Abong Abong. It seems so congested but the reason is the bottleneck.

For security reasons, the devotees have to be checked by the police before they can enter the area, which is actually still a few kilometers from the Cruz Mayor up in the hill. With the thousands of devotees there, we would wonder when all of them can go through, through the few queues (I think about three lines) where they can pass.

I believe the devotees don't mind this because they too want to be safe as they pray and reflect on God's words and experience for the "WAY OF THE CROSS" or the "VIA CRUCIS".

From our vantage point, this is the Cruz Mayor on Holy Thursday 2015.

Have a Blessed Lenten Celebration!

P.S.

For previous Lenten observance in Zamboanga City, you may open these links:

LENT: CRUZ MAYOR @ APRIL 2014

LENT: SANTO ENTIERRO STA. MARIA @ 2013

LENT: CRUZ MAYOR @ APRIL 2012

Cruz Mayor & Murok, Zamboanga City 2014

This is Mount Pulong Bato in Zamboanga City which cradles the Cruz Mayor where devotees flock during the Lenten season.

From Wikipedia:

Mount Pulong Bato is a monolith located inZamboanga City at the Zamboanga Peninsula, the western tip of the island ofMindanao in the Philippines. The mountain is situated in the Upper Abong-Abong Park, in Barangay Pasonanca, only a few kilometers away from the city's downtown section.

Geology

Pulong Bato became infamous because when thePhilippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology(PHIVOLCS) confirmed the mountain is a volcano which is unknown to most people. What is unusual about the mountain is, unlike the other mountains surrounding the city, only Mt. Pulong Bato is made from solid rock. 

According to PHIVOLCS, the volcano is an Intrusion type of volcano meaning it was formed within earth's crust. Magma was pushed from the beneath the earth surface but did not come out through an eruption like a typical volcano (Extrusion). The magma eventually solidified while it is still enclosed by softer rocks, which was later exposed by erosion or weathering, a process that could take thousands of years.

Holy Week observance

The mountain is near the premises of the famous Abong-Abong Park, where both domestic and foreign catholic devotees pilgrimage annually during Holy Week to observe the holiday and meditate.

We also view the panorama of Zamboanga City where we appreciate the  Great Sta. Cruz Island, the. Little Sta. Cruz Island as well as Basilan Island in the horizon.

We thank all those who organize runs to the Mt. Pulong Bato and Murok areas because more and more people are now exposed to the beauty of Zamboanga City and the Zamboanga City Panorama!

Zamboanga City is indeed beautiful!

P.S.

Here are my older posts on Lent at Cruz Mayor, Abong-Abong and Murok, Zamboanga City which you may want to read through!
PLEASE CLICK ANY OR ALL OF THESE LINKS:

Cruz Mayor of Abong-Abong, Pasonanca @ Lent 2011

Cruz Mayor of Abong-Abong, Pasonanca @ Lent 2011 Part 2
Zamboanga City Panorama @ January 2012

Lent: Cruz Mayor in Abong Abong @ April 2012

Sunrise in Zamboanga City @January 2013
Lent: Cruz Mayor @ April 2014

LENT: CRUZ MAYOR @ APRIL 2014

It is Holy Thursday 2014 today. 

During Holy Thursday, many Catholic devotees flock to the Abong-abong (Pasonanca) Stations of the Cross and reaching all the way up to the Cruz Mayor.

People of all ages do their sacrifice through a long walk from the Pasonanca or the Tumaga side.

Mount Pulong Bato (where the Via Crucis and the Cruz Mayor
 are situated and Muruk is the adjacent mountain

At about 1 pm, we were on our way to Murok (the other way). I see Mt. PulongBato from afar. The very minute white speck is actually the Crus Mayor!

There weren't so many people in Abong-abong yet!

The sun is sunny and the weather is fine.
There weren't so many devotees yet at the Cruz Mayor.

 

At night.
We went down at night and we saw so many devotees walk all the way to Abong-Abong.
Since it was one-way, we have to go in through Pasonanca and go out through the Tumaga side.

This is at the Tumaga side at about 10 p.m. Most are young people but we also see folks carrying their babies and kids. There are older people who also keep their devotion.

The devotees walking towards Abong-Abong

On our way back, we passed by the Pasonanca side.

This is the view as we go to Pasonanca...
we already see the lights of the Via Crucis and the Cruz Mayor.
The other mountain with lights is Muruk!

This is at the Abong-Abong side, where we see many devotees...young and old alike... some are still on the way and some are already done! 

This is close to the Helmet and many are just sitting by the steps
 leading to the Helmet (missed the shot) and
the pictures below lead towards the Boy Scout Camp.

It is almost midnight and there are many people at this time...

The Cruz Mayor now shows more activity, although, I feel there are less devotees than last year!

Cruz Mayor at night

After the Via Crucis and reaching the Cruz Mayor, people gather at the Boy Scout Camp Grounds in Abong-Abong/Muruk to rest, to bond and others really stay overnight.

It is now time to post where they are last Holy Thursday!
Do you see the bright lights of the cellphones and the tablets!?!

It is Good Friday at about 6:30 a.m. and the sun is up!

I feel the crowd still not as dense as in the prior years.

But what is important is our own individual call for prayer and sacrifice during the Lenten Season.

Have a Blessed Lenten Season!

P.S.

Here are my older posts on Lent at Abong-Abong and Murok, Zamboanga City.

Cruz Mayor of Abong-Abong, Pasonanca @ Lent 2011

Cruz Mayor of Abong-Abong, Pasonanca @ Lent 2011 Part 2

Lent: Cruz Mayor in Abong Abong @ April 2012

Sunrise in Zamboanga City @January 2013

SUNRISE IN ZAMBOANGA CITY @ JANUARY 2013

New Year 2013 is here!!!

And I am awake and beckoned by the fantastic sunrise in Muruk, Zamboanga City! 

Many times, we are amazed by the sunset views... however, sunrise can be as awesome!

I am thankful to the Lord for the beautiful world that is greeting me this 2013!

I can see the golden sky...

And the tangerine sea in the horizon 

 

The sun further rises... and we welcome a new day in 2013!

Mount Pulong Bato is now vivid green with red tinges, something like autumn! And with the cool wind to boot!

And there are still some residual fog as we view the Pasonanca Watershed just beyond the next hill...

Can you see the niche on your left hand side?

This is the Cruz Mayor in Abong-Abong Park

What a serene morning I am now experiencing!!!

And with the marvelous views of Zamboanga City and the two Sta. Cruz Islands (Great and Little Sta. Cruz Islands), what else can I ask for?

Thank you, Lord for giving us a New Year 2013!... Another year to live and love life... a chance to pick up where we left off... continue unfinished goals... or fix up things we might need to improve... or just simply start anew! 

Yes. Lord, help us to remember to do things for your Greater Glory!!!

LENT: CRUZ MAYOR IN ABONG-ABONG, ZAMBOANGA CITY @ APRIL 2012

We now celebrate Lent.

I got this excerpt from Wikipedia, just to share about Lent. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent

Lent (Latin: Quadragesima, "fortieth"^[1]) is an observance in the liturgical year of many Christian denominations, lasting for a period of approximately six weeks leading up to Easter. In most Western denominations Lent is taken to run from Ash Wednesday to Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) or to Easter Eve.

The traditional purpose of Lent is the penitential preparation of the believer—through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events of the Passion of Christ on Good Friday, which then culminates in the celebration on Easter Sunday of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

During Lent, many of the faithful commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence. The Stations of the Cross, a devotional commemoration of Christ's carrying the Cross and of his execution, are often observed. Many Roman Catholic and some Protestant churches bare their altars of candles, flowers, and other devotional offerings, while Crucifixes, religious statues, and other elaborate religious paraphernalia are often veiled in violet fabrics in observance of this event. In certain pious Catholic countries, grand processions and cultural customs are observed, and the faithful attempt to visit seven churches during Holy Week in honor of Jesus Christ heading to Mount Calvary.

Lent is traditionally described as lasting for forty days, in commemoration of the forty days which, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.^[2][3] However, different Christian denominations calculate the "forty days" of Lent differently. In most Western tradition the Sundays are not counted as part of Lent; thus the period from Ash Wednesday until Easter consists of 40 days when the Sundays are excluded. However in the Roman Catholic Church Lent is now taken to end on Holy Thursday rather than Easter Eve, and hence lasts 38 days excluding Sundays, or 44 days in total.

This event, along with its pious customs are observed by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, as well as some Baptists andMennonites.^{[4][4][5][5][6]} 

Here are photos of the Cruz Mayor in Abong-Abong, Zamboanga City on Holy Thursday 2012.

Devotees continue to flock even during midnight and even if there is some drizzle. I really appreciate all these people who have indeed sacrificed as they show their love to the Lord!

CRUZ MAYOR OF ABONG ABONG, PASONANCA @ LENT 2011 PART 2

Here are more pictures of the Cruz Mayor in Abong Abong, Pasonanca still from Murok.

This has a different effect because it was taken before sunset on a cold day!

Considering that this is in the Watershed Area, the place usually fogs in the valley level.

The place is ethereal...

And it gives a light feeling just looking at this scene!