Unlike other people who observed the end of Holy Week in resorts, the locals of Rizal Province ended Holy Week by celebrating Easter Sunday in their unique traditions.

In a community in Antipolo City, homeowners at Pines City Royale in Barangay San Roque held the traditional “Salubong” or the reenactment of the supposed meeting of the grieving Mary and the Resurrected Jesus, on late Saturday evening, March 30, ahead of the early Sunday morning event that other churches have been doing.

Fr. Randy Marquez of Saint Joseph Marello Parish led the “Pagbabasbas ng Apoy (blessing of fire)" ceremony during the Easter Vigil Mass at the subdivision’s basketball court together with the homeowners.

During the Salubong ceremony following the Easter Vigil Mass that started at 8 p.m. and ended close to midnight on Saturday, young girls dressed in white acted as angels, showered white and red rose petals on the image of the Virgin Mary and the Risen Christ.

A girl was singing the Latin hymn “Regina Caeli” with her angelic voice while removing the black veil of the image of the Virgin Mary dressed in a white gown.

Prior to the unveiling of the image of the Virgin Mary, a short procession was held in the subdivision, with some of the male residents each holding a candle and following the image of the Risen Christ carried by the participants, while the female residents also joined a separate procession led by those carrying the image of the black-veiled Virgin Mary. 

On Easter morning, some religious activities were also held in the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo, the Minor Basilica and Parish of Saint John the Baptist in Taytay, Saint Clement Parish Church in Angono, and all Catholic churches in Rizal Province, with each town having its own unique version of the Easter Sunday rituals.