"Alay sa Mag-Aaral"

First of its kind, Grades 5 and 6 student from around the town were given the priviledge as recipient of the project. During the nine day novena mass in honor of Santa Ana at 3pm, students from host schools (as scheduled) flocked at the church to;
1. Listen to the life story of Santa Ana including the story of how the remains of Santa Ana was found (with audio visual presentation).
2. Watch the towns history thru a slideshow prepared by the Commissionon Cultural Heritage of Santa Ana.
3. Finally to experience a tour within the old church. A top the experience they were given the priviledge to go into spaces within the church even those space which were restricted. Further, they were to climb the belfry and see the panorama of the town.
I have assisted in explaining the history of the town (said to be fast), and some spot of the church tour as I explain to the students interest. Quite tiring, the best part was that this young students learn their roots at an interesting side. Another project of Fr. Roger Yambao (Parish Priest of Santa Ana).
Other mentors were; Ma'am Briones, Ate Kis, Ma'am Nerissa and Dra. Gaddi

(above photo from the collection of Ma'am Agnes)

Fiesta 2007

It is just this year that I've been a part of the event from preparation down to the main event including the aftermath. Early this year (lenten season) we (PYM Family) were busy doing the workshop when Wilmer Licup was introduced to me. The meet marks the start of the creation of a museum for the town (Santa Ana). Since then we were busy asking those potentially who has vintage photos to be part of the proposed museum and archives. We also went on tour, Pampanga's Churches and other places in significance such as museums and the Center for Kapampangan Studies.
The 15th day of July, when we re-arranged the altar, to once again (following last year) center the patron saint of the town. We somewhat captured the 1940's look, suggesting the angels up again as they were several years before. The Image of San Joachin was at the altar again for the Image was centered before together with the Image of Santa Ana and Little Mary. The bone marrow relic of Saint Anne placed on an old monstrance completes the grand altar arrangement for the most awaited feast.
The 21st day of July, we were now busy putting up the museum. Fr Roger Yambao lend us the newly constructed Mortuary for a start. The next day (July22, 2007) marks the soft opening of Santa Ana Museum and Archives, right after the first mass (7am, as Fr. Yambao announced to the church goers). At 6pm right after the Youth Mass, Fr. Lansang (our former parish priest) blessed the newly constructed mortuary and parish hall. Too bad I wasn't there to witness the event (family matters), in behalf of the dream team (Commission on Cultural Heritage of Santa Ana) I am very honored to have been a part of the History.
The 25th day of July, the one they known locally as "bisperas", the day I am very sick. Eventhough I still managed to go to work at Paco Park Manila and proceed to the last session of the "Alay sa Mag-aaral" project. This "Alay sa Mag-aaral" project was again one of the very first thru the initiative of our parish priest, those who were at 6th grade were given a chance to:
1. Know the lifestory of Saint Anne with audio visual presentation.
2. Know how the body of Saint Anne was found also with presentation
3. Watch the history of the town from the items we've collected for the museum
4. And experience a tour within the old church including those which were formerly restricted area. Going up the five storey belfry makes their experience worth to remember.
A new Image of Santa Ana was introduced to the public placed at the post of the traditionally known processional Ivory Image. The Image is much bigger and grand, the former was placed at the convent. For the very first time the much bigger Image of Santa Ana was the one used for the Grand procession. The 14 baranggay patron saints were present plus the "Indung Maria" which was dressed into "dela Correa" and "Virgen delos Remedios" of baranggay Santiago was also present. All of the Images counts 17 including Santa Ana. The heavy rain fell that night during the grand procession.

(Special Thanks to: Dianne Patawaran and Anjhine Mallari for the photos herein posted.)

Museum

Santa Ana Museum

The initial phase of Santa Ana musuem was openned to the public right after the first mass at 7am (July 22, 2007). Those who attend the mass were the first to see the items inside. The museum is compose of 2 sets of photo gallery, remaining artifacts, antiquities and a timeline done by Mr Arwin Lingat of the Center for Kapampangan Studies. Each individual is welcomed by the old wooden statue of St. Agustine (titular saint o fthe Augustinian Churches). First photo gallery were the old photos we have collected from different family collections. Photos starts from the oldest which was the one taken from the collection of the National Library of the Philippines. The window panes used were the original panes used at the dome of the church to hold the photos. Next to this gallery was the second photo gallery of those from Santa Ana and became priest and nuns for their vocation. Moving at the next corner was the only retablo left encasing the Image of Santa Ana from the collection of the Buenaventura Family. The Antiques comes next tables, chairs, framed old Image of The Miraculous Medal, crucified christ, almost ruined San Vicente Ferrer, areola, books from the personal collection of the founder of Holy Cross College and artifacts. The remaining artifacts were the original ballusters used to be communion rail of the altar, old wood from the church roofing, adobe for walling and the heavy weight head of one of the bells of the church. Along with the antiques and artifacts is the timeline which differs to the timeline I've seen from others, ours was the lightest appearance. The map of Santa Ana features the old names of the baranggays including photos of their respective chapels. Two sets of Ceriales were also at the exhibit including the original cross at the apex of the church facade. The last was a cabinet handdling old books, the original detail of the altar table and the Majiganga's face. The Image of San Joachin which was a heritage to the baranggay was also added. There were those later added items like that of Ma'am Dunca's tita old portrait on eskayola frame, the former side passage way of the church which was used as a stage then for graduation a vintage photo and the old books of the former parish priest late Fr. Lenon given as gift to his sacristan Jet Pelayo. The most interesting was that people approached us to volunteerly lend their collection to be added at the museum. The success was at the heart of every Memalen, yet the museum had only a temporary space. Hoping that the next generation continues this initiative further and greater.

Belfry

Said to be the most massive belfry among the churches of Pampanga. Documents written that it was a five storey belfry, base it on actual, the actual only had a four storey one. My friend got an old floor plan of the church and there it shows there was still a floor below ground level. It might be that the record tells that what seems like veranda above was counted a floor. Indeed the belfry appears to be massively done on an octagonal shape. Ground floor was dedicated for the repository of Images and there lies the old baptismal font. The stair leading to the top of the belfry starts at the side of the church along the present alley. Slabs of wood used for the stairs were colored painted and embedded at the side walls of the church. The corner end of the stair was dark and narrow, and if one looses track the abrupt change in level of floor may harm. The way after the stair leads to a spacious area called the choir loft. The former choir loft is just at present for the storage of church appurtenances. Further, there was an entry leading to the belfry, here one can notice that some of the openings were closed by adobe and bricks same as the church construction materials. A wooden stair leading to the third level was present as one look above the third level has a wooden floor. The next floor has also a wooden stair up to the top most floors. Slab was present above as it suggest that the above floor was of concrete. The floor slab above had its bracing present at this area, made up of four woods. And the topmost floor is where the bells of the church were. There was also a steel made stair up to the finial. A panorama of the town can be seen here. Bats were also found in this area. Abundant with the manure of these bats, the floor was almost covered. Several times I have been at this post, the first was when I am still a SAKBS. The scene was very accommodating, especially when one sees the other parts of the church like its roofing and the top of the façade. The most I cherished was when we took a shoot at this area for the MTV.

Dome

I remember that the church dome had a painting on it. Shades of yellow and red, I used to stare at it during my high school days when I am still serving masses. The present state of which has just a plain color. Even the old windows were changed into a sampaguita colored glasses; formerly they were just as simple as smoked glass. The original windows were at the storage left. The dome features the adobe vaulting with several lightings on each. Four oblong shaped paintings of the Evangelists were on the domes corner, attached on a cone shape structure. Paintings inside the church have evidence when we saw a ca. 1940’s photo of the interiors of the church. Probably these paintings on the interior walls of the church were still in existence, it is just that they were paint over. The last surviving was at the ground level ceiling of the belfry now a repository of Images. There was a painting of the baptism of the Lord there then, painted over. Renovations and re-paintings were previously done inside the church, yet some of the old features vanished.

Apu Santa Ana

For the third time, I have been given the priviledge to climb up the altar for the altar re-arrangement for the town fiesta. The first one was when I was tasked to clean our Patron's Image, this was the first time I saw the altar Image at close. The next time was when we (together with Wilmer) went up for actul measurements of the altar for the proposed restoration of the retablo mayor. This time for the re-arragement, we (together with the SAKBS) first detached the Risen Christ at the center. The red curtain was arranged afterwards as the backdrop of the Patron's Image. Recently added sunburst was removed to give way to the Image.Moving the Image from the left side to the center follows. Nina Maria was detachchable and so was the bible handled by Santa Ana, so we detached Nina Maria from Her Mom for us to easily move the Image. Then the sunburst back, this was the arrangement last fiesta. I was thinking then that last year arrangement would last. To add up to the arrangement was to up post the side angels holding lights, which was a close simillarity to the 1940's retablo mayor. San Joachin Image at the bellfry was also added at the foot of the altar mayor. To balance San Joachin was the old monstrance as a reliquary to Santa Ana's bone marrow relic. The present altar mayor has undergone several changes, hhope this will be a start for the proposed restoration of Santa Ana retablo mayor. This was the start of the many activities for the upcoming fiesta. The nine day novena starts today, students were scheduled at 3pm for a film showing of the church history and life story of Santa Ana. There will be a church tour after the film showing. And for those who will come early that afternoon will get a chance to watch the film before the Novena Mass starts.

Adobe

Adobe are natural stones previewsly used for walling, post and foundation of old churches. The decorative features of churches were also curved from adobe at times. The reason why the walls of churches are thick, layers and layers of adobe were carefully studied in formation to built a more solid edifice. Nowadays churches were skinned from their original "palitada". Palitada is the only protection of an adobe wall from the acidity of rainwater, removing this may cause the destruction of the structure. Palitada then was not as simple as the machine made cement of present. Lime was the primer ingredient of the old palitada, more of natural elements to be able to protect the natural stone wall adobe. The photo uploaded was the present state of the walls of the church slowly pulverized by natural forces because of exposure. Notice the inclusion of brickstone at the connection of the adobe. The other photo was one of the specie of plants who found their habitat thru the adobe wall. Actions must be taken, it'll take a long time to restore the original palitada but will preserve for good the old church.