As one of Asia’s premier Catholic countries, the Philippines definitely exudes the grace of the religion in their culture. Heck, it’s actually lived and practiced in almost household. Even some proverbs and common beliefs are stemmed and mixed with Church teachings and practices. Let’s get to know some common Catholic practices, that seem to be part of everyday Pinoy life:
Family First
As the Church teaches that the family is the foundation of one’s Trust and Faith in God, so does everyone in the Philippines treats his or her family as something grand and important. This can be seen in the utter respect of the Father, as the head of a household. Mothers are taken in with the same grace as well, even considering these wonderful and always responsible females as the “Ilaw ng Tahanan” (Light of a Home). The Bible’s Ten Commandments are reflected greatly in Filipinos, with young individuals making sure that elder people get the respect that they truly deserve. The kissing of elders’ hands, or asking for their hands to be placed on one’s foreheads (pagmamano), is the ultimate sign of respect in Filipino culture.
Sunday’s Best
The Church taught of how God created the world in seven days. The seventh day, the Sabbath, is reserved for rest. This is particularly shown in Philippine culture, with each Sunday as an actual day of the family gathering together. Malls are actually crowded on this day, with myriads of families spending time with each other. Also, Sundays always have had this peaceful feeling in the Philippines – either everything seems to calm and orderly, or someone’s enjoying a wonderful siesta (afternoon nap).
Rosary
Strange as it may seem, almost every and any sort of transportation in the Philippines has a rosary in it. For cars, jeepneys and buses, a rosary is neatly wrapped in the rear-view mirror. Bikes are not an exemption as well, with some wrapped in the accelerator. Probably because of the indigenous Filipinos’ superstitious beliefs, that there always has to be a reminder of a higher power to keep people safe from harm, that these wrapping of rosaries have been a common, almost normal occurrence. It’s also a common sight or practice for drivers to hold these rosaries, whenever one has to drive through a dangerous curve, or if one sees an accident in the road.
The Philippines, even for its mixture of different cultures, sure takes Catholicism seriously. It’s ingrained in everyone’s lives!