The Santacruzan[edit]

A Santacruzan is a religio-historical beauty pageant held in many cities, towns, and even in
small communities throughout the Philippines during the month of May. One of the most
colorful aspects of this festival, the pageant depicts the finding of the True Cross by Queen
Helena, mother of Constantine the Great. Many movie and television personalities participate in
the events and are featured in major santacruzan. This festival became part of Filipino traditions
identified with youth, love, and romance.
Order of the procession[edit]
Biblical Figures and Traditional Personifications[edit]

1. Matusalm (Methuselah) bearded and bent with age, he is depicted as riding a cart and
looking preoccupied with toasting grains of sand in a pan over a fire. This is a reminder
that the world is transient and will end up like the dust which he is toasting.

2. Reyna Banderada (Queen with a Banner) a young lady dressed in a long red gown,
bearing a yellow pennant. She represents the arrival of Christianity.

3. Aetas represents the dark-skinned indigenous peoples of the Philippines such as

the Aeta and Ati. These aboriginal groups predate the ancestors of today's
majority Austronesian Filipinos by tens of thousands of years.

4. Reyna Mora (Queen Moor) represents Muslim Filipinos, who are concentrated
in Mindanao and large cities such as Manila. Islam arrived in the archipelago two
centuries before Christianity, and is now the country's second-largest religion. Mary is
also honoured in Islam, and her story is found in the 19th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.

5. Reyna ng Saba (Queen of Sheba) represents the unnamed queen who visited King
Solomon, and was overwhelmed by his wisdom, power, and riches. She carries a
jewellery box. She is included in the Santacruzan because the Legenda Aurea describes
how she venerated the beam of a bridge she was crossing, prophesying the wood's future
role as part of the True Cross.

6. Rut at Noemi (Ruth and Naomi) the Moabite convert to Judaism and her mother-in-law,
from whom she was inseparable. Ruth is an ancestress of King David, and is one of four
women listed in the genealogies of Jesus found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

7. Reyna Judt (Queen Judith) represents the Biblical widow Judith of Bethulia, who
saved her city from the Assyrians by slaying the cruel general Holofernes. Also known as
"Infanta (Princess) Judt", she carries Holofernes' head in one hand and a sword in the
other.

8. Reyna Ester (Queen Esther) the Jewish queen of Persia, who spared her people from
death at the hands of Haman through her timely intervention with King Xerxes. She
carries a sceptre.
 9. Cleopatra represents Cleopatra VII Philopator (69-30 BC), the famous last
active pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Her male escort is often understood to represent the
Roman senator and general Mark Antony (83-30 BC).

10.Samaritana/Sta. Photina (The Female Samaritan) the Samaritan woman at the

well (traditionally named Photini) with whom Christ conversed. She carries a water jug
on her shoulder.

11.Sta. Vernica the woman who wiped the face of Jesus who bears her Veil; in traditional
Hispanic-Filipino iconography, the cloth bears three miraculous imprints of the Holy
Face of Jesus instead of one.

12.Tres Maras (Three Marys) each Mary holds a unique attribute associated with
the Entombment of Christ

1. Sta. Mara Magdalena (Mary Magdalene) a bottle of perfume, as Catholic

tradition once conflated her with Mary of Bethany as the woman who anointed
and wiped Jesus' feet.

2. Sta. Mara de Cleofs (Mary, the mother of James, wife of Clopas) bears a
bottle of oil, alluding to her role as a Myrrhbearer.

3. The Blessed Virgin Mary a handkerchief, for she is in mourning.

13.Reyna F (Queen Faith) symbolises Faith, the first of the theological virtues. She
carries a cross.

14.Reyna Esperanza (Queen Hope) symbolises Hope, the second theological virtue. She
carries an anchor.

15.Reyna Caridad (Queen Charity) symbolises Charity, the third theological virtue. She
carries a red-coloured heart.

16.Reyna Sentenciada (Queen Convicted) has her hands bound by a rope, she stands for
the Early Christians, particularly virgins, who were persecuted and martyred for the faith.
She is sometimes accompanied by two Roman soldiers.
Marian Titles[edit]
Each figure in this group alludes to a title of the Virgin Mary (usually found in the Litany of
Loreto) or to a figure associated with her. Each letter of the angelic salutation "AVE MARA" is
borne by an "angel", or a girl wearing a white dress and wings.

1. Reyna Abogada (Queen Advocate/Lawyer) defender of the poor and the oppressed, she
wears a black mortarboard cap, Graduation gown, and carries a large book. Her
appearance is a representation of Mary, Help (Advocate) of Christians. In some
processions, the figure of the Reyna Doctora ("Queen Doctor") also makes an
appearance, which may allude to "Mary, Health of the Sick".
2. Reyna Justcia (Queen Justice) a personification of the "Mirror of Justice", her
attributes are a weighing scale and a sword.

3. Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess) bears a shepherd's crook.

4. Reyna de los ngeles (Queen of the Angels) bears a bouquet of white flowers, and is
escorted by children dressed as angels.

5. Luklukan ng Karunungan (Seat of Wisdom) carries a Bible, she represents Mary as

the Sedes Sapiaenti

6. Sus ng Langit (Key of Heaven) bears two keys, one gold and the other silver, adapted
from the design of the Papal arms.

7. Reyna de las Estrellas (Queen of the Stars) holds a wand topped with a star.

8. Rosa Mstica (Mystical Rose) carries a bouquet of roses.

9. Pus ni Mara/Corazn de Mara (Heart of Mary) holds a pink heart.

10.Reyna del Santsimo Rosario (Queen of the Most Holy Rosary) carries a large rosary.

11.Reyna Luna (Queen Moon) she represents the moon, which serves as the footstool of
Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse.

12.Reyna Candelaria (Queen of Candles) she carries a long, lit taper, symbolising
the Purification of Mary.

13.Reyna de la Paz (Queen of Peace) holds a dove, real or otherwise.

14.Reyna de los Patriarcas (Queen of Patriarchs) bears a wooden rod.

15.Reyna de los Profetas (Queen of Prophets) bears an hourglass.

16.Reyna de los Confesores (Queen of Confessors) holds a scroll.

17.Reyna de los Mrtires (Queen of Martyrs) bears the Crown of Thorns or a pierced
heart, as a second representation of the Mater Dolorosa.

18.Reyna de los Apstoles (Queen of Apostles) holds the Palm of Martyrdom.

19.Reyna de los Santos (Queen of Saints) a golden wreath, symbolising the Crown of the
Saints.

20.Reyna del Cielo (Queen of Heaven) a flower; often accompanied by two children
dressed as angels.
 21.Reyna de las Vrgenes (Queen of Virgins) a rosary or a lily, the latter
signifying chastity; also escorted by two little angels.

22.Reyna de las Flores (Queen of Flowers) The Queen of the Flores de Mayo. She carries
a bouquet of flowers.

23.Reyna Emperatrz (Queen Empress) a representation of Saint Helena of Constantinople,

particularly her title of Augusta ('empress' or 'queen mother') which she received from
Constantine in 325 AD.

24.Reyna Elena (Queen Helena) always the last member of the procession, she represents
Saint Helena herself, whose Invention of the True Cross is symbolized by the cross
or crucifix that she carries in her arms. This considerably prestigious role is usually
awarded to the most beautiful girl or important matron in the pageant. In some
communities, the identity of the woman playing Reyna Elena is a closely guarded secret
until the Santacruzan itself. Other places are more accommodating, allowing
three Reynas Elenas in their processions.

Constantino - the escort of Reyna Elena, representing her son, Constantine the
Great (272 337 AD). This role is almost always played by a small boy in princely
raiment

BANDERADA 3 MARYS REYNA

MORA
AVEMARIA BAHAG BIBLE

STAR/BITUIN/ ARAW DOCTOR NURSE

TEACHER
DESIGN ARKO

Tres ROSAS