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With tears in her eyes, 57-year-old Helen Jacaban watched scenes of Jesus’ crucifixion unfold before her.
From the streets of Cebu City, on Good Friday, March 30, Jacaban joined the hundreds of people who watched the street play, ‘Buhing Kalbaryo’, now on its 21st year.
This has been her tradition for five years as part of her ‘panata’ (solemn promise) and yet, she could not hold the tears each time.
“Kay kun motan-aw ko ani gud, makapahinuklod gyud ko. Mao ni nga akoa na ning tradition sa pag-ari ug pagtanaw (Every time I watch the play, I am able to reflect that’s why I make it to a point to make this a tradition.), “ said Jacaban.
Jacaban, who lives in Barangay Kalunasan, goes all the way to Barangay San Nicolas Proper for the first part of the street play before proceeding to Barangay Guadalupe for the second part.
Buhing Kalbaryo, starts in the morning of Good Friday at the San Nicolas Parish Church, with scenes depicting the final days of Jesus Christ prior to his crucifixion until his death in Mt. Calvary.
The play involves around 200 performers and production members from some of Cebu City’s barangays.
It is done in three different stages: the first part depicts the days prior to Jesus’ passion, followed by the carrying of the cross and ending with a mock crucifixion at 3 p.m.
For 19 years of Buhing Kalbaryo, the scene of the crucifixion took place in the grounds of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
But since 2017, the venue has been changed to a vacant lot owned by the Espina family in Barangay Guadalupe.
This year’s play was the third in its 21-year history successfully mounted even without help from the Cebu City government.
For avid followers, like Jacaban, the play seemed all too real and felt like viewers were transported back into the time of Jesus’ torture.
Jacaban hoped that more and more young people would come to watch the play each year.
“Lahi na man ang mga kabatan-onan karon puro nalang internet. Kani maayo ni nga mapakita sad unsa ang kaagi ni Hesus. Para sila pud makahinuklod (The young people are just always in the internet. This play is really good for them to know what Jesus went through for us, so they can also reflect.),” Jacaban said.
Musical Kalbaryo
To bring the play closer to the hearts of young people, Buhing Kalbaryo overall Director Elmer Labella planned to make it a musical next year.
“We had a lot of limitations this year. But next year we will see to it that we will have more innovations, “ Labella said in Cebuano.
Labella noticed that the play was beginning to get the attention of younger audiences. He said that it will not be a bad idea to add music to the play.
“Not the rock type or whatever. Something like classic to also set the mood into a devotional play,” Labella said.
According to estimates of the San Nicolas Police Station, around 2,000 watched the first part of the play; while the Guadalupe Police Station estimated 6,000 people watched the mock crucifixion held in Guadalupe.
There were no untoward incidents reported, said police.
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