Don Carlo Matugas shows family-owned relics inside their home in Barangay Suba, Danao City. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
A house in Barangay Suba, Danao City in northern Cebu opened its doors to Catholic devotees and priests wanting to see the collection of religious relics and life-sized statues of saints during the just-concluded Holy Week.
The house is owned by the Matugas family who is also known for owning sets of carrozas (carriages) where the statues are mounted in time for the processions on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Don Carlo, the second child of couple owners Ching and Lochin, showed to Cebu Daily News the Virgen Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows) icon used during the Viernes de Dolores procession or the Good Friday procession.
“The image is a replica of the original image used during the Spanish period at Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church,” he said.
Although the Our Lady of Sorrows feast is on September 15, the image is brought out during the procession every Holy Week since the title given to the Blessed Mother focuses on the suffering and grief during the passion and death of the Lord.
During Holy Wednesday, life-sized images of the Agony of Jesus in the Garden and Saint Nicodemo are carried in separate carrozas during the procession.
Don Carlo said the two images were bought in from Pampanga and have been used during Holy Wednesday processions for 20 years.
A cross with a five-foot tall image of the crucified Christ is made available for public viewing on Maundy Thursday where Christ’s wounds are cleansed with coconut or vegetable oil.
The faithful can kiss and venerate the cross and image. “After the oil had been used for cleansing, there are some faithful who asked for it (oil) and bring it with them,” he told Cebu Daily News.
On Good Friday, six life-sized images of the crucified Christ at the center, Virgin Mary and St. John the Beloved, Mary Cleofe, Salome and Mary Magdalene are brought in carrozas for the procession.
The Matugas family has also their own private prayer room in their house where their collection of relics are placed.
Don Carlo has been traveling to Rome for five years and other parts of Europe to collect relics.
He has more than 100 relics inside their private prayer room.
After Holy Week, relics placed at the oratory will be returned at the family’s private prayer room.