5 Points on Flores de Mayo

In this month of May, we often think of Flores de Mayo as synonymous to Santacruzan, when actually it is quite different. Today, we will take a look at the celebration of Flores de Mayo and its colorful traiditon.

1. Flores de Mayo (flowers of May), sometimes known as Flores de Maria (flowers of Mary) refers to the flower festival celebrated by Filipinos during the whole month of May in honor of the Virgin Mary. Each of the 31 days of the month is a floral tribute to the virtues of Mary.  
2. In the Tagalog region, this custom and celebration started after the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and after the publication circa 1867 of Mariano Sevilla's translation of the devotional Flores de Maria or Mariquit na Bulaclac na sa Pagninilaynilay sa Buong Buan nang Mayo ay Inihahandog nang manga Devoto cay Maria Santisima (The Flowers of Mary or the Beautiful Flowers that in the Meditations During the Whole Month of May are Offered by Devotees to Mary the Holiest). 

3. As a devotion to Mary, a customary ritual called Alay sa Birhen (offering to the Virgin) or Alay kay Maria (offering to Mary) is done during the entire month of May. The townsfolk gather colorful flowers to decorate the parish church altars and aisles every afternoon. Children (usually dressed in white) cut flowers and, with baskets of petals in hand, march down the church center aisle and sprinkle the fragrant petals. Older children carry sticks with letters spelling out AVE MARIA. They sing hymns to Mary and leave their bouquet of flowers in front of the altar. The rosary is recited and hymns are sung during the ritual.
4. The flower-offering song goes like this: 

        “ Tuhog na bulaklak, sadyang salit-salit, 

           Sa mahal mong noo'y aming ikakapit, 

           Lubos ang pag-asa nami't pananalig,  

          Na tatanggapin mo, handog na pag-ibig,   

          Lubos ang pag-asa nami't pananalig, 

          Na tatanggapin mo, handog na pag-ibig! ” 

          (With a garland of flowers, we crown you, in faith and love, and we hope you will accept the token of our affection.)

    5.   Nine days of prayer (a novena) in honor of the Holy Cross precedes the Flores de Mayo. In many

          parishes, the culmination of the Flores de Mayo is a procession called Santacruzan (Festival of the

          Holy Cross). It is a commemoration of the finding of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by Saint Helena,

          mother of Constantine the Great. On this occasion, young ladies dressed in gowns represent

          the various characters of the commemoration (the "Accolades of Our Lady") and are escorted by

          young men.

At the close of May, during the parade of our Mother, let us look at her in complete adoration. After all, she is the Queen and beauty above all.

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