Pagkanaug 2009

Two days ago, Iligan City residents and guests flocked to the St. Michael's Cathedral to witness and experience the Pagkanaug of St. Michael the Archangel, the city's patron saint. It literally means, the "going down." The statue of St. Michale is taken down from his niche and placed in the center front aisle, his usual attire removed and his ceremonial costume put on him by the city's top officials. I'm not so sure if it has always been them who did or when I was younger. I hadn't paid attention to that then.

The Pagkanaug is the start of the celebration of St. Michael's feast day September 29. Traditionally, the Pagkanaug commenced the novena too. This year, the Pagkanaug was held a day before the novena commencement "so as not to disrupt the schedule of Sunday masses."

St. Michael is not only the patron saint of Iligan, as patron saints go. He is also the personal patron saint of Iliganons past and present, here and all over the globe. and from wherever they are, they come to Iligan to join the Pagkanaug, as part of their Panaad (literally, pledge) to St. Michael, in imploring a petition or in thanksgiving for a petition granted.

From the time St. Michael the Archangel became Iligan's patron saint (I will share that story in another post)the Iliganons have had this intense personal feeling for San Miguel, Senor, Senor San Miguel. They talk about him like they would a favorite uncle or grandfather or male mentor. This personal feeling can be first seen and felt during the Pagkanaug.

People come from all over, the balikabayan Iliganons, the natives from all the way to the hinter barrios with anticipation in their faces, as early as 5 am, to be as close to the altar as possible. The anticipation becomes laced with eagerness and excitement as the time of the Pagkanaug draws near(it used to be 8 a.m. they made it 6 am this year). You could see it in the faces, young and old. Like in expectation of a long-absent dear one come home for a visit. The addition in recent years of the cebu sinulog and kalibo ati-atihan influenced drums adds to the excitement which becomes a frenzy by the time men go to the statue to lift it down and carry it to the platform below the altar.

The anticipation and eagerness and adoration and even manic excitement is almost physical. More than a few faces are tear-stained. Especially as the shouts start coming one after the other "Viva Senor San Miguel!" with the automatic response of "Viva" with a clenched fist. A newcomer might think s/he is in the middle of a leftist rally with all the clenched fists raised. But no, it is all for the Senor. He is the commander-in-chief of the angels, and to those of you who don't know, in the Bible and in the Koran. Therefore the militant response is but natural. He is the protector, the guardian, the warrior. The original San Miguel song has the title "guerrero" attached to his name.

With the "Vivas" shouted out loud, as if hoping to be carried to the heavens, and the clenched fists, you could see infants, babies still-small-or-light-enough-to-be-carried all raised up as if in offering to the Senor. I did it myself, the first year my son and I came back. I offered him to the Senor, to his protection and guardianship, against all evil and harm, for his constant intercession to God. And I told him that. Thus, even without detailed explanations, my son has grown a personal attachment to San Miguel himself.

The "vivas" and the clenched fists and the lifted children go on until the main celebrant signals it is time to go on with the mass. But not before the San Miguel song is sung with all the feeling and fervor of devoted, committed, adoring congregation, all the way to those who can't fit inside the cathedral, standing just outside.

After the mass the people do not immediately leave. They wait for the priests and government officials to leave the altar. And begin queueing –to go near the Senor’s statue, for them to touch even just the hem of his tunic, or his cape, to kiss even. Those with babies or smaller children carry them to touch any part of San Miguel. As if the physical connection with the statue is a tangible link to St. Michael.

Faces of those leaving the cathedral are either serene, ecstatic, awed, reflective, and proud. The pride is there, pride in having touched San Miguel, thus having connected with him, the sure link to God. There is now the assurance that they are spiritually armed against the onslaughts of the devil, at least until the next Pagkanaug.