COVID-19 limits Dapitan’s religious traditions but not its devotion

For the first time since the 18^th century, traditional religious events on the feast of Saint James the Greater in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte, were drastically altered with the strict implementation of health protocols amid the pandemic. But it didn’t dampen the zeal of Dapitanons’ devotion.

“We may have lost our physical traditions that we held on to in our hearts, but today I still see the fervor of Dapitanons’ devotion to our patron St James the Greater,” said history professor Rex Hamoy during the vesper of the feast on Friday, July 24.

Traditionally, the vesper was supposed to be the liveliest activity. Thousands of devotees carrying branches of the parpagayo plant would converge at the city plaza fronting the church for the sinug (current), and wait until noon for the saint’s image to be brought out.

In the past feasts, the crowd waved their parpagayo and shouted “Viva Señor Santiago!” as the local leader – the mayor – carried the image for a procession around the plaza and to the saint’s waiting white horse on a karo.

“But today we no longer have the sinug,” said the teary-eyed Dr Nelfa Acopiado, a 77-year-old devotee, who for the first time was barred from going to church because of health protocols.

Acopiado, a retired assistant schools division superintendent of Zamboanga del Norte, told Rappler that she was never absent from the rituals of the feast of St James the Greater since she was young.

“Why are they not allowing me to practice my religion? Dili man ko moadto para maglakwatsa, moadto man ko para pagtuman sa akong panaad kang (I’m not going there to just hang out, I’m going there to fulfil my vow to) Señor Santiago,” said Acopiado, who now lives in neighboring Dipolog City.

Hamoy said he understood Acopiado’s feelings, but, “as I said, her devotion is unwavering despite the drastic changes and the heartache.”

And instead of the sinug, local priests decided to put the patron’s image on a truck and wheeled it around the city as residents, still with branches of parpagayo and shouting “Viva, Señor Santiago!” waited on sidewalks while police on motorcycles continuously shouted reminders to observe physical distancing.

Dapitanons are famous fiesta goers, preparing food for everybody, but now most are just preparing for their family. Some even posted on Facebook days ago that they were not receiving guests this time, following the reminders of the city government.

St James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain. When the Spanish priest arrived in Dapitan centuries ago, they learned that the place was constantly raided by pirates.

They then introduced St. James the Greater as Dapitan’s patron saint to protect residents. – Rappler.com