The “Salubong” is an Easter tradition in the Philippines that reenacts the meeting of the risen Jesus and his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the first Easter morning.
The celebration starts with two dawn religious processions — a group of men with the statue of the risen Christ and a group of women with the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary covered in black veil — coming from opposite directions and meeting (“salubong” in Filipino) in front of the church.
An angel, who in the past would be a girl hanging from a tree, will then sing the Hallelujah and unveil the statue of Mary.
Singing, dancing, and fireworks would follow before the celebration of the Mass starts. (Photos by Jire Carreon and Angie de Silva)
