Every year we celebrate our annual fiesta in honor of our patron saint Nuestra Señora De la Candilaria (Our Lady of Candles). We never fail to celebrate it. It has been observed way back during the time of my great great grandparents. The image that you see on the left is the picture of our cathedral. A stone image of our patron saint is found there. It has been seen as a very holy artifact. My grandparents used to tell stories that during their time it was very small found by some fishermen on a corner of a river bank. Size was about less than 2 feet. But years and decades have passed it grew in size and now its over 5 feet tall. It made people think that it is very special and holy. People from neighboring towns and cities come here in devotion to her for blessings and a good life ahead. Which is a good thing for us and most residents here in Jaro. Relatives may it be close or distant comes over and celebrate it with us. A lot of my unknown relatives come by every year. It makes my grandparents happy. They would talk for long hours remembering their struggles in the past. I must say it is a good way of strengthening family bonds again. People nowadays are busy with life, work, and studies and only during this occasions we stop and think about our families.
Eight days before February 2 (which is tomorrow) we start our devotion by adding a Novena after our daily rosary. It will continue for 9 days and February being the ninth. A novena is a scared prayer in devotion to any saint. My grandparents take it seriously. But I being schooled in a Protestant school for all of my life fail to give much appreciation to it.
Foods and drinks: A fiesta is not well celebrated without tasty food and a lot of beverages. My aunts and uncles has sent the budget last month and my mom is doing the cooking. She is slicing meat at the moment to be cooked early dawn. About the beverages. I didn't invite my classmates over as I a m not good being a host and plus I can't ride along in drinking session. I have low tolerance for alcohol. But my brother is quite the opposite of me. He has bought a few cases of hard drinks for most of his classmates come every year to "drink and be merry". My family has been strict with us with vices but it is only during this occasion that they become ignorant and allow us to drink and smoke a lot (but of course the next day it is not allowed).
Guests do this "house-to-house eating behavior" during fiestas. You surely need to bring along some digestive medicines. You might end up having a stomach ache for over eating different kinds of food. Not all guests are into stay and drink. Other go to the plaza fair to try their luck with some street gambling. Elders to to cockfights and bet big money! At the en of the day. We have a lot of dishes to clean and some or no more food left (usually grandma gives it to her relatives as a take home give away).
