Fifteen (15) notable Filipina beauty queen titleholders on the national and international stage wearing historical and traditional attire captivated the crowd with their elegance and grandeur as they paraded through the streets of Sorsogon City for its Grand Santacruzan on May 19, 2024.
The provincial government of Sorsogon, with the Sorsogon Provincial Tourism, Culture, and Arts Office (SPTCAO), spearheaded the event, where they invited the beauty queens to participate as ‘reinas’ of the Santacruzan, which is the culmination of the month-long celebration of Flores de Mayo every month of May.
Among the ‘reinas’ who participated were Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi as Reina Del Cielo, Miss Earth 2023 Yllana Marie Aduana as Reina De Los Santos, inaugural Miss Philippines Pauline Amelinckx as Reina De Las Flores, and Miss Supranational 2013 Mutya Johanna Datul as Reina Helena, among others.
The Grand Santacruzan procession commenced at the Sorsogon Arena and ended at the Plaza Rizal. As seen in the traditional Santacruzan procession, a large cross has led the way, followed by stars carried by altar servers and a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary beautifully decorated with flowers. Angels and queens, in their arches of flowers, are walking toward the endpoint of the procession.
During the closing program held at the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium, Governor Edwin “Boboy” Hamor said that a Grand Santacruzan will be celebrated annually in the province.
“Ang lahat ng probinsya—lahat ng bayan, ultimo sa barangay, may Santacruzan…gusto ko naiiba ang Sorsogon para may signipikante ang sinasabi nating ‘Una ang Sorsogon.’ Sana ang mga mata ninyo ay nasiyahan sa mga naggagandahang mga dilag na nandito… taon-taon natin itong gagawin,” he said.
According to Museo Sorsogon’s brief history of Santacruzan, the religio-historical activity is a tradition of Catholic devotees to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary by offering her some flowers as the “Kalinis-linisan and Kabanal-banalang Ina ng Diyos.”
The Santacruzan is based on the story of Queen Helena, Emperor Constantine’s mother, and her quest to find the Holy Cross on which Jesus was crucified. At the end of the procession, Queen Helena can be seen holding a cross, escorted by her son, Prince Constantine, who is frequently represented by a young man wielding a sword. | Denisse Mae Laganzo
Photos: DOT Bicol