The "Pabasa "

One thing I miss about living in the heart of town is the way you really feel part of the community's Lenten activities.

Take the traditional "Pabasa ng Pasyon" (Reading of the Passion), for instance.  When we used to live just four houses away from Concepcion Church, and at another point, almost across San Bartolome Church, there was no forgetting that Holy Week was upon us, because the "Pabasa" almost literally became the soundtrack of the days leading up to Good Friday.  Whatever you happened to be doing inside the house during those days, your background music was inevitably that familiar sometimes monotonous chanting of the "Pasyon."

But for the past nearly 20 years that we've lived away from the heart of Malabon in Barangay Potrero, there are years when I don't even get to hear a single chanting of the "Pasyon."  In that sense, I really get to feel we're so "out of it" in terms of the traditional community activities.

So after attending yesterday morning's Photo Exhibit at the Malabon City Hall, when I chanced upon a Pabasa going on in front of the Immaculate Conception Church on my way to my Dad's house, I felt glad. It suddenly felt like old times.


WHAT IS THE "PABASA," ANYWAY?

The "Pabasa," is a long-time Pilipino tradition - said to have began during Spanish times - wherein the life and passion of Christ is chanted or sung mostly a capella.  A group of singers usually take turns in chanting/singing, and devotees gather around them to listen and reflect. Although the "Pabasa" is commonly done during the Holy Week, a friend whose family holds a "Pabasa" every year to fulfill their mother's vow or "panata," says it can be done anytime within the Lenten season which begins on Ash Wednesday.

The "Pabasa" can take place over a span of days or even just hours.  My friend's family one time held their "Pabasa" from 3:00AM until 3:00PM of Good Friday.  The important thing is to finish the reading of the Passion of Christ once it is begun, and the singers can adjust their singing to suit whatever pace or time frame they have in mind.  Over the years there has been a lot of flexibility as well on the melodies used during the singing or chanting -- in fact I read recently in the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the Church is not averse to having the "Pasyon" sung in a hip-hop beat if the effect is that it reaches more young people! 


THE "PABASA" HELD IN CONCEPCION

According to the Concepcion Church Parish Office, this "Pabasa" that I chanced upon yesterday morning started on the evening of Palm Sunday and ended on the evening of Holy Monday.

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Other devotees pray and sing along.

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Taking turns singing or chanting the "Pasyon."

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