The Baguio City I knew growing up ... copied from the Baguio Midland Courier written by Guillermo Bandonill, Jr. The Angelus Before there was the three o’clock habit, we already had the six o’clock habit. We piously called it the “Angelus.” When the siren rings its tone, every soul that hears it within the distance automatically, yet, obligingly stands still, whispers a prayer and invokes a solemn supplication to God to cure the ills of mankind. It needed no ordinance to compel the people to observe it, much more it need not any law to implement it. All that was needed was a far reaching siren to guide the residents that it is six o’clock and it is time to pray. That was way back then. Back in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s when the city was dominated by conscious people who knew the value of prayer. Back in the old days when every afternoon without any miss, the fog would descend upon the city like a blessing from the Lord for the prayers that are invoked during the Angelus. Back when there was less people and no traffic to contend with. It was a time when Baguio City still maintained its pristine beauty. A time when business establishments respected the Sabbath day and did not open shop on Sundays. These were quiet moments in the City. We had time to pray and we had time to meditate without need of any announcement to tell us to do so. All residents knew one another. The community stood as one and to violate the Angelus was a mortal sin that condemned the soul of those who simply dared to violate it. I remember the admonition that I and my brothers would get from my grandfather every time we refused to close our eyes at this time of the day. We felt his burning eyes piercing through the very core of our being. Without him needing to verbalize his dissent, we proceeded to pray: “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit, Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with you, Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.” For years we followed this tradition. Even after the death of my grandfather, we repeated it as only our values dictate. It became second nature to us just like eating three meals a day. Somehow it stopped. I really do not know how and when. All I can remember is that for years the siren stopped wailing and as soon as it did, the people stopped praying. Mercifully, the siren is back but no longer do residents of Baguio City pose for awhile at six o’clock to say the Angelus. No longer does time stand still at this moment of the day for the needed prayers that is due to God. Heck, the younger generation does not even know what is the Angelus. To them, it is an obsolete practice that has been overtaken by the songs of Lady Gaga, Usher, Beyonce, Pitbull, and Britney Spears. They look with humor when somebody suddenly halts in the middle of the street to say the Angelus. They think it is a joke. They think that God has more important matters to attend to rather than listen to a few minutes of homage. For those driving their cars, any time taken away that delays the free flow of vehicles is an obstruction of traffic. For saying the Angelus in the midst of traffic, one may get a citation ticket.; I wonder with guilty feeling, is it really the years when the siren stopped reminding us that it is six o’clock that caused the Angelus to be erased from our religious tradition? Or, is it because the values of our people have radically changed? I feel sorry that I too, stopped this time honored practice. The confluence of so many factors made me. But, this is no excuse. It is good that Councilor Manong Fred Bagbagen has noticed this deficiency. He has proposed a resolution to revive the Angelus. Not that we need a law to remind people to pray. That is for the Holy Spirit to do. However, with the diminishing values of our society, every assistance that is geared towards moral regeneration will do. It must be anticipated, though, that this legislative agenda will be challenged. It raises constitutional issues on the freedom of religion and religious legislation. But that will be another matter. For the meantime and by all means, the Angelus needs to be revived, not only as a religious practice but, as a time honored tradition of the people of Baguio City.
Posted on: Fri, 27 Sep 2013 17:27:37 +0000
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