RajahJun

Beware of heatstroke! Here is one story about it. The whole family went on a trekking trip down a canyon.  The heat was already unbearable at the top, and it was getting hotter as they all negotiated the trail downwards.  Worse, they brought just enough water with them to drink. Midway down the canyon, one of the children, a young boy of seven, fell face downward.  He sweated profusely and his heartbeat raced rapidly.  The boy was slowly slipping into unconsciousness. Worse, they ran out of water to drink. What we are seeing are the ominous signs of heatstroke.  Don't take it lightly. Heatstroke can be life-threatening. People who suffer from heatstroke risk the chance of losing their life if it is not treated immediately.  But it is always better to go for prevention rather than experiencing personally. It is simply hotter today than it was fifty years ago. The noonday sun is so unbearable this summer. There is a big chance of folks falling victims to heatstroke. So you

Every year during the Lenten season, a pageant is held on a Philippine island where the local residents, mostly menfolk, wear Roman-inspired centurion costumes putting on colorful paper masks. These centurions would go running around the town square trying to catch one of their kind and scaring children with their imposing masks.  Who are they after? How did this pageant reach our shores? I've decided to write a piece about a little known saint who played a nondescript role during the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Later on, this saint would play a major role in spreading Christianity to Cappadocia in Turkey. The saint's influence has also reached Philippine shores. During his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ has touched the lives of many men and women. He continued to touch lives even in his passion, death, and resurrection.  There was one such person whose life Jesus has touched. His name is  Longinus. He had never been a part of Jesus' inner circle of apostles whi

Do you know that there is a route through an old city in the Middle East known all over the world and is deeply venerated by different faiths? "La Via Dolorosa" or Way of Suffering is the actual route in Jerusalem where Jesus carried the cross from the house of Pilate to Mount Calvary where he was crucified. This has become a popular and most revered pilgrimage destination of Christians from the west, east, and from all over the world.   I did some research and found out that in the mid-4th century, Constantine the Roman emperor legalized Christianity, and pilgrimages to the famed route started. The Christians went there and felt it was safe and didn't worry that they might be impaled on the cross the same as Jesus. The Byzantine pilgrims walked the route from the actual events but did not stop along the way.  It was only in the 14th to the 16th century, where the 14 stations of the cross were introduced along the route because of the trend developing in Europ

Mel Fonollera, blogger Today, I'm going on a long vacation and take a break from work.  The reason why? - Holy Week in the Philippines.  It starts on Palm Sunday last April 9. It reminds us of the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem with crowds cheering and waving palm fronds.  However, days afterward, the events would turn bloody and messy because of his execution by nailing on the cross instigated by the same crowd that cheered him earlier, quite ironic. Every Catholic Filipino will be reflecting on these events that happened two thousand years ago. As part of my break, I'll be writing some blogs about this most observed and revered week. Spanish priests, centuries ago, introduced the observance of the holy week.  The Catholic church in the Philippines, which has strong ties with the Vatican, leads the flock in observing the holy week yearly. Painting by Fernando Amorsolo Activities during this week are centered around the community Catholic church