RajahJun

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 w...

The year was 1975 where boys' pants were all bell-bottom and girls' skirts were a bit shorter.  It was my elementary years and I was in the sixth grade at St. Martin Technical Institute. St. Martin Technical Institute was located along Meralco Avenue and at the back of the Rizal Provincial Capital.  The school grounds was actually perched on top of hill overlooking the valley below know as Barrio Ugong.  The school was quite expansive during those days.  There were separate buildings for grade school and high school.  The grade school building is 5-storey high with two wings on the side but hardly occupied .   Inside the elementary building was a big open space that was used for field demonstrations, school dances and other school related activities. After classes in the afternoon,  the open-ground was used by elementary students to play "sipa".  A bit away from the building were lines of sweet berry trees where we used to climb up and picked ...