Palo, Leyte was declared in the Diocesan Synod of 1910 as a center of faith and religiosity in Eastern Visayas.

Oldest of Palo's Holy Week Traditions, is the Penitentes, a penitential fraternity of "cassocked", a barefoot and hooded members organized by Fray Pantaleon de la Fuente, OFM in 1894 supposedly to replace the flagellants, fanatics who whipped themselves or have themselves whipped to atone for wrong doings, whose cult of fanatics was gaining momentum among the faithful.

There is still the Karad Boys, a brigade of kids producing scrapping sound through a hand device called "karad".  Their main task is to go around the town to announce with their karads the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services in place of the bells which were taboo until Holy Saturday.  When the Search for Christ was introduced in 1975 substituting the suppressed Procession de Pasos, the brigade afford the searching "Roman Soldiers" and crowd who identify their groups with their respective standards, proper animation for the job.

In 1915, Parish Priest Rev. Juan Pacoli initiated the Tanggal or Crucifixion Reenactment as climax to the Seven Last Words discourses.  In 1974 it was overhauled becoming the climatic portion of the entire Via Crucis now Pamalandong (meditation) started off right with the capture of the condemned Lord and His subsequent delivery by Caiphas to Pilate for appropriate action.  It is a dramatic recollection of Christ's passion and suffering on the cross.  After publication of Pilate's sentence, Christ's Death March (the 14 stations) follows, ending at Golgotha.

Eight pulpit orators and one for the intro tackle the sermons on the Last Seven Words.  Fitting choral intermissions are provided.

While practically all Philippine parishes hold the Procession de Sto. Intierro on Good Friday, in Palo this procession has been fused with the Procession de Passos (Procession of Lenten Images) originally on Holy Thursday, thereby presenting to the countless multitude, participants and viewers alike, a kaleidoscopic pageant of a living faith and vibrant religiosity.



Black Saturday
Turugpo
Brgy. Camansi, Carigara, Leyte

Traditional jousts of native carabaos (pasungay) and horses (paaway).  Cockfight (karambola) is another attraction.



Easter Sunday
Sunduan Ha Carigara
Carigara, Leyte

Easter Sunday celebrations with songs and dances and a colorful parade of floats depicting the rich history of the town of Carigara, once a capital of Leyte.



March 16
Homonhon Landing
Homonhon, Eastern Samar

Reenactment of the discovery of the Philippines by Magellan.



March 31
Sinugdan
Limasawa, Southern Leyte

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator, in the service of Spain landed in Limasawa Island on March 31, 1521 where the First Christian Mass in the Orient was celebrated on Easter Sunday.  This historic and religious event is commemorated with a cultural presentation and anniversary program dubbed as Sinugdan (meaning beginning).

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[ 1st christian mass ]  ↑