Flores de Mayo Procession

The month of May is considered the month of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) is a traditional practice to show the devotion of many Catholics during the said celebration. Yesterday (May 31), the Flores de Mayo was held in front of the Dumaguete Cathedral at exactly 5pm.

Flores de Mayo

The celebration of the Flores de Mayo is usually occurred on the last day of May. The procession is a small reenactment of Helena of Constantinople (Reyna Elena) and her journey to find the ‘True Cross’ (of Jesus Christ) along with her son Constantine the Great.

During yesterday’s procession, devotees for the Flores de Mayo followed the parading of the arcs with their respective titles and statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a replica of the ‘true cross’ carried by the police officers of Dumaguete. The representatives of each arc are by barangay escorted by different members of the Cathedral Church. Headed by the sacristan of the Diocese of Dumaguete. Little kids dress themselves as angels as they walk with the procession.

The procession was a round walk from Cathedral (Perdices Street), Colon Street, Real Street, Silliman Avenue and then back to the Cathedral. During the return of the statue and the cross, the people stood in front of the Cathedral as songs and prayers are offered as part of the concluding remarks. Intensions of several reasons were said including a short prayer for the evacuees of Marawi, who are suffering under the war of locals and government security implementing martial law.