Tags: Religion, Spiritual Wellness
By KC Santos
TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA – Peping Espiritu is the reason why residents of Barangay Bagumbayan still get to watch the Senakulo or Passion play every Holy Week.
The 74-year-old Tatay Peping is the man behind the Senakulo in our barangay since 1984. Before that, there was no Senakulo for almost a decade.
“It just came to me one night that I had to bring it back. Like most people, I was a mere audience but I knew that night that I had an important role to play,” recalls Tatay Peping.
He held no important position in the community that time but Tatay Peping was able to persuade elders that the Senakulo must be revived.
The Senakulo is celebrated every Holy Week in observance of the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ. It depicts the life of Jesus from birth and death up to His resurrection.
In our barangay, young stage actors would sing verses to one similar tone and tempo all through out the play.
Someone who hasn’t seen a Senakulo may get distracted from the somewhat festive atmosphere surrounding it. There are food stalls and other vendors outside the play’s venue.
Also, I must admit a play that lasts up to four hours can get a little boring.
However, my perception of the passion play changed when I met Tatay Peping. His voice might have been broken due to years of teaching young Senakulistas but he still carries a commanding tone.
Tatay Peping said he is proud that their group Tunay na Hari (True King) is comprised of generations of actors who belong to families of Senakulistas.
“We realized the children of our pasyon actors had to be active in the presentations. We, however, stress to them that the commitment must not be confined in the performance stage but also in their lives,” says Tatay Peping, adding that young people today have difficulty “taking important things to heart”.
“The parts of the play might be the same each year but the audience’s life experiences are constantly changing. They’ll be surprised just how connected their experiences are with the life and sufferings of our Creator.”
Back in the day, Tatay Peping recalls that teaching young actors was an arduous task. He would visit each actor to personally rehearse his or her role in the play.
He admits young people today are burdened with so many “distractions” that it’s difficult to get them to pay attention to the Senakulo.
“I hope more children will participate in passion plays. I’m not getting any younger and there is not a whole lot of old people out there who will do anything they can to keep this tradition alive.”
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