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Fertility dance: the church of Our Lady of a Fishnet, of Dancing St. Pascual and of St. Clara of Assisi (the Philippines) and its ancient pagan heritage
https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2020-5-112-139
Abstract
The paper discusses one of the most ancient sacred places in the Philippines, situated in the town of Obando, not far from Manila. In pre-colonial times it was a centre for the veneration of the Tagalog fertility gods, where a striking feature of their cult was a group dance with singing. At present, it is a Catholic church that every May becomes the national centre of pilgrimage for the childless.
The Philippines is the only Christian country of Asia. Rapid Christianization at the very beginning of the Spanish colonial period (16th–19th c.) put an end to many religious practices and a number of ritual folklore genres. However, Philippine Catholicism has inherited the lexica that used to be a part of the traditional belief system; sacred places, dedicated to local gods and spirits, are still loki sacra, but nowadays as Christian centres; pre-Hispanic rituals were partially incorporated into the church service and are still the basis of numerous vernacular Catholic practices. That inheritance is not studied enough. Two points are discussed: the question of the inheritance of ancient magic practices by present-day vernacular Catholic ones, and the question why that important connection is so poorly researched (the issue being a twofold break in tradition, caused by changes induced first by Spain, then by the USA). As the author shows, throughout the existence of the locus as a Catholic center, the pagan principle influenced the choice, interpretation of the images of holy patrons and the means of accessing them.
Despite the occasional restrictions, the vernacular practices, rooted in pagan beliefs invariably returned and are now legalized. The author’s field materials are used.
About the Author
M. V. StanyukovichRussian Federation
Maria V. Stanyukovich, Cand of Sci. (History)
bld. 3, University Emb., St. Petersburg, 194223
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Supplementary files
For citation: Stanyukovich M.V. Fertility dance: the church of Our Lady of a Fishnet, of Dancing St. Pascual and of St. Clara of Assisi (the Philippines) and its ancient pagan heritage. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin: “Literary Teory. Linguistics. Cultural Studies”, Series. 2020;(5):112-139. https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2020-5-112-139
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