Philippine Churches: The Church of Sta. Ursula de Binangonan

Ang Simbahan ng Sta. Ursula sa Binangonan, Rizal

Brief History of Sta. Ursula Parish Church

The parish of Sta. Ursula was established when the town of Binangonan was separated from Pueblo de Morong, the center of the province which is now Rizal, in the year 1621, when Christianity had already taken root in the town through the mission of the Franciscans who were the first group of missionaries to evangelize this part of Luzon in 1578. The virgin and martyr Sta. Ursula was chosen to be the titular patroness of the newly established town and parish.

After establishing a mission in Morong, the Franciscans Fray Juan de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa began to spread Christianity among the settlers around Laguna de Bay, and established visitas in places where they gathered people to teach them catechism.

One of the visitas was built near the shores of the lake, at the foot of Sierra Madre Mountains.  Around this visita, the community grew and the faith spread through the reduccion system implemented by Fray Juan de Plasencia.  It is believed that perhaps from this growth in community and faith in this part of the town, evolved the name of the present town of Binangonan.

Retablo Mayor of the church

The current church of Sta. Ursula stands on the original site where the visita made of cogon and nipa was first built.  From the Franciscans, the administration of the parish was transferred to the Jesuits in 1679 and then to the Augustinians in 1697.

The Franciscans returned to administer the parish in 1737 and in the last decades of the 18th century, the construction of the current church and convent, which are now considered a national treasure, was completed.

From 1931 to 1973, the parish was administered by Columban missionaries from Ireland and New Zealand and during this time, many renovations were carried out in the church and the convent.  One of the most important milestones of this period was the establishment of the Binangonan Catholic High School on July 1, 1947.

The parish was transferred to the management of the diocesan clergy in 1973 with the appointment of Msgr. Arsenio Bautista as the first Filipino pastor of Sta. Ursula.

Sta. Ursula de Binangonan may be the only parish in the country named in honor of the martyr saint. 

Sta. Ursula de Binangonan 

There are two images of Sta. Ursula that are venerated in the town of Binangonan.  The first is the one in the parish retablo mayor made of wood and the second is the one of ivory that is taken out in procession during festivals and mounted on the pagoda.  The wooden image is a detailed carving of the saint adorned with green and red clothing and holding a banner.  

The ivory image on the other hand, can be clothed and wears a tiara to signify her status as a princess.  What makes the images distinct is that they carry a pilgrim's staff with a standard signifying that Sta. Ursula led a pilgrimage to Rome before she and her thousand companions were martyred in Cologne, Germany.

Traditions and Celebrations

"Giwang-giwang" every Good Friday

Giwang-giwang 

The "giwang-giwang" is a holy week tradition in Binangonan.  On Good Friday, the Santo Entierro is processed throughout the town while being carried on the shoulders of men devotees.  There is a rope tied to the calandra of the image which the devotees hold, similar to that of the traslacion that occurs during the Nazareno processions in Quiapo, causing the image to sway.  

Karu-karuhan de Binangonan 

"Karu-karuhan" is a tradition that evolved around the giwang-giwang which is also performed on Good Friday.  Because it is dangerous for children to participate in the giwang-giwang, they are not allowed to join the procession.  This inspired the youth of Regidor Street in Barangay Layunan to have their own celebration like the giwang-giwang.  They looked for small images of saints just like the large images that are being processed by the adult devotees and held their own procession just like the elders do.  

Children's Karu-karuhan

In 2013, the Parish of Sta. Ursula recognized the tradition of karu-karuhan and conducted a catechesis for young camareros of the small images on the importance and relevance of this tradition.  

Sta. Ursula Fiesta

Every October 21, feast of Sta. Ursula, after the mass in the parish church, as thanksgiving to God for the abundant harvest of the farmers and the bountiful catch of the fishermen, the town's patroness is danced in a procession to the Fish port of Binangonan and is carried on a platform that is placed on three connected motor boats.  The Sta. Ursula image float is filled with decorations and flowers.  The patroness is accompanied by worshippers, dancers and musicians while the pagoda is escorted with lampitaws, or small motor boats that seem to be racing as the pagoda sails across Laguna Lake.  After that, the patron is taken in procession to the town and then returned to the church.  many dance in the street during procession not only as a form of supplication but also to have fun and to get wet.  They consider the dousing of water as a way of sprinkling blessings from heaven.  The dancers are accompanied by the music of the marching bands.   

  

The "Pagoda" procession

In the past, the image was carried in an orderly and solemn manner like in any religious processions.  But nowadays, it seems that the patroness' image is being carried around in circles, and being swayed just like in "giwang-giwang" by devotees bearing her on their shoulders who are almost all young people. 

This remarkable celebration of the feast day of their patroness is a way for the people of Binangonan and the devotees not only to have fun but also to thank God for all the blessings they received through the intercession of their patron saint, Sta. Ursula.  

The Martyr Sta. Ursula 

The story of Sta. Ursula is linked to an inscription written between the 4th and 5th centuries in the Church of Sta. Ursula in Cologne, Germany, which states that an ancient basilica was built by Climatius on the site where holy virgins were killed.  When it was mentioned again in a sermon in the 8th or 9th century, the number of virgins increased to several thousands, who were said to have been killed during the reign of the Roman Emperor Maximian.  

According to the Legenda Aurea (Golden Legend) by Jacobus de Voragine, written in 1265 - 1266, Ursula was a princess from Britain  who sailed with 11,000 maidens to her future husband, the pagan governor Conan Meriadoc of Armorica.  After being washed away by a mysterious storm at the port in Gaul (now France), Ursula decided to make a pilgrimage to Rome before finally marrying.  On their return, they passed through Cologne, Germany, which was then under siege by pagan Huns, where Sta. Ursula's maiden companions were beheaded and she herself was killed by an arrow when she refused to marry the Hun leader, in the year 383.

The discovery in Cologne in 1155 of an ancient Roman tomb believed to be the resting place of the said virgin martyrs gave life to even more legends.

The martyrdom of St. Ursula and
Companion Maidens

Over time many changes have occurred in the legends of Sta. Ursula and her companions.  Some say that instead of the 10 companions who each had 1,000 virgins, she is said to have had only one companion named Undecimilla, which was mistakenly translated as "undecim millia" meaning 11,000.  Whatever the truth behind the legend, there is certainly a church named after Sta. Ursula in Cologne.  St. Ursula is recognized as the patron saint of female students in connection with her being chosen by Saint Angela de Merici as the patroness of the order of nuns she founded whose charism was the teaching and formation of young women. In Christian art and iconography, Sta. Ursula is often depicted wearing a crown as a princess, holding arrows in one hand indicating that she was a martyr and also holding a pilgrim's staff with a while banner with a painted red cross as a sign of victory.

Her feast day is commemorated every October 21st.

In 1969, due to the different and sometimes contradictory stories about Sta. Ursula, Pope Paul VI removed her name from the Canon of Official Saints and Saints in the revision of the General Calendar of the Church although devotion to the martyred princess continued.  

References: 

A Pilgrimage of Faith with Mary: Silver Jubilee Celebration of the Diocese of Antipolo. July 2011, Roman Catholic Diocese of Antipolo.

“Festivals and Traditions” retrieved from http://www.binangonan.gov.ph/about-municipality/tourism/festival-and-traditions.html on 06 June 2020.

Mga Mananayaw sa Pista ni Sta. Ursula retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/notes/taga-binangonan-ako/mananayaw-sa-pista-ni-sta-ursula/265770443461580/ on 06 June 2020.

St. Ursula and the 11,000 British Martyrs retrieved from https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Saint-Ursula-the-11000-British-Virgins/ on June 05, 2020.

Mga Larawan: CTTO