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FIESTANG NING APU MAMACALULU

Now on its 110th year since its first celebration on October 29, 1897, by the then Augustinian parish priest, the Fiesta ning Apung Mamacalulu is held in the city of Angeles in honor of the Lord of the Holy Sepulchre. 

This is celebrated as a form of thanksgiving.  The belief of the people is that they would be protected against untoward incidents, calamities and disasters. A quinario, or a five-day novena in dedication to the Lord's five wounds preceded this.  This was done after a series of locusts infestations coupled with hostilities between Cazadores and Pampango insurrectos. 

Two successive fires razed to the ground of the public market in the latter part of 1897.  The first fire was when an alguacil (peace officer) named Domingo, was taken for a looter and shot while crossing the street in front of the market at night.  And the second, a man driving a carabao cart was put to death with a three-edged bayonet of a sergeant in front of the house of Don Galicano Valdes (Judge of the Peace). 

The situation became so tense that nobody dared to go out of their houses after the incidents.  Because of this, prominent citizens gathered at the convent after the Naval Fiesta to ask from Fr. Rufino Santos, then the parish priest of Angeles, the celebration of the festivity of “Apung Mamacalulu”, our Lord of the Holy Sepulchre.

The parish priest granted the petition and collections began accordingly among the townspeople so as to cover the expenses of the Quinario. 

An incident also took place on October 25, when one Roman Payumu, a suspected Katipunero from Barrio Capaya, was being led beside the church to be shot at the nearby cane field by the Spanish Cazadores.  He knelt down and prayed to Apung Mamacalulu.

Payumu managed to loosen the rope and was able to escape from the canefield and a series of five gunshots. He suffered only a minor wound on his right heel.  Thus the devotion of the townsfolk to the “Apu” began, culminating in the First Annual Celebration of his festivity on this day, the last Friday of October and that is October 29, 1830.

THE FEAST OF LA NAVAL

The Feast of La Naval is commemorated yearly on the second Sunday of October.  This was first celebrated on October 10, 1830 in honor of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, patroness of Culiat (now Angeles City).  La Naval festivities will mark its 171st year this coming October.

Based on historical accounts, it all started in 1796 when Don Angelo Pantaleon de Miranda (Capitan) and wife Doña Rosalia de Jesus, led the settlers and made the first clearing of a vast thickly forested area north of San Fernando.  When the clearing was completed, the couple founded a new barrio of San Fernando, Pampanga, which they named Culiat. Culiat was named after the course woody vine that abounded in the place at that time.

Doña Rosalia de Jesus used to bring the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary during the procession and whenever there was a new clearing.  It was believed that she would protect them from the non-Christian native Aetas who lurked in the forest's deeper areas and safeguard the new settlement from evil spirits and natural calamities.  The couple then decided to adopt the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary as the patroness of Culiat.

On December 8, 1829, Culiat was given a beautiful name of “Pueblo de los Angeles” in honor of the Christian name of the founder and the “Los Santos Angeles Custodios” (Holy Guardian Angels), the titular patron of the town. 

FIESTANG KULIAT THEN AND NOW

In a nutshell, the celebration of Fiestang Kuliat embodies the emergence of Angeles City as one of the progressive urban centers in Region III after the “double whammy” that hit the City in 1991 -- the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the withdrawal of the US Military base in Clarkfield.

The Angeleños resiliency and steadfast resolve to recover from these trials brought us to where we are now. The aftermath of these natural and man-made disasters brought anew the inherent Kapampangan trait of determination to survive. Amidst widespread uncertainty, the local government responded to the needs of its people in crisis; various institutions and civic organizations came and gave assistance. Affected businesses started to gain new ground, and Angeleños from all walks of life temporarily set aside differences and worked together to regain normalcy in their lives.

Angeleños felt a need to jubilate from these significant experience and historical milestone. Hence, a year after Pinatubo came the realization of a bright idea -- the celebration of Fiestang Kuliat, which aptly represents the triumph of Angeleños inspite of these crises. Since its birth in 1992, the Fiestang Kuliat has been an integral part of Angeles City's rich culture and heritage. The significant event also gives an opportunity to fellow cabalens from nearby towns and local tourists from manila to experience the revelry and the enticing charm of the city.

This year, the Angeles City Government and the Kuliat foundation, Inc., bring you once again the month-long celebration of Fiestang Kuliat 2007, where various fun-filled activities are in store for revelers. Fiestang Kuliat 2007 will be launched on September 29, 2007, and will run for the entire month.

Various activities are in store for revelers joining the year's fiesta and they are guaranteed to bring in more fun and excitement!

Contributed by:

 ANGELES CITY TOURISM OFFICE

Our address: Leen cor. Gail Sts., Nepomuceno Subdivision, Cutcut, Angeles City, Philippines
Tel No. : +63 045 888-6505, +63 045 322-6028
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