From Traditional to Virtual

            Every year, when we celebrate a festival in the city, we usually go out and watch from the streets. We either end up having a good view to the people dancing and performing on the streets, or unluckily don’t get a good spot and be blocked by people and will no longer be able to watch the performance up front and completely. Memories. I miss those days where we were all free to just be in a crowd and watch cultural shows, parades and street dancing with everyone else. The old traditional way. But now that the corona virus existed, we had to learn and adjust in the new normal – to the virtual world.

            The Vigan City Fiesta is held every January 25. It is celebrated during the feast day of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. St. Paul is Vigan City’s patron saint. The Metropolitan Cathedral, Vigan’s main church, is dedicated to St. Paul, and it stands at the core of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. The major Catholic educational institution in Vigan that stands beside the church is also dedicated to the patron, the St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur. The Vigan City Fiesta usually lasts for several days. It includes within the period of the celebration of the anniversary of the cityhood of Vigan, which is commemorated every January 27.

 

            The Fiesta in the new normal was first celebrated with a holy eucharist at the Vigan Cathedral on January 25, 2022 at 7:30 AM, the mass lead by the Parish Priest Msgr. Gary Noel S. Formoso. Despite the challenges the pandemic has given – unable to have a mass gathering or be in a crowd, the mass was held live on Facebook as well, to avoid a lot of people at the Church and let the rest of the citizens in Vigan who are at home, or outside the City, to be able to watch and attend the mass celebration. There are no further updates on the celebration of the fiesta so far since face to face interaction is still strictly prohibited. Although, the contest for street dancing is planned to be online. They take a video of themselves dancing and send the video instead of performing on streets.

 

            Overall, we may still have prohibitions and strict health outlines, yet the Vigan City Government still continues to strive and make ways to be able to celebrate Vigan City Fiesta amidst the new normal. We will celebrate soon, now that we are slowly rising from our difficulties during the pandemic. Viva San Pablo, Viva Vigan!

 

References:

https://www.vigan.ph/attractions/vigan-city-fiesta.html

https://tinyurl.com/ConcelebratedMassLIVE

pictures retrieved at:

https://tinyurl.com/VivaVigan

https://tinyurl.com/ViganCityFiesta2022