Religious festivals are an important part of Filipino culture and are commonly celebrated throughout the year. Some of the major religious festivals celebrated in the Philippines include Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon in May honoring San Isidro Labrador, Ati-Atihan in Aklan in January honoring Santo Niño, Sinulog in Cebu City in January also honoring Santo Niño, and Dinagyang in Iloilo City in January honoring Santo Niño and celebrating the arrival of settlers in Panay. Additionally, Flores de Mayo is celebrated nationwide in May honoring the Virgin Mary and Santacruzan is celebrated as part of Flores de Mayo honoring St

1. FILIPINO
FESTIVALS AND
THEATRICAL FORM
RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL

2. OBJECTIVES
◦ Identify the festivals celebrated all
over the country throughout the year
◦ Identify the elements and principle of
arts as seen in Philippine festivals.
◦ Identify the non-religious and
religious festivals celebrated
all over the country throughout
the year.

3. A festival or commonly known as a “Fiesta” is part of the Filipino
culture. Each city or province has a local fiesta. Being a very
religious centered country, a fiesta is commonly about the
celebration of a city or province’s patron saint or of harvest. There
is a fiesta going on at any time in the Philippines.

5. RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL
A religious festival is a time of special importance
marked by adherents to that religion. Religious
festivals are commonly celebrated on recurring
cycles in a calendar year or lunar calendar.
Hundreds of very different religious festivals are
held around the world each year.

6. PAHIYAS
◦ Place: Lucban, Quezon
◦ Date: Every 15th of May
◦ This Lucban Festival is an
annual celebration to pay
homage to the patron saint of
farmers, San Isidro Labrador,
for a bountiful harvest in town.

7. KIPING

8. FERTILITY
DANCE
One of the well-known dance
rituals in the country is the
Sayaw sa Obando that is
celebrated every year during
the month of May it follows the
tune of musical instrument
made of bamboo materials.

9. MORIONES
It is an annual colorful festivals
held every Holy Week in
Marindoque. Men and women
wear their Moriones costumes
and masks replicating the array
of Biblical Roman soldiers.

10. MORION

11. MORIONES

12. ATI-ATIHAN
It is an annual feast held every
January in honor of the Santo
Niño. It concludes Sunday in
the island and town of Aklan.
The festival accompanied by
indigenous tribal costume and
weapons, music and dance.

13. SINULOG
It is an religious festival held
every third Sunday of January
in Cebu City. Cebu, Maasin
City, Southern Leyte,
Kabankalan City, Negros
Occidental, Cagayan De Oro
and Butuan City. The street
parade consists of bright and
colorful costumes as they
dance with the rhythmic beats
of drum music, trumpets and
gongs.

14. DINAGYANG
It is a religious and cultural
festival in Iloilo City, Iloilo held
every Sunday of January. It is
held in honor of the Santo Niño
and to celebrate the arrival of
the Panay settlers in the Island.

15. FLORES DE
MAYO AND
SANTACRUZAN

16. Every month of May, Catholics and Aglipayans celebrate the religious
festival called FLORES DE MAYO. Lasting for a month, it held in honor
of the Virgin Mary.
Santacruzan on the other hand represents the pageant on the last day
of the Flores De Mayo. This festivity honors St. Helena, locally known as
the Reyna Elena and her son Constantine the Great in finding the True
Cross.
The True Cross is believed to be the cross upon which Jesus was
crucified.