Filipino Community in Berlin Marks National Heritage Month with Traditional Santacruzan

The Filipino community in Berlin celebrates National Heritage Month with Santacruzan. (Berlin PE photo)

BERLIN 31 May 2019 -– The celebration of National Heritage Month by the Filipino community was marked with a traditional Santacruzan procession in Berlin’s Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district on 26 May 2019.

Ambassador-designate to Germany Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega led the Philippine Embassy in Berlin’s contingent in this year’s procession. She underscored the message of inclusivity which the Santacruzan conveys and the openness of Filipino society. She also expressed appreciation for the youth’s participation and the community’s efforts to keep their Filipino heritage alive. 

The event was organized by the Filipino community led by Fr. Jun de Ocampo, SVD, and was participated in by first and second generation members of Filipino-German families who took the role of various religious and historical figures.

Santacruzan is a Catholic celebration that commemorates Roman Empress Helena’s finding of the true cross, enriched with elements of Filipino culture and society, such as the inclusion of the indigenous, non-Christian Aetas, and the Reyna Mora (Muslim Queen). END

Ambassador-designate to Germany Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega leads the Philippine Embassy in Berlin’s Santacruzan contingent. (Berlin PE photo)

For more information, visit  www.berlinpe.dfa.gov.ph, www.philippine-embassy.de or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGermany.