Angono, Rizal, famously known for two things, the Art Capital of the Philippines with numerous artists and national artists that were born there, the art galleries that can be found throughout the municipality and its famed Higantes Festival held every October in honor of the town’s patron saint and patriarch – San Clemente de Angono, Pope and of the Great Martyrs of the early years of the Catholic Chruch.
The Patriarch’s Visage
There were two known images of San Clemente that is venerated in Angono, Rizal: the original bust image and the full bodied church image.
The first image of San Clemente is a wooden bust image of the Martyred Pontiff where he wears the standard iconography of a Pope-Saint: the Tri Regnum or the Papal Tiara, the three barred Cross, the fisherman’s ring, and the upper half of the red Papal Regalia. The image is has this expressive eyes that commands veneration to its beholder. The image is kept in an urna for protection and preservation purposes and currently under the custody of the descendants of the family who found the image in the shores of Rizal province.
The second image is the renowned altar image were St. Clement is presented standing on a base holding the three barred Pontifical Cross, the Tri Regnum on its head, wears the Papal Regalia and this time holding the anchor that was tied on his neck which is the instrument of his martyrdom. The image is currently venerated in the Parish of San Clemente in Angono, Rizal.
The Life of St. Clement I
Saint Clement I, , (born, Rome?—died 1st century AD, Rome; feast day November 23), first Apostolic Father, pope from 88 to 97, or from 92 to 101, is the third successor of St. Peter. Little is known of this early lief beyond a few facts. He was a disciple of St. Peter, and perhaps of St. Paul. It is thought that the Clement whom St. Paul praises as a faithful fellow- worker, whose name is written in the Book of Life [Philippians 4:3], was Clement, afterwards bishop of Rome.
According to the early Christian writer Tertullian, he was consecrated by Peter. St. Irenaeus of Lyon lists him as a contemporary of the Apostles and witness of their preaching. Very little is written about his pontificate, except that there was a schism at Corinth, which drew forth a letter from him which is preserved.
Clement’s Martyrdom occurred during the reign of Trajan, when Mamertinus was prefect of the city, and Toractianus count of the offices, a sedition arose among the rabble of Rome against the Christians, and especially against Clement.. Mamertinus interfered to put down the riot, and having arrested Clement, sent him to the emperor, who ordered his banishment to Pontus, where he was condemned to work in the marble quarries. He found many Christians among his fellow-convicts, and comforted and encouraged them. The only spring of drinking water was six miles off, and it was a great hardship to the convicts to have to fetch it all from such a distance.
One day Clement saw a lamb scraping at the soil with one of its forefeet. He took it as a sign that water was there; dug, and found a spring. As Clement succeeded in converting many pagans, he was sent to Aufidianus, the prefect, who ordered him to be drowned in the sea with an old anchor attached to his neck. His body was recovered by his disciple Phoebus. St. Clement I is the patron of sailors and stone-carvers.
The devotion in Angono, Rizal
The story of the devotion of Angono to San Clemente began when a fisherman Justino Villaluz caught on his net a bust image of a male saint which was later identified as San Clemente. The image was first kept in their home until the townsfolk heard of the news of the finding of the image.
From the home of the Villaluzes, the image was taken to the town’s first church on a hill in Biga, constructed in 1751, which had already been dedicated to San Isidro Labrador. A second church at Ibaba was finished in 1854, and it was here that San Clemente was enthroned, amidst protests from Biga townsfolk who laid claim to the image. The hacienderos pacified the displeased residents. Soon afterwards, the full bodied image was commissioned and currenttly enthroned at the retablo mayor of the Church and a replica of the Church image is used for processions.
The devotion as present
The artistic town of Angono celebrates the feast of Pope St. Clement I every November 22 to 23 of each year. The celebration starts with the novena mass on the 14th till 22nd day of November, the devotees in prayer and thanksgiving, dance in the church patio after the novena mass. The dancing was accompanied by the Angono band with the church bell ringing after playing the music.
During the processions, a traditional “basaan” happens when all participants are splashed with water from pales, tabos, hoses among others pointed at them by residents along the procession route. The townsfolk believed that the waters cleanses their souls and abundant blessings. The fiesta culminates in fluvial procession at the Laguna de Bay amidst revelry that continues until the image is brought back to its sanctuary.
The devotion to San Clemente de Angono became part of the fabric of life and culture of the people of Angono, Rizal. Devotees flock his shrine to seek his help on their different needs, especially on their livelihood and he generously answered them hence the colorful and elaborate festivities was given to him.
Today, many in the Church experience polarization regarding worship, how we speak of God, and other issues that we hear. We’d do well to take to heart the exhortation from San Clemente’s Epistle taht resonates today’s current crisis in the Church: “Charity unites us to God. It knows no schism, does not rebel, does all things in concord. In charity all the elect of God have been made perfect.”
San Clemente de Angono, Ipanalangin mo kami!
References:
Baring-Gould, S., “The Lives of the Saints”, Edinburgh, 1914.
“St. Clement I”, Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Clement-I on October 10, 2019.
Sembrano, Edgar Allan, “Heritage Discoveries in Angono, Rizal”,Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2015.
“St. Clement Church: The Historic 445-year-old Church in Angono”, Retrieved from https://www.choosephilippines.com/go/history-and-culture/4757/angono-church-st-clement-church on October 5, 2019.
Special credits to the owner of the photographs that were used in this blogpost
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Pintakasi 