Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-06-03
FEAST OF THE ANIMALS
DIR. EDwORDS DESCRIBES PECULIAR RE-
LIGIOUS CEREMONY In PHILIPPINES.

Mixture Of Christian and Pagan Religion
Seen in Unique Celebration Of Feast
Of the Animals.
Manila, p. l., May 26:-In my last
letter I spoke Of the Christmas cele-
bration. but have just seen an event
that for strangeness and uniqueness
exceeds anything that has come before
me. / have studied many religions.
in many lands, and have found that
in nearly all lands there is union Of
several different kinds Of religion. II
has remained for visit to this coun-
try to show me mixture Of Christian
and pagan religion that Is the most
queer q all. In talking with .
Spanish plest who looks after the re-
ligious welfare Of savage and semi-
savage rsDes Of different countries.
/ have discovered that Catholic mis-
sionaries succeed better than any
other denomihetion because they
incorporate with their rites and ser.
vices certain rites that the natives are
10th to give up. sss4
It was explained to me by q priest
in Mexico. when was travelling in
that country. who said that the rites
desired by the natives did not inter-
fere in the least with the Catholic
observances. and it was better to in
corporate harmless things in the
church services than to antagonize
those whom it was desired to convert
to the Christian belief This explana-
tion serves to harmonize what / saw
Yesterday with the general ideas Of
the church services as we know them
in our country.
The day was devoted to the feast Of
the animals, and was strictly . reli-
gious service. ending mp with great
jollification. was walking in one Of
the suburbs of Binondo. one Of the
parts of Manila. when I was attracted
by q crowd before church. am
always looking out for the unusual,
and turned my steps that way. I
was well repaid for the visit, and
spent the entire day about the church
and most of the night in the neighbor-
hood. At first did not understand
what it meant but gradually I noticed
that the people were all leading or
carrying some animal. Here one
would have COW, there donkey. or
q horse. then sheep or q goat.
But this was not the queer part Of
it. All these animals were dressed
mp In some grotesque manner. A COW
walked sedately along with her fore
legs clothed in an old pair of trousers,
and on her head perched an old hat
with holes for the ears and horns; q
donkey had his hind legs similarly
encased. while around his neck was .
gaudy colored piece of calico; one girl
carried her pet dog in her arms. and
it was dressed like woman. with
gown and hat; monkey is no unusual
sight anywhere. and in this crowd
there were dozens OF them. while cats
innumerable added strangeness to the
scene
One sturdy Filipino carried q
squealina pig under his arm. and ie
was . sight to behold. On each leg was
q different colored piece Of cloth, its
head wore . night cap especially
made to fit over its ears. while around
its body was piece of colored calico.
tied in . large double bow knot on
the back. One woman carried large
rooster dressed in calico gown, and
its head adorned with . little straw
hat. There were hundreds of animals
Of all kinds in the group. Everybody
seemed intent on getting close to the
church. and as waited l found the
reason for it. Suddenly door open.
ing onto . little balcony above; the
crowd was drawn back and priest
with his assistants appeared. He
carried large brush in his hand. and
this he dipped into basin of holy
water held by one of his assistants.
Leaning forward he blessed the
animals and then sprinkled the holy
water from his brush over the crowd.
Everybody tried to get his or her
animal under the priest so that some
of the holy water might fall upon it.
and those who were fortunate retired,
satisfied that their animals would be
we'll for the coming year. This con-
tinued all day long, the priest appear
ing every half hour and going
through the same ceremony in order
that all who came might have their
animals blessed. After tho drops Of
holy water fell on the animals they
were carried of in triumph to the
homes Of their happy owners. aud
were then kept in their gaudy cloth
ing until evening. During the night
danciuO And foastinU markod the end