May is a month devoted to Mary and in the Philippines children offers flowers to Mary after the praying of the rosary and on the last day of May, a crown of flowers is placed on the head of the statue of Mary. Santacruzan is a tradition in the Philippines that is celebrated on May 31^st. It is a commemoration of Queen Helena’s finding the cross where Jesus was crucified after the decree of her son Constantine., Emperor of Rome, to excavate on the Lord’s grave. The celebration is usually done at night with people processing with candlelights around the town. At the end of the procession is a young lady dressed as a queen holding in her hand a cross and walking beside her side is a young man dressed as a king. The Filipino tradition has added young ladies wearing a sash to remind the people of the 3 theological virtues of faith, hope and charity. People pray the rosary during the procession and sing the Hail Mary in Spanish with a music band playing.

Here in Wisconsin, Oya Cochingyan started 25 years ago a celebration of Santacruzan and May crowning which usually took place on Mother’s Day at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Waukesha.

Many Filipino communities in the U.S. celebrate this devotion in different ways.