For 33 Years, A Ritual Sacrifice

Illawarra Mercury

Friday April 14, 2006

By SARAH ALLELY

RENE Bitabara was six when his parents committed to an Easter sacrifice and 33 years later the family of 10 continues the tradition in their Blackbutt home.

"I remember my sister got really sick and my parents made a promise to do the chanting every Easter as a sacrifice during the Holy Week," he said.

The eight adult siblings gather at their parents' home on the eve of Good Friday and for almost 24 hours sing their way through the Passion of Christ, or Pasyon.

The Philippine-Australian family keep up the chant until the 300-page passage is completed, taking turns sleeping and eating.

The Pasyon tradition is prevalent throughout the Roman Catholic-dominated Philippines, a former Spanish colony.

Mr Bitabara said the Good Friday mood was sombre.

"My dad believes on Good Friday you're not allowed to have a shower after 3pm, when Jesus Christ passed away, until the resurrection on Sunday," he said.

Friends visit to join in, bringing their own tune to the song.

Rene's oldest sister, Shirley Hilzinger, said each region in the Philippines had a different tune for the Pasyon.

The family attends church for the Last Supper on the Thursday, before starting their chanting about 10pm.

"We usually finish by about 8pm on Friday. Each person goes for as long as they can, but my parents normally go through without sleep," Mrs Hilzinger said. The family returns to church on Saturday and Sunday.

Mrs Hilzinger migrated to the Illawarra in 1979.

© 2006 Illawarra Mercury

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