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Sponsored by K of C – San Lorenzo Ruiz Council 14767 @ Chopstix Restaurant Calgary

By: Tata “Tatsky” Gascon-Delos Reyes

The life and suffering of Jesus Christ was once again narrated in this annual religious tradition practiced by many Filipinos all over the world.  Pasyon or Pabasa are verses structured in stanzas of five lines, with each line containing eight syllables. Commonly sung during Holy Week ^[1], the reading of the Pasyon is a practice in the Philippines where people gather around the reader of the Pasyon to chant and reflect. To many, it is a “panata”.  A solemn promise to oneself to do a course of action as part of one’s religious vow.

I had the chance to participate last March 28^th and 29^th at the Chopstix Restaurant in 17^th Avenue SE, a Pabasa sponsored by the Knights of Columbus All-Filipino Council. It was indeed such an experience.  The whole 206 narrative pages of the entire Pasyon Book was chanted and narrated by myself and a few more participants from the Council.  In 17 hours after,  we finished the entire set. This started as a tradition to Lydia when she co-owned Barrio Fiesta back in the days. Now that she owns the smaller Chopstix Restaurant, she continued on as this was her “panata” to the Lord Jesus Christ and as her way of giving back for all the blessings the family receives each year. It is her first time to approach the All-Filipino Knights of Columbus San Lorenzo Ruiz Council 14767 to lead her annual Holy Week vow. The group of men did not fail her and indeed made it a successful 2013 Holy Week “Pabasa”.

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