FLORES DE MAYO
FLORES DE MAYO: Flores de Mayo (Spanish for "flowers of May") or Flores de Maria (“flowers of Mary”) is a Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
SANTACRUZAN: The Santacruzan (Spanish for santa cruz ) is the traditional pageant held during the Flores de Mayo, as a sort of religious-
historical pageant, re-enacting the search of Queen Elena and her son Constantine who became the first Christian Roman Emperor, for the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Traditionally, a Santacruzan features each of the queens that represents the titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This Filipino tradition “The Queen of May Festivities” introduced by the Spanish conquerors, is more than 100 years old. Filipino communities and associations all over the world celebrate Flores de Mayo and the Santacruzan with the same pageantry and glamour as the townsfolk in their homeland.