Araquio of Penaranda Date Last Sunday of May Venue Penaranda, Nueva Ecija Description Held every 2nd Sunday of May, in Penaranda, Nueva Ecija, the Araquio Festival is a traditional procession and dramatization of the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and her son, the Emperor Constantine, where Jesus Christ was crucified. Similarly, the komedya or moro-moro carries on in some villages such as Poblacion (2nd Sunday of May), Las Pinas (May 11 - 12), Sto. Tomas (1st Sunday of May), San Jose (3rd Sunday of May) and Pinasahan (May 21-122). Dating back from the Spanish colonial period, the festival features vivacious beats of brass bands, spirited choreography and moving voices embraced with a daunting literary piece. Written in ancient Tagalog, the script tells about the feud of the Muslims and Christians that started over territories. It shows how Christians used the power of the cross symbolizing their faith in defeating the Muslims, who later retaliated by way of stealing the cross from them. Many battles preceded the retrieval of the cross, which in the end led to the Christening of the Muslims. Contact Joseph Mabalay (Municipal Tourism Officer) Mobile 0906-331-9011