On Maundy Thursday at General Luna Port in Quezon Province, a seven-year-old boy watches two Centurions march by. Eyes with wonder, he asks his mother, “Ma, can I be a Centurion?” As he waits for his mother’s reply, his gaze is still fixed on the men from a distance.
This boy’s curiosity reflects the tradition, as every Holy Week, the town of General Luna comes alive with the presence of its reimagined and localized Centurions—masked and clad with vibrant headdresses, making them one of the anticipated sights of the Lenten season in the heart of the Bondoc Peninsula.
They can be easily recognized—they wear huge headgear or turbante, made from colorful crepe paper. They don it with a mask and a matching tunic. Pilgrims and visitors would find them at the General Luna Plaza for the “Estokadahan ng mga Senturyon,” or a mock sword fight, or in the streets, walking under the scorching heat of the sun all day. They can also be seen at the General Luna Port waiting for the sunset.
But more than the bright turbantes and eerie masks, their presence carries a much deeper meaning: penitence, prayer, and personal devotion.
Buhay na Kubol in General Luna
Centurions are an iconic presence in the weeklong Buhay na Kubol, the town’s Holy Week festivity since 1974. Each year, local tourism expects over 200,000 pilgrims for their much-anticipated activities. Centurions roam around town, along with Morions, as part of the reenactment of 14 Stations of the Cross set in interactive kubols or huts designed and prepared by different barangays and organizations in General Luna.
According to Municipal Tourism Office Gernigan Mendoza, the town’s version of Centurions is a reflection of their faith and culture that has been embraced by the young. This year, 270 Centurions signed up, ranging from 7 years old to 30 years old. It mirrors a young demographic that continues to breathe life into the tradition.
Mendoza adds that some parents encourage their children to join the Centurions so they can learn the value of sacrifice at an early age. Others believe that bringing them closer to Jesus will help keep them healthy and protected from illness.
Young devotees
Among the devoted is John Dave Nipal, a 20-year-old resident from Barangay San Ignacio Ibaba. Nipal has been a Centurion for four years. “Since I was 16, I’ve joined every Holy Week as my way of sacrifice,” he says.
Following the footsteps of his relatives who once were Centurions, Nipal joins this yearly tradition with his cousins, along with a fervent prayer. “This sacrifice comes with a prayer for my family’s health, their safety, and a good life for all of us.”
His sacrifice also provides him with strength as he pursues his studies as a BA History major at Eastern Quezon College in Gumaca.
General Luna does not limit its participants to their own. Interested participants are welcome to sign up, too.
Eugene Perez, a resident of nearby Macalelon, has been joining for five years now. When not on board a vessel as a seaman during Holy Week, Perez makes sure that he’s walking the streets as a Centurion and joining an Estokadahan whenever possible.
For Nipal and Perez, being a Centurion is more than the armor they wear. “This is more than just wearing a costume,” Nipal says. “People like taking pictures of us,” he adds. “But what they don’t see is the pain, the sweat, and the prayer that comes with every step.”
They stress that walking for miles in different barangays under the summer heat and with heavy armor is not easy. Moreover, their participation is entirely voluntary, and their costumes, which cost anywhere between ₱1,500 and ₱3,500, are funded out of their own pockets.
Nikki Telobello, a 17-year-old resident of Catanauan, hires a tricycle with her friends as they go to and from General Luna for a 20-minute ride. She has a meager 60 pesos for the entire day for her meals and snacks.
Nevertheless, she is enjoying her first time as a Centurion. “I just wanted to try it—and now, I want to do it again next year.” Like the others, she embraces the purpose behind it. “It’s our way of offering ourselves to God,” she shares.
As someone considered a veteran among the Centurions, Perez says, “Being a Centurion should come from the heart. Try it—and you’ll know if it’s truly for you.”
Meanwhile, Nipal has a message for young kids who aspire to be a Centurion in the future. “I hope more kids will join in the coming years,” Nipal says. “So they can learn what this is really about and continue the tradition we proudly uphold.”
As for him, as long as he can, he’ll do it over again.
In General Luna, their Holy Week tradition lives on—not just in the vibrant suits worn by the Centurions, but in the purpose they carry in their hearts.
And like the young boy at the port who asked his mother if he could be one, it is proof that this tradition is far from fading.
