Simple Moments, Blessed Memories: St. Peter's Feast Day

Happy Monday Hivers!

I remember when I was a child, my siblings, friends, and I would always get excited whenever the Feast of St. John and St. Peter came around because there was always plenty of food and go swimming in the sea. The Feast of St. John is celebrated every June 24, while the Feast of St. Peter is celebrated every June 29. Even there's a class, we would sometimes skip school just to enjoy swimming and celebrating. It was one of the traditions we grew up with here in the Philippines.

Every Feast of St. Peter, an area some distance from our house would become very lively because several families would hold fiesta celebrations and organize various activities and entertainment. When I was younger, I would always go there and enjoy swimming in the sea. Now that I'm older, however, I usually just stay near home and no longer join the festivities as often.

This year, during the Feast of St. John, most people did not go swimming in the sea because of the storm. The waves were extremely rough at that time, making the beach almost empty. We were very thankful that there was no storm during the Feast of St. Peter. Although it rained on and off throughout the day, we were actually happy about it because the weather was cooler and more comfortable for swimming.

Early this morning, the families celebrating the fiesta started their fluvial procession as early as 8:00 AM. A few pump boats joined the procession, adding to the festive atmosphere and honoring St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen.

Since there were only three of us at home, we did not prepare a large feast. My mother simply bought the ingredients for biko, and as soon as she arrived, I started cooking it. During the Feast of St. Peter, biko is one of the most common dishes prepared by households in our community. For some reason, it always tastes even better when enjoyed by the sea.

After cooking the biko, my mother and I headed to the beach. Since we have a paddleboard, we decided to use it to make our time in the water more enjoyable. There were only a few people swimming near our area, but farther down the shoreline, the beach was crowded with people enjoying the celebration.

By noon, the much-awaited pump boat race had begun. Whenever there is a fiesta in our community, a pump boat race is almost always part of the celebration. Since fishing is one of the main sources of livelihood here, many residents own pump boats, making the race both exciting and meaningful for the community.

It was a simple yet enjoyable celebration of the Feast of St. Peter. Spending time with family, enjoying the sea, and witnessing the local traditions made the day special and memorable.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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