BACKGROUND -- Sometime in
1906, Don Martin R. Gozum, brother of Dňa. Dorotea Gozum Pangilinan, contracted
ecclesiastical artist Maximo Vicente, a sculptor in Manila, to create sculpture
of six(6) life-size images comprising the scene of the burial of Jesus Christ.
The task was under the meticulous supervision of artist painter Don Severino
Gozum Pangilinan and his brothers Don Juan
Gozum Pangilinan (Juez de Paz)
and Don Martin Gozum Pangilinan (Teacher, Artist, Linguist), all nephews
of Don Martin R. Gozum.
The brothers chose the “Transport of Christ to the Sepulcher” (an
1883 painting by Antonio Ciseri, a
Swiss-Italian painter) as inspiration and model
for the scene. The finishing of
the sculpture was done at the house of Gobernadorcillo
Don Mariano Pangilinan, or Don
Marianong Piscal, instead of in the Talleres
of Maximo Vicente.
FEATURES – The Sto. Entierro Carro consists of six(6 )
life-size wooden sculpture (religious images) and silver plated wooden float or carro. The scene: late Friday afternoon and the Sabbath
of Nisan 15 will begin at sundown. Joseph
of Arimathea and Nicodemus
(reputable members of the Sanhedrin who were secretly Jesus’ followers) take
the body of Jesus and wrap it in
clean clothes. With the Blessed Mary,
Mary Magdalene and John (the Beloved), they now carry the
body to the memorial tomb.
The images were to be carried during the religious procession on a silver
plated wooden carro, to be paraded as
one of the main highlights of the Good Friday procession in Betis. (The other
main highlight in the Betis procession is the image of Virgen Dolorosa , owned by Don Narciso Gozum, father of Dňa Dorotea
later turned over to Dňa Rafaela Coronel Gozum)
TURN OVER TO MERCEDES P. MAGTOTO
– The Sto. Entierro Carro prior to
World War II came into possession of Don Julian Gozum (son of Don Martin R.
Gozum) who married Dňa Modesta Sunglao Gozum (Estang). When Dňa Modesta became a widow and in verge of
bankruptcy, hearings were held for the embargo and adjudication of her
remaining properties. She has accumulated huge debt from her husband’s
niece, Mercedes Pangilinan Magtoto, wife
of Macario Magtoto, former Principal of Pampanga Trade School who also served
as Mechanical Engineer for the United States Naval Force.
Then Parish Priest of Betis
advised Mercedes to claim for the Sto.
Entierro Carro for fear that the
object of devotion for many people of Betis might find their way in another
distant place.
It was to the amazement of the people of Betis that “the plaintiff and
respondent go to the hearings together, affectionately holding each other’s
hand.”
Mercedes accepted the
responsibility of ownership for the carro and images
in order to preserve them and continue highlighting them during Good
Friday procession, in consideration to those who have Devotion or Panata. The Sto. Entierro Carro need not leave Betis, particularly the Bale Piscal, the ancestral home of Don
Marianong Piscal’s Clan.
THE CARRO – The family of Don Julian and Dňa Modesta are being allowed
by the Mercedes’ Clan to use the pilac
(silver plates) of the carro once a
year for the procession of Christ’s
Resurrection still owned by the Don Julian’s Clan, as they have identical-sized
wooden carros.
Presently, the carro is also
the float for the Nazareno (“18th century
head sculpture of Jesus when he was being tortured by carrying his cross, owned
by of the Pangilinan’s of Betis”
according to Betis folk) of Bale Piscal Betis, being paraded during
Holy Wednesday of the year.
