Apu, as the lying statue of Jesus is fondly called by devotees, has become a symbol of hope for people longing for a connection to the divine especially when all else failed.

Every kiss that lands his badly bruised feet or a touch that grazes his battered hand comes with a deep conviction that through his death and resurrection, He made all things new.

Bulatao, SJ, a noted author on Philippine religious psychology, writes that the Filipinos identify with the suffering of the dead Christ because of poverty and other socio-economic difficulties they experience.

There is also a similar entry found in the church records under the date February 20, 1865, where it appears that the Apu image, with its adornments and carriage, was a gift from Padre Paras and was then in his care.

Talimunduc where a group of young men voluntarily joined the Katipunan organization, firmly believing in the cause of Philippine Revolution that was then converging into Pampanga from the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.

When the first ever Quinario devotion, prior to the fall fiesta of Apung Mamacalulu, was instituted on October 23, 1897, he quickly volunteered as a regular cargador (bearer) of the Apu during processions where he was popularly known by his nickname, Duman.

Finding the barrio Capaya completely deserted, the platoon ganged-up on Duman who was brusquely interrogated regarding the Katupunero band that raided Bo.

The guards took turns in hitting him with their rifle butts on the head, chest and back to force him to talk, but Duman only wept in pain and insisted that he knew nothing.

Padre Lapus tried his best to console the condemned prisoner and succeeded in enabling him to make a last confession, and to accept his fate with complete resignation to the divine will of God.

His request was granted and the death squad walked to the church, but all its doors were locked for the siesta (the Spanish tradition of nap time from 1 to 4 p.m.).

Desperate to be saved from execution, innocent as he was, Roman decided to pray near the reclining statue of Apung Mamacalulu and the closest he could get was at the last closed door of the church (facing the present Parish Hall).

The Spanish lieutenant allowed Duman to kneel down outside this closed door where he tearfully implored the Apu to save him from the firing squad.

Embrace me tightly and enfold me with your holy robe and save me, and cast away my executioners!The Spanish and local Macabebe soldiers broke into loud laughter seeing the kneeling Duman in a feverish frenzy of emotion.

The guards pulled him up and brusquely pushed him forward to the execution spot, which was the corner church wall before reaching the present sacristy door.

Realizing that his arms had suddenly become free, he quickly decided to run away and darted towards the sugarcane fields right behind the church (now the Holy Angel University campus).

), it was incredible how these well-trained professional officers and soldiers could have missed their target, starting from a distance of only ten feet, and after initially firing a total of about twenty shots at their escaping prisoner!

Some 100 feet inside the dense sugarcane field, Duman fell into a luctun trap, which was full of dried leaves and trash.

The searchers combed the fields up to the barrio of Siniura, Porac but failed to find Roman who, all the while, was hiding only about a hundred feet behind the church building!

When the image was carried out in procession on Good Friday of 1928, its camarero (caretaker) Eriberto Navarro, acting for his aunt Alvara Fajardo [an heiress to the Paras estate], and with the assistance of numerous other persons [among them several policemen and then town Mayor Juan D. Nepomuceno], caused the image to be taken forcibly from the precincts of the church when the procession was over,[5] and from there it was carried to a place that had been constructed for its deposit.

Ricardo Canlas of San Fernando: it is said that the snatching fiasco resulted not only from an ownership dispute but also from a long-standing political quarrel between the then Nacionalistas and Democratas.

30242 filed on March 25, 1929, with the Supreme Court, entitled The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila vs. Alvara Fajardo and Eriberto Navarro.

From Henson the image passed by transfer, so it is claimed, to Fernanda Sanchez, and from her to her son, Crispulo Bundoc, and his wife, the defendant Alvara Fajardo.

Crispulo Bundoc is now dead, leaving Alvara Fajardo as the only claimant to the image by virtue of alleged title derived along the line indicated.

In addition to this, it is the duty of the person filling said office to collect alms with which to pay for the religious services incident to the celebrations devoted to the saint.

Lalapit cu Keca o Apung Mamacalulu, nung macananu na cang lepitan nitang babaing Cananea, a megmacalunus alang-alang king másakit a anac na, at menalig king degulan ning pusu Mu, ning lunus Mu at masabal careng alang acarapat.

Lalapit cu Keca, calupa nang San Pedro iniang pepakit Ca keya at maibug yang lumbug king dine na, iniang inagcat meng mangan at mipasiag pasibayu king lugud na, sumangid ning gewa nang pamaglingad Keca.

I too, dear Lord am longing to bring my loved ones closer to You so that they too would get the chance to hear Your comforting words, so that by the power of Your grace their wobbly knees and drooping spirits would regain strength, so that they would not falter and fall or lose their way again.

I come to You o Apung Mamacalulu like the Canaanite woman, who pleaded and begged in behalf of her sick daughter and believed in the goodness of Your heart and in Your infinite mercy and compassion for the helpless.

I come to You like the woman accused of adultery, who was bound to be stoned by the self-righteous, because I know that You are merciful, and that You alone can forgive my shortcomings, You alone can shield me from shame, And You alone can lift me up.

I come to You like St. Peter when You appeared to him and he almost drowned in shame, when You invited him to break bread with you so that he could reaffirm his love for You, despite his repeated denials of ever knowing you at the hour of Your trial.