FOLLOWING the celebration of Santo Nino (the holy child Jesus) last year, the Filipino community in Devon and Cornwall is planning another event, this time in Callington this Saturday, May 14.

Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) is a typical and traditional Filipino event, a festival of flowers, celebrated during the month of May. The celebration will also include Santacruzan. an annual religious-historical event in many towns and cities in the Philippines.

Santacruzen depicts the searching and finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, who was a new convert to Christianity. After the Holy Cross was found in Jerusalem and brought back to Rome, it was welcomed with a joyful celebration of thanksgiving.

The participants will gather at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Callington at 4pm on May 14. The children will make floral offerings and the statue of Our Lady will be blessed and the rosary recited.

At 5pm the Holy Mass will be celebrated by Father Danny Longland after which there will be a procession to the front of St Mary's Church for a presentation of Filipino dancing. The procession will then make its way to the Methodist Church Hall where there will be a presentation of Filipino culture and salu-salo (food).

Churches Together in Callington, the lions and rotary clubs, the portreeve and local community have all been supportive of this venture and it is hoped that as many people as possible join in the celebration.