December 24, 2017 St. Peregrine Laziosi Diocesan Shrine. The Commission on Youth held its presentation of the Panunuluyan as part of the Christmas celebrations at the St. Peregrine Laziosi Parish. Playing the lead roles of this year’s Panunuluyan were Shania Areza as Mary, Mark Amil as Jospeh, AJ Hernandez as Herod and Clarisse Gaila as Herod’s wife. A large number of youth also played various roles in the Nativity play as the Three Wise Men, innkeepers, shepherds and angels.

Noel Salmorin presented a special reflection as a spoken word segment within the play.

The panunuluyan / panuluyan is a dramatization of the search for lodging in Bethlehem by Joseph and Mary right before the birth of Jesus Christ. This tradition is generally held on Christmas Eve, when Filipinos of the Catholic faith prepare for the midnight Mass.

It’s been said that the panunuluyan may have been derived from the nine-day Mexican ritual called “Posadas“. It is what this Philippine tradition is called in the Tagalog-speaking regions. The Visayans call their version “Daygon“. Other areas have their own similar cultural rituals during the Christmas season.