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Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

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Siete Palabra (Seven Last Words)

Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

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Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

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Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

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Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

This samahan always celebrates Good Friday on the same day.
At 9 am there is a Misa para sa Mahal na Araw ( Mass for the Holy Week). From 12 noon till 5 pm there are the Siete Palabras (The Seven Last Words) inside the main church. In the evening there is a procession inside and around the compound.

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Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

Members of the Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios.

Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

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Imagery used by the Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios. 

A word of warning.
All my pictures about « Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios » are copyrighted. All rights reserved. I generally agree that my pictures appear in other publications (blogs, websites, newspapers and magazines) but in this case I can’t allow anybody to use them, for whatever reason.

Suprema Isabel Suarez, the actual leader, asked me to utilize my pictures only for my own personal use, as they felt that they have been abused by photojournalists in the past. I also understood that they don’t want me to monetize on the pictures that I have taken.

The people of “Supremade la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios” are hospitable as they took care of me (providing shelter and sharing their meals with me) and I was treated like a guest of honor. During my visit I had a long conversation with Suprema Isabel Suarez. She was very friendly and took the time to answer all my questions. I was free to roam around their compound while at the same time witnessing all their religious rituals but I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside their churches.

My perception is that they are genuinely good and religious people. Their beliefs might sound odd to most of us but this is not a reason to ridicule neither their beliefs nor their religious rituals. Religion and faith are very personal and we should not criticize an individual’s beliefs which we may not even understand. Hopefully my pictures will contribute to a better understanding of the Rizalista groups in Mount Banahaw.

Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

The symbols on the altar easily attract the eye for the colors are vivid. The altar's "boundaries" are what appears to be a huge pair of angel's wings placed strategically at both sides. Those that can easily be seen and read from a distance are the words: At the left - Pag-ibig sa Dios, Pananampalataya, Gawa at Pag-asa and Tiyaga (Love of God, Belief, Action and Hope and Industriousness). Above these words are the Roman Numbers for the Ten Commandments. At the right - Kalinisan, Katwiran, Kaliwanagan, Katotohan, Kababaan ng Kalooban and Pagtitiis (Cleanliness, Righteousness, Being enlightened, Truth, Humility and Suffering).
Above these words is a big heart with a cross at the top and on it the words - Aral ni Jesus (Jesus's teaching). There is also a wooden cross and above it a triangle with an eye. There are plastic flowers all around the altar space and candles lighted at the center. During the prayers, a woman would offer incense. The prayers are spoken, chanted and sung.

Source: Karl Gaspar

The Ciudad Mistica de Dios celebrate mass, with many rituals having direct similarities with pre-Vatican II Catholic practice.
The symbolism in the rituals is strongly nationalistic and directed towards ushering in a new political order in which women will occupy a central position by virtue of the spiritual power they possess, where spiritual power is regarded as the ultimate power through which the course of all human life is directed.

Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

It all began with the birth of Maria Bernarda Balitaan who when she was born from her mother's womb was inside some kind of "bolang lamad" (a kind of soft tissue ball). This "ball" was given to the mother's cousin and she was ordered to throw the "ball" away. The cousin didn't throw it away because she felt that something is stopping her to do so. Instead she brought it to the Holy Mountain and left it there. She eventually returned three days later to the mountain and gave the ball to a midwife who broke it. Lo and behold, there was a little girl inside the ball.

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Given this "mysterious and enchanted" beginnings, Maria Bernarda Balitaan would manifest extraordinary actions since she was three. Later in her life, she reached Mt. Banahaw and it was here that the samahan was established in 1873. Maria Bernarda Balitaan is believed to have been sent by the Lord Jesus in preparation of his second coming.

According to other sources the foundress of the ‘Ciudad Mistica de Dios’, Maria Bernarda Balitaan, was a Benedictine nun who left her convent to found the indigenous religious movement, and is now venerated by her followers as a saint.

Her lasting words were an assurance of religious salvation: “That a white dove shall descend from above and land at several chosen places to sow the seeds of change; that one day, a piece of bamboo would suddenly shoot up from the top of Banahaw from which a golden Philippine flag shall emerge, and from which a New Jerusalem similar to that of St. John’s vision would be formed.”

Click image to enlarge. Suprema Isabel Suarez.

Suprema Isabel Suarez.

After Suprema Maria Bernarda Baltaan died, other women were appointed Supremas. The actual Suprema, Isabel Suarez, says that the samahan do not discrimate against men who could also be appointed as Supremo; however, leadership of the samahan has always been with women until today. Since its beginnings, they have had women priests in the samahan who are tasked with officiating their liturgical celebrations. Priests do not necessarily have to be celibates, but Nanay Isabel chose not to marry.

A portrait of Suprema Isabel Suarez when she was younger.

Isabel Suarez took over as Suprema when she was 22 years old. When she was young she wanted to become a doctor. Despite the strong exhortations of her father - who served as guardian to the samahan - and the elders of the association who were unanimous in choosing her as Suprema, she refused and continued to live in Manila hoping to become a doctor. Then she got sick and for 20 days she was confined to a hospital where the doctor could not diagnose her with an illness.

Ultimately, her father visited Isabel in the hospital and advised her to try to climb the Holy Mountain. Upon reaching the top she felt that her body has fully recovered. She realized that her illness was connected to her refusal to become the Suprema. So she decided to accept the samahan's offer to become their new Suprema. She eventually also became a healer but because she has so much work in the samahan she leaves the healing to other members of the community.

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A painting of Mount Banahaw and the Holy Places inside the National Park. People believe that Mount Banahaw is the New Jerusalem.

Source: Marc Greggy and Karl Gaspar with some minor corrections.

Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.

A word of warning.
All my pictures about « Suprema de la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios » are copyrighted. All rights reserved. I generally agree that my pictures appear in other publications (blogs, websites, newspapers and magazines) but in this case I can’t allow anybody to use them, for whatever reason.

Suprema Isabel Suarez, the actual leader, asked me to utilize my pictures only for my own personal use, as they felt that they have been abused by photojournalists in the past. I also understood that they don’t want me to monetize on the pictures that I have taken.

The people of “Supremade la Iglesia del Ciudad Mistica de Dios” are hospitable as they took care of me (providing shelter and sharing their meals with me) and I was treated like a guest of honor. During my visit I had a long conversation with Suprema Isabel Suarez. She was very friendly and took the time to answer all my questions. I was free to roam around their compound while at the same time witnessing all their religious rituals but I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside their churches.

My perception is that they are genuinely good and religious people. Their beliefs might sound odd to most of us but this is not a reason to ridicule neither their beliefs nor their religious rituals. Religion and faith are very personal and we should not criticize an individual’s beliefs which we may not even understand. Hopefully my pictures will contribute to a better understanding of the Rizalista groups in Mount Banahaw.

Click image to enlarge.

Click image to enlarge.

Tabak ng Espiritu (Knife of Spirit)
Dako ng Kapayapaan (Point of Peace)

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The gate of the samahan's compound is spectacular. An eagle, a flag, two crisscrossed swords and fire coming out of two giant pots are the symbols that can be seen on top of the gate. The gate itself is plastered with colorful flags of all the nations of the world. At the bottom on both sides of the gate are angels, big birds and jars.
The crossing swords are not supposed to mean anything violent or war-like; instead, holding the swords is akin to an effort to struggle against sin which, in their teachings, refer not just to personal sin but social sin as in mga kasamaan sa mundo (evils in the world). The fire symbol bursting out of the giant pots are the fire from the kalooban (will power) that lights our paths. The flags of all nations suggest that the samahan's mission cover the entire world. And the angels are guardians for human beings.

Source:   Karl Gaspar