Moriones Fesval Marinduque Crowds of town people dress up as a Roman legionaries and ﬁgures from the Bibles. The fesval takes place in Marinduque during Holy Week and culminates in the re-enactment of the beheading of Longinus. Enre towns are converted into huge stages as the story of Longinus unfolds. Parcipants wear colorful costumes (similar to those worn by Roman Legionaires) and masks made from paper mache and painted in lively colors. Other even dress up in the image of various other ﬁgures from the Bible. "Morion" means "mask" or "visior”, refer to the colorfully garbed and masked soldiers and centurions during Christ's Passion, a part of Roman armor which covers the face. Morion serves as the focal point of the Moriones fesval and celebraons. One of the most colorful fesvals celebrated in the island of Marinduque is the Moriones Fesval. Moriones, on the other hand, refers to the masked and costumed penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. This week-long celebraon starts on Holy Monday and culminates on Easter Sunday when the story of Longinus is reenacted in pantomime. This is a folk- religious fesval that re-enacts the story of Longinus, a Roman centurion who was blind in one eye. Legend has it that Longinus pierced the side of the cruciﬁed Christ. The blood that spurted forth touched his blind eye and fully restored his sight. This miracle converted Longinus to Chrisanity and earned the ire of his fellow centurions. The re-enactment reaches its climax when Longinus is caught and beheaded. The fesval is characterized by colorful Roman costumes, painted masks and helmets, and brightly- colored tunics. The towns of Boac, Gasan, Santa Cruz, Buenavista and Mogpog in the island of Marinduque become one giganc stage. The observances form part of the Lenten celebraons of Marinduque. The various towns also hold the unique tradion of the pabasa or the recitaon of Christ's passion in verse. The Via Crucis is also reenacted and ﬂagellants, known as anpos, impose suﬀering upon themselves as a form of atonement. Aﬅer three o'clock on Good Fridayaﬅernoon, the Santo Sepulcro is observed, whereby old women exchange verses based on the Bible as they stand in wake of the dead Christ.