The Pasion

The Pasion was a religious narrative poem. It was an epic of Christ. It was called “The Pasion” because it aims to tell the story of Jesus Christ from birth to trial and crucifixion.

            

            Padre Gaspar Aquilino de Belen was the first Filipino who composed and sung it in Tagalog. The Pasion was a part of his book “Manga Panalangin Nagtatagubilin sa Calolowa Nang Taong Naghihingalo”. It was printed in Manila, 1704.

      

           The book was a huge success. Many intended to refine it for it was a best-seller book. The church even encouraged the people to read it and told them that they will receive a celestial award. The Pasion, then, turned into reading (pabasa) and dramatization (cenaculo).