425th Apalit Town Fiesta | LIBAD 2022 | APUNG IRU | St.Peter the Apostle Parish | Tambay Parokya

Apung Iru’s Fiesta

The "Libad"

The "Apung Iru" (or "Saint Peter") fluvial procession which is annually held during June 28, 29 and 30, is the most widely recognized religious procession in the province of Pampanga. It is considered the Kapampangan equivalent of the Black Nazarene procession of Quiapo. Here the venerated ivory image of St. Peter the Apostle is paraded along the Pampanga River. "Apung Iru" has long been considered miraculous and he has devotees from all over the Philippines.

The history of the image of "Apung Iru"

The lifesize, seated image of "Apung Iru"/"San Pedro" Saint Peter the Apostle, is an heirloom of the Armayan-Espiritu y Macam clan of sitio Alauli, San Vicente, Apalit. The image, with ivory face and hands, dates from the last quarter of the 1700s. Family tradition has it that Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu y Macam ( + 1904 ) -- or his parents Don Calixto Armayan-Espiritu and Dona Maria Macam -- acquired the image from an aunt, Dona Maxima Santos, in exchange for a considerable parcel of agricultural land in Apalit. It was during the Spanish colonial era that the Spanish friars shrewdly assigned the ownership of the town's patron saint to one of its wealthiest families so that they could be spared the expenses of its upkeep and annual "fiesta." The first "Libad" fluvial procession of the image was held in 1844.

The stewardship of the image of "Apung Iru" has since gone down the direct descendants of Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu y Macam who married three times 1 ) Dona Dorotea Arnedo, 2 ) Maxima Santa Rita, 3 ) Ysabel Dungo y Nocom. Don Pedro originally bequeathed the image to his favorite, youngest daughter Dona Ysidora "Orang" Espiritu y Dungo ( Mrs. Jesus Justo Gonzalez ), but she did not want the responsibility of "camarera" so she passed it on to her elder, spinster sister Dona Aurea "Ondeng" Espiritu y Dungo. After Dona Aurea's early demise, the responsibility of "camarera" was assumed by Don Pedro's eldest daughter Dona Maria "Maruja" Espiritu y Dungo ( Mrs. Macario Arnedo ). In 1928, Dona Maria transferred the image of "Apung Iru" from the ancestral Armayan-Espiritu residence in sitio Alauli, San Vicente to the residence in barrio Capalangan, Apalit where she lived. The image of "Apung Iru" has remained there since.

Dona Maria passed away in 1934 and her second daughter Da. Ysabel "Tabing" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Fernando Duenas Reyes ) assumed the responsibility of "camarera" until her death in 1970. Dona Maria's richest (third) daughter Dona Rosario Lucia "Charing" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Augusto Diosdado Sioco Gonzalez ) became the "camarera" until her death in May 1977. Following Dona Rosario, the youngest daughter Da. Elisa Juana "Ising" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Fortunato Kabiling Sazon ) became the "camarera" in 1977 until her death in May 1987. Following Da. Elisa, her eldest daughter Dr. Erlinda Crispina "Linda" Arnedo Sazon ( Mrs. Enrique Espiritu Badenhop ) assumed the responsibility of "camarera" from 1987 until her death in February 2008. After Dr. Erlinda, Dona Rosario's grandson ( son of her eldest son Augusto Beda Arnedo Gonzalez ), Mr. Augusto Marcelino "Toto" Reyes Gonzalez III, assumed the responsibility of "camarero," following a stipulation of Dona Rosario and Dona Ysidora made to the family in 1970.

In 1975, Dona Ysidora Espiritu de Gonzalez, Dona Rosario Arnedo de Gonzalez, and Dona Rosario's son Brother Andrew Benjamin Gonzalez, F.S.C. established Saint Peter's Mission Inc. with the stipulation that "Apung Iru" and the "fiesta" be maintained in the generations to come.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you want to support us please send us email: [email protected]
Gcash # - 09069291012