Santacruzan at the Filipino Embassy in Tel Aviv

The festivity was presided over by H.E. the Filipino Ambassador in Israel, Mr. Neale Imperiale, assisted by the staff of the embassy. Invited guests included municipality officials and Church leaders. 31 Filipino associations and communities participated in the colorful parade that celebrates the Virgin Mary and the founding of the True Cross by Empress Helena in Jerusalem. Each group presented a queen and a king, adorned in royal splendor, and they were often accompanied by a prince and a princess from among the children.

Among the participants were members of the various Filipino Catholic communities throughout Israel. In the pictures one can see children from the program at the Hebrew speaking Catholic Vicariate of Saint James including the queen of the Saint Lorenzo Ruiz community in Jerusalem, Denise and the princesses and prince, Aliya, Princess and Alex.