VANCOUVER, Canada – Filipinos in British Columbia, Canada are prepared for the many practices that come with the tradition of Holy Week.

For the past 20 years, Esmer Ureta’s Good Friday has been devoted to holding the “Pabasa” or the singing of Jesus Christ’s passion, death and resurrection for Filipinos in Vancouver.

Ureta said it was a family tradition that dates back more than 30 years ago in the Philippines. She brought the tradition with her to Canada in 1983.

She said doing the pabasa yearly has worked miracles for her like when she underwent operation for a brain tumor in the late 90s.

“Ang doctor impressed na impressed dahil napakadali daw ng pagka-opera niya. Usually, hirap na hirap siya at isa pa nakuha niya lahat ang tumor sa ulo ko," Ureta said.

She added, “Alam ko na kaya nangyari iyun ay dahil sa faith ko na hindi ako pababayaan ng Mahal na Nazareno.”

Her altar and copies of the Pabasa book are now ready. A function hall has been booked and food has been ordered to all those who are coming to the Pabasa this Friday.

Ureta added that more and more Filipinos participate in the Pabasa every year.

"At saka talagang nagpapakahirap sila overnight na bumabasa sila kahit kami antok na antok. Lahat nagtitiis magdamag,” she said.

Filipino priest Fr. Amador Abundo said practices like Ureta's Pabasa prove just how Pinoys in Canada have made the Catholic faith richer.

"If not for the Filipinos, many churches are closed and even Catholic schools, even yung mga volunteering sa mga parokya maraming Pilipino ang nandiyan. Sila ang nandyan, dedicated," he said.

Fr. Abundo is the parish priest of St. Luke’s Parish in Maple Ridge.

Attending mass, confession and doing the Stations of the Cross are also some of the practices done during the Holy Week. Balitang America