AsiaRooms.com - See Makati adorned with flowers during Santacruzan

The streets of Makati will be decked out with flowers throughout next month as part of the Philippines' annual Santacruzan festival.

Running throughout May each year, the event sees ylang-ylang, hibiscus, sampaguitas and other flowers strewn around the country's major cities.

It acts as a rite of passage for youngsters in the Philippines and is also held to celebrate virginal virtues.

The event was introduced to the south-east Asian nation by Spanish conquerors back in the 19th century.

During the celebrations, people dress up as a wide array of historic and Biblical characters and take part in colourful pageants to commemorate the mythical discovery of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem by St Helena.

Part of the procession involves eight girls wearing long white dresses and wings, with each one holding a letter to spell out the words "Ave Maria".

The Holy Cross is one of the most important factors in Santacruzan, with nine days of prayer held during the festival to pay tribute to the religious symbol.

Tourists thinking of booking accommodation in Manila and soaking up the atmosphere can use AsiaRooms.com to choose from a large and generous selection of Makati hotels.

One example, the Heritage Hotel Manila, is situated in the city centre, just two kilometres from the Philippine International Convention Centre, Folk Arts Theater and other important landmarks.

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