#filay

But not yet

Not yet

You may have seen this Rizal x Leonor Rivera romantic scene from Ilustrado 2014 while they're both in church

Even Maria Clara and Ibarra from MCAI 2022 also did something like this subtlely

There was also this cute scene between Fidel and Klay

And you may have thought... wait.. was this allowed? did people flirt like this in those times? but they're in church?!??

Well, there are many references about this happening!

In the 19th century, aside from tertulias (balls) or bailes (public dances). it was also in Church Mass and in afternoon promenades/strolls where young men and women can see glimpses of each other outside the closed confines of their house!

In an illustration that appeared in La Moda Filipina in 1894 (La Moda Filipina is like magazine/periodical that ran for one year), veiled young women were shown leaving the church well-dressed in trajes del pais (dress of the land/country- refers to the baro,panuelo,saya,tapis + mantilla ensemble), for which in the accompanying article it was explained that with hearts beating, infatuated youths went to church to catch glimpses of their love interests.

from Stéphanie Marie R. Coo. Clothing and the colonial culture of appearances in nineteenth century Spanish Philippines (1820-1896). History. Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, 2014.

Another reference is from Mrs. Concepcion G. Briones's 1983 Book "Life in Old Parian (Cebu)" in the section under "Pamalaye' (or Pamanhikan/Courtship.)

"A very devoted novio (betrothed, whether formally or informally) never failed to ascertain the hour on Sunday when his beloved heard Mass. He was at the church door, promptly, even before she and her family arrived for Mass. The smartest swains often went to the extent of always hearing Mass when she and her family did, and even took Communiion right after her and her parents!. This was to establish himself in the esteem of the novia's family and to prove that he, indeed was of good religious stock."

So Yeah! Uso nga ang Simbang Landi noong araw.