A picture of a Catholic father dousing students with a hose of water earned witty comments from social media users.
The University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi in Bicol on Saturday, October 19, posted pictures of the “Bunyag Tomasino,” a traditional baptism ceremony for new students and transferees.
The ceremony recognizes them as “true-blooded Legazpi Thomasians.”
It is organized by UST Legazpi’s Center for Campus Ministry.
“Dressed in black, this year’s SHS [Senior High School] grade 11 and newcomers took part in a series of activities called the Road of Trials, which helped them understand what it truly means to be a ‘Legazpi Thomasian,'” the university said in a Facebook post.
“At the conclusion of the event, students gathered as their teachers donned them with yellow shirts, representing UST-Legazpi, followed by the highly anticipated affusion—an act of pouring liquid over someone during the baptism,” it added.
One of the pictures that caught attention was that of a Catholic father who used a hose to “baptize” the students.
The lone photo alone has earned 19,000 laughing and love reactions, 30,000 shares, and over 600 comments, with Filipinos showing their wittiness in the comments section.
“Bureau of Father Protection,” a Pinoy wrote, potentially referring to how Catholic fathers would bless the faithful with Holy Water through aspersion.
“Isang splash, kasalanan ay hugas lahat,” another online user commented.
“Holy Water Pro Max,” joked a different Pinoy, referencing the biggest iPhone variant in different models. For example, the iPhone 16 series’ biggest variant is the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
“Father, Son and Holy Hose of the Brother of Fire Protection (BFP),” another user wrote, playing with the acronym of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
“Bureau of Soul Protection,” commented another Filipino.
“Holy Water Jutsu First Form: Splash of the Holy Water,” another commenter said, potentially referring to a ninja technique popular in the “Naruto” anime.
The Facebook account of the UST Legazpi Senior High School said that the “Bunyag Tomasino” is a “much-anticipated identity building event.”
“Through the Road of Trials, the students faced a series of challenges that tested their teamwork, cooperation, and collaboration as a group. Each task brought them closer together, allowing them to embody the core values that truly define a Legazpi Thomasian,” it said.
The UST Legazpi SHS described the annual event as “a significant milestone” in the students’ journey as it prepares them “to uphold the proud traditions and values of UST-Legazpi in the years to come.”