NHCP Museo ng Libingan sa Ilalim ng Lupa ng Nagcarlan

We were on our way to Liliw Laguna when we had a brief stop at Nagcarlan. Since the town is synonymous to its underground cemetery, we decided to drop by to look around.

I was already familiar with the place as I have been there 20 years ago. But as we entered the Chapel, I was surprised to hear an unfamilar choir piece coming from the catacomb. I thought they installed speakers below and played recorded Latin or Italian music to give an eerie effect to the visitors. At first, my companions were hesitant to go down the catacomb partly because of the music.

But being familar to the place, I came in first to encourage my companions to follow me. Surprise, there were teenagers below singing. Apparently, they are members of a choir. We looked around while they were singing, and searched for the oldest crypt based of date of birth and death of those buried. As the catacomb was small, only around 10 x 5 meters, we sat on the stairways and listened to the singing teens. When they finished their piece, they softly talked among themselves oblivious of our presence. Then, I asked, "are going to sing again? Co'z were waiting." They giggled.

Their voices were enchanced by the walls of the underground cemetery. And who knows, the souls of those buried there were joining them, rejoicing at the heavenly music.

Before they started a new piece, I asked them where they are from. San Pablo City. I asked them what was the title of the song they were singing. They said it's "Ili-ili." Is that an Italian or Latin song, I asked aloud, thinking about one of the seven last phrases of Jesus: Eli Eli lama sabachtani. No, it's a Capampangan song, they said. Later, I theorized that it's a lullabye. When letter "E" preceded by "H," Capampangans drop the H. So it must be Hele-hele, or lullabye in Tagalog. I confirmed my theory through Youtube.

They sang a Mass song and Anak before we left the Chapel and proceeded to the museum located at the left side of the park.