For Good Friday, DOT releases Camiguin Stations of the Cross 'ASMR' video
In time for Good Friday, April 15, the Department of Tourism (DOT) released an "ASMR" video that allows Catholics at home to "visit" the Walkway to the Old Volcano and Stations of the Cross in Camiguin.
Through the DOT's 44-minute "Lenten Stations of the Cross" YouTube video, faithfuls who cannot visit their local churches to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ may take a walk up the steps of eight-kilometer The Walkway and check the 14 human-sized statues situated at Mt. Vulcan in Brgy. Bonbon in Catamaran town.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (QJEP) defines ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response, as a “special perceptual phenomenon in which some people can experience a tingling, static-like sensation in response to some certain auditory or visual stimulations." The sensation, the QJEP noted, brings a pleasant feeling of contentment and relaxation.
The images in the DOT's video portray the events in the Passion of Jesus, from his condemnation by Pontius Pilate to his entombment.
As one traverses the stations through their screens, they'll be accompanied by the sounds of nature, which may help bring much-needed tranquility amid the urban noise for them to be able to properly reflect during the Holy Week.
"This 360-degree immersive sound video puts the viewer right in the center of the action. Experience the sound where they happen—a gushing river to your left, a trickle of water on your right, and the thud of footsteps below," the DOT said in the video's description.
The agency recommends using open back headphones "for best experience," while noting that any headphones, earphones, or earbuds will also work.
As a Spanish colony, Camiguin has been highly influenced by Catholicism and is its dominant religion. Visiting The Walkway to the Old Volcano is one of the most highly recommended activities to the province's Roman Catholic travelers.
The DOT, meanwhile, has been releasing a series of ASMR videos that explore the country's tourist spots, aiming to ease the public's feelings of restlessness by "teleporting" them to certain destinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the DOT's Lenten Stations of the Cross video below: