Palma to Devotees: Give time this Holy Week
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma presides over the Palm Sunday Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on March 28, 2021. | Photo from the Archdiocese of Cebu
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebuano faithfuls are urged to give time to celebrate the essence of Holy Week.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma made this reminder during his Palm Sunday Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on March 28, which was also broadcasted through the church and Archdiocese of Cebu’s social media pages.
“Giawhag kamo maghatag ug panahon niining Holy Week. Kay dunay 52 ka semana pero kini ang semana nga gitawag natong Holy Week tungod sa mga dagkong misteryo, gugma sa Diyos sa atong kinabuhi,” said Palma during his Homily.
(I encourage everyone to dedicate time this Holy Week. There are 52 weeks in a year but this one is called Holy Week because of the great mysteries, and the love of God in our lives.)
Government officials, both local and national, allowed churches in Cebu to hold person-to-person Masses in line with the Holy Week celebration but banned external activities such as processions and the traditional Visita Iglesia.
During the Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral, church workers and priests blessed the palm fronds that devotees carried.
On behalf of the Archdiocese, Palma thanked the Cebu City Government and the Inter-Agency Task Force for Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for letting attendees participate in Holy Week events inside churches.
“Sayud kita sa lain dioceses nagdiscussion pa sila kay naay uban gihatagan lamang nga 10 percent. Mao nang pasalamat ta sa LGU (local government unit) sa Cebu City, sa uban government officials labi na kaniaadto sa IATF,” he added.
(We are well aware that in other dioceses, they are still in discussion since others were only allowed to hold Masses at a 10 percent capacity. This is why we are grateful to the LGU of Cebu City, the other government officials especially the IATF.)
In Cebu City, Catholic churches and other religious groups are permitted to hold religious gatherings at a maximum of 50 percent of their venue capacity.
The prelate also reminded parishioners and devotees to follow minimum health standards and the Archdiocese’s guidelines in observing Holy Week activities, particularly the prohibition against crowd-gathering events.
“Padayun kita sa atong pag-ampo, pag-amping ug pag-ambit,” Palma said.
(We will continue to pray, take care of ourselves, and practice the act of giving),” Palma said.
Palm Sunday marks the start of the Holy Week.
This year, the Philippines will be celebrating the Holy Week from March 28 until April 3.
RELATED STORY: Palma reminds churches, devotees no crowd-gathering events for Holy Week
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