Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma| via Wenilyn B. Sabalo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — After the successful holding of the in-person Fiesta Señor 2023, the celebration of the Lenten season this year is also expected to gather thousands of devotees and pilgrims in physical attendance.
In a press conference on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, said the Lenten celebration in Cebu would be “practically normal,” with the churches operating at their full capacity.
Instead of sprinkling the ashes, parishes are advised to resume the old practice of “badlis” this coming Wednesday, Feb. 22.
The Lent this year will run from Feb. 22 to April 9.
The prelate also said that while live-streamed masses will remain, they will be done only on “rare occasions,” to cater to those who are sick and cannot physically attend mass celebrations.
Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic-induced health restrictions made the Catholic church adopt improvised ways to celebrate major Church activities, such as limiting in-person attendance and requiring vaccination for entry into churches.
“Among pagtan-aw, salamat sa Diyos, practically nakalabang na ta sa Covid-19. There are viruses nga nabilin actually, but according to our expert, those viruses are not as deadly as the former Delta nga Covid-19. Mahina na and people feel that way,” he told reporters.
Last Feb. 2, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) released the “Litany of Gratitude after the Covid-19 Pandemic.”
It replaced the Oratio Imperata prayer against the virus. /rcg
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