CEBU CITY, Philippines— The observance of Holy Week in the Philippines is something Filipinos would want to do with their families.
While the elder members of each family are very versed in the practices and understanding of the religious practices that come during the Holy Week, let’s not forget the new members of the family— the kids.
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Today, in this read, let us help you get your kids into knowing and understanding the Holy Week practices in ways they can easily grasp the thought of it and would somehow continue these practices when they grow old too.
- Palm Sunday: Let the kids join the mass by waving palms. If you have time you can even try making these palms at home to make it more special for the kids while you explain to them the importance of this religious practice which signifies the start of the Holy Week.
- Holy Thursday: At night, most of the people go out and do Visita Iglesia and visit seven churches around their areas. This is when you can also bring your kids and teach them the importance of this practice and can let them lead the prayers being said during the Visita Iglesia to make them feel that they are part of the group.
- Good Friday: Attend a ceremony commemorating the Passion of Christ or pray the Stations of the Cross together as a family.
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Showing children life-size figures of the Stations of the Cross might give them a better understanding of the suffering and pain Jesus went through.
- Holy Saturday: Contemplate the importance of Jesus’ presence with your family as you prepare for Easter.
Keep activities quiet and solemn. - Easter Sunday: A time to celebrate the Risen Lord! It should feel like Christmas again for everyone, especially for the kids because the Lord has risen! Let them understand that Easter Sunday is the pinnacle of celebrations during the Catholic church’s calendar. After attending mass, excite them into an Easter Hunt experience ending the observance of the Holy Week.
Easter egg hunts to cap off the Holy Week observance.
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While these are just the days during the Holy Week, at the right age, you can bring your children to church during Ash Wednesday and have their foreheads marked with ashes formed into a cross, signifying the start of the Lenten Season and have them practice the fasting from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays until Easter Sunday.
The observance of the Holy Week knows no age. Let the children be immersed in the religious practices at a young age and through time, they too will be able to understand fully the meaning of each day and the practices, we, Catholics do during Holy Week.
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith,” 1 Corinthians 15:14.