The church will still implement “no contact” in commemoration of Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season.
According to the Vatican, ashes will be sprinkled on the heads of churchgoers on Ash Wednesday, instead of being traditionally smeared on the forehead, according to Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila.
This is similar to the precautions taken last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Galing sa Vatican, nagkaroon ng instruction at ganun din sa CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) na sa Ash Wednesday, sa halip na ilagay sa noo ay bubudburan na lang ng abo ang kanilang mga ulo. Wala nang contact. Lalapit sila at bubudburan ng abo ang kanilang ulo,” said Pabillo.
Ash Wednesday will be commemorated on February 17.
“Noong unang panahon, kahit panahon pa ng mga Hudyo, kapag sila ay nagsisisi, naglalagay sila ng abo sa kanilang ulo, naliligo sa abo,” explained Pabillo.
What the priest says every time he puts ashes on his forehead will be done once for all.
“At ‘yung formula na sinasabi na ikaw ay tao, tandaan mo sa abo ka babalik, magsisi ka sa iyong mga kasalanan… ‘yan po ay sasabihin na lang ng minsanan sa lahat,” said Pabillo in an interview with TeleRadyo on Friday.
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Catholic churches to implement no contact Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is a Christian holy day of prayer and fasting. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter.
Earlier, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to ban all fiestas, street parades, and processions in the Philippines while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
On Twitter, Gatchalian said, “Hindi pa tapos laban atin sa Covid. Dapat mahigpit na huwag payagan ng IATF ang lahat ng: (Our battle with Covid is not yet over. The IATF should strictly prohibit the holding of the following:)
1. Fiesta
2. Prosesiyon
3. Street parades
4. Mass gatherings
5. Mass celebrations.”
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