With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David has allowed his priests to distribute ashes to those who won't be able to physically go to church and attend Mass on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17.
"This is especially for those who cannot yet attend Mass physically," he said in an interview Thursday, Feb. 4.
"They can follow the Mass through the livestreaming and impose the ashes on themselves while it is being done in the parish Church," added David.
Among those who asked permission to distribute ashes to the faithful is Father Alain Magnait of the St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Caloocan.
Alene Songco, catechist of the St. Gabriel Parish, said they started distributing ashes, which is placed in a small plastic, to the sick and elderly within the vicinity of their parish Feb. 1.
"We are targeting to distribute 1,000 pieces of this. We have many elderly here so they need not go here especially those aged 65 and above," she said.
"This is for the elderly, sick, and the young not allowed to go out of their homes due to the community quarantine," added Songco.
Together with the ashes, she said, is a prayer, short explanation about Ash Wednesday and what will be uttered when imposing the ashes.
"Although there is a pandemic and we are under General Community Quarantine, this should not stop us from praising the Lord," Songco said.
The parish will continue to distribute the ashes until Feb. 17.
During Ash Wednesday, Catholics have their foreheads marked with ashes as a sign of penance.
Ash Wednesday ushers in the start of the Lenten season.
(Photo courtesy of the St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish)