The parishes that are having difficulty securing old palm branches blessed during last year's celebration of Palm Sunday have been given an option to use any kind of dried leaves of plants or trees instead.
Archdiocese of Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo said these dried leaves of plants or trees can be burned for this year's celebration of Ash Wednesday on Feb. 17.
During Ash Wednesday, Catholics have their foreheads marked with ashes as a sign of penance.
In a circular letter dated Feb. 5, the prelate said those who will not be able to go to church for the celebration of Ash Wednesday, may perform the burning of palm leaves or any dried leaves to ashes at home.
"The Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission has prepared the Family Celebration the Burning of Palms/Leaves to Ashes and the Family Celebration of Ash Wednesday at Home for dissemination to our parishioners," said Pabillo.
The circular letter also shared the guidelines for Ash Wednesday during this time of pandemic that was issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship.
The said guidelines include an instruction on how to distribute the ashes during the observance.
With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, priests will be sprinkling the ashes on the crown of the head of the faithful.
"The priest says the prayer for blessing the ashes. He sprinkles the ashes with holy water, without saying thing. Then he addresses all those present and only once says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general: 'Repent, and believe in the Gospel.' or 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,'" it said.
"The priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask and distributes the ashes to those who come to him or, if appropriate, he goes to those who are standing in their places. The priest takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one without saying anything," it further read.
Pabillo said the sprinkling of ashes on the crown gives the opportunity to "catechize our people on both the penitential and baptismal characters of the Lenten season."
"In Baptism, we have been anointed on the crown of the head. The ashes to be smeared on the crown signify our repentance from sin, which has marred the grace of Baptism," he said.
Pabillo also asked the faithful to support the Fast2Feed campaign of Hapag-Asa by donating whatever they saved from their fasting, abstinence, and other penances to the program to help feed hungry and malnourished children.
"As we begin the season of Lent, we are reminded of the constant call for renewal in our Christian life by self-control (fasting and abstinence), generosity and charity (almsgiving) and prayer," he said.
Ash Wednesday signifies the start of the Lenten season which is usually marked with fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.