Church bells in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao will toll every 3 p.m. to invite the faithful to pray for an end to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019).

"With the surge of the coronavirus in the Philippines and especially in our province, I am encouraging all Cagayano faithful to unite ourselves in a particular time of the day to pray for the stop of the spread of the virus," an advisory from the Office of Archbishop Ricardo Baccay reads.

"Let us toll the bells in all our Churches in the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao at 3 p.m., the Hour of Great Mercy, to invite the people to pause and silence for that purpose," it further read.

Baccay said churches may also continue the practice of ringing bells at 6 p.m. for the Angelus/Regina Coeli and 8 p.m. for the repose of the souls of the dead to include especially those who died because of the virus.

"May our Faith bequeathed to us strengthen and move us to reach out to people for this appeal of prayer," he said.

Last month, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines asked the faithful to pray fervently and unceasingly for an end to the pandemic.

In a letter dated March 28, CBCP President Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles asked bishops to encourage the faithful to "pray fervently and unceasingly for the Lord to intervene, so that we will be spared from this rise of infection, and that there will be an end to this pandemic."

"Let us enjoin everybody to intensify our prayers to the Lord, praying among others, the Oratio Imperata and the Mass In Time of Pandemic, if liturgically possible, so that this pandemic will end the soonest," he said.

The prelate also urged everyone to pray for the people in the archdiocese and dioceses in the NCR and neighboring provinces. 

"Let us not forget those suffering most from this pandemic, especially the poor families and those who lost their daily income in order to put food on the table. Together, let us put our efforts to bring mercy and compassion to them," said Valles.