By Analou De Vera

The Archdiocese of Manila has called on the faithful to observe this year's Holy Week with deeper faith amid the threat of the coronavirus disease.

Manila Archdiocese Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, in his "Pastoral Instruction," said that this year's Holy Week "will be doubly special."

"Due to the virus, we are challenged this year to live this most holy week without the traditional external trappings. There is still the Holy Week but we celebrate it differently, and hopefully, more deeply," said Pabillo.

Pabillo said that the Christian faith in the country has been "wrapped in many traditional practices" which are "external manifestations" of one's faith. "Indeed, if we are not careful, the external practices can hide the deep meaning of our Christian faith," he said. "Holy Week is not taken from us. We just celebrate it in a different, and hopefully, in another meaningful way,"  he added.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has suspended public activities during the Holy Week due to the enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of COVID-19. During Palm Sunday, the faithful can still welcome the Lord and ask Him to enter their homes and lives through "prayers and fidelity to His commands," said Pabillo.

"We can take time to read the Passion Narrative and reflect over it," said the prelate. "From the narration of His suffering, let us meditate on such a tremendous love that is ready to take our punishment," he added.

Since the faithful cannot be able to sing the “Pasyon” or watch the “Senakulo,” they were urged to read the Gospels from end to end. "We may be familiar with many sayings and stories in the life of Jesus, but we often know them by bits and pieces, as separate episodes. It would be refreshing and revealing to take time—and we have the time—to read the gospels from end to end," said Pabillo.

During the Washing of the Feet observed on Maundy Thursday, "we can very well do this in our homes by the service that we give to one another," he said. For the Veneration of the Cross observed every Good Friday, Pabillo said that the faithful can give "special prominence" to their crucifix by putting it in a special place in their home, light a candle beside it and decorate it.

"At three o'clock on Friday afternoon, the whole family can venerate the cross together by bowing before it," said Pabillo. Pabillo urged the faithful to observe Good Friday in prayer and fasting, and turn off electronic gadgets the whole day except to participate in the Veneration of the Cross at 3 p.m, or to listen to the “Siete Palabras.”

"Let it be a day of prayer and silence. As fasting will cleanse our bodies, silence will cleanse our souls," he said. Pabillo also encouraged the faithful to "continue in the spirit of silence and prayer" on Black Saturday.

"We then join the Easter Vigil celebration online on that Saturday evening," said Pabillo.

"It will be a wonderful experience if the whole family can have some form of celebration that Easter night with extra food, stories and games. Let us experience together the joy that Jesus is indeed risen," he added.