ARCHBISHOP ROSALES PRESIDES
IN HOLY WEEK RITES AT MANILA CATHEDRAL

Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales leads the faithful of the Archdiocese of Manila in celebrating Holy Week, the holiest days in the liturgical Season of Lent of the Catholic Church.

The Manila prelate presides at the Palm Sunday Mass on March 20 at 8:30 a.m. Palm Sunday which signals the start of the Holy Week is more properly called the Sunday of the Lord’s Passion because it recalls the events of Christ’s life that leads to his suffering and death on the Cross. Archbishop Rosales will bless the palms of the people at the plaza in front of the Cathedral after which the procession of the people and the main celebrant into the church will be the entrance rite of the Mass. This entrance with the waving of palms recalls the triumphal entry of Jesus in Jerusalem atop a donkey. The palms that are blessed on this day will be burned on the eve of Ash Wednesday the following year.

At seven in the morning of Holy Thursday, Archbishop Rosales presides at the Chrism Mass, one of the principal expressions of the fullness of the bishop’s priesthood. All the priests of the archdiocese gather at the Manila Cathedral for this Mass, signifying the unity of the priests with their archbishop. During this Mass, the chrism (holy oil) is blessed. These are the oils used in anointing for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and the sick.

After the Mass the parish priests get their supply of the newly blessed oils. The old oils are burned or put in lamps which burn before the reserved Blessed Sacrament.

The Easter Triduum (three days of prayer) begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper in the afternoon of Holy Thursday. Archbishop Rosales once again presides at this Mass which recalls Jesus’ last supper with his apostles, and washes the feet of 12 laypeople representing a cross-section of the community, in imitation of Jesus’ washing of his apostles’ feet, to symbolize humility and loving service. After the Mass the Archbishop bears the Eucharist in a procession to the altar of repose, and the faithful are encouraged to have a holy hour, every hour until 12 midnight. Part of the Filipino Holy Thursday tradition is the “Visita Iglesia” where the faithful visit and pray before the altars of repose in as many different churches as they can. The Archdiocese of Manila encourages the faithful to spend a holy hour before the Altar of the Repose and has issued a guide for the Holy Hour for Holy Thursday. (See www.rcam.org for complete text of the guide and holy week activities in different parishes).

At the beginning of Good Friday, the altar is stripped (privately), crosses are covered with red or purple veil and lamps before images of saints are not lit. Holy Water may be removed from all fonts. They are refilled with the water blessed at the Easter Vigil.

At 3 p.m. on Good Friday (after the Reflection of the Seven Last Words which will be done at the cathedral by newly-ordained deacons of the Archdiocese of Manila), Archbishop Rosales will preside at the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion. This culminates with the Veneration of the Cross. In many parishes, a procession of the Santo Entierro is held.

Holy or Black Saturday is deemed as a day of gloom and silence for the Church. The image of the Christ crucified or lying in the tomb, as well as the image of the sorrowful Virgin Mary, can be placed in the church for the veneration of the faithful. At the Manila Cathedral on Black Saturday, Fr. Genaro Diwa, head of the Ministry of Liturgical Affairs of the archdiocese, will lead the faithful in a meditation on the “Sleep of Death of Christ” beginning at 10 a.m.

The gloom is broken a few hours to midnight of Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil, known as the “Mother of all Vigils.” The Church begins in darkness while the presider (Archbishop Rosales presides at the Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral beginning at 9:30 p.m.), lights the fire at the entrance. From the lighted fire, the Archbishop lights the Paschal Candle and then from this all the candles of the faithful in the Church are likewise lit, until the Church is suffused in light and the deacon or priest sings the “Exultet”.

There are nine readings during this Mass, seven from the Old Testament and two from the New testament. After the last of the Old Testament Readings, the priest entones the “Gloria” and the bells are rung. Ideally, the sacrament of baptism is administered to a newly-born or to an adult catechumenate, during the Easter vigil.

A Filipino Easter tradition is the “Salubong” or “Encuentro”. This usually takes place before the first morning Easter Sunday Mass. The priest greets the people at the plaza or door of the church, while the images of the Risen Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, are born on procession from different points towards the church. They meet at the door of the church and are brought in procession into the church (sanctuary). In some places more elaborate rites are held involving little children who act as angels. ###

Please refer: Peachy E. Yamsuan
Archdiocesan Office of Communications/5273962