Hands-on

People in the Philippines went to their provinces on Holy Week.  They visited several churches or so called “Bisita Iglesia” to offer prayers. Every province had unique practices in observing the Holy Week. The Lenten season initially started at Ash Wednesday. It was followed by a number of bible readings that narrate the life of the Lord Jesus Christ commonly sung in traditional tune by the elderly citizens once a week in their respective homes or churches or so called “pasyon”.  Starting Ash Wednesday, fasting and abstinence practices were observed. In the Roman Catholic practices, Holy Week started in the Palm Sunday wherein people come together to greet and welcome Jesus Christ with the Palm leaves. Then, comes the Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday. During this period, Filipino families were mostly observed silence which means no disturbing noise anytime and anywhere.  They were just reflecting, meditating, fasting and praying in silence at home or in the church.  In the Holy Wednesday, the Holy Images of the apostles or disciples including Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ were shown to the people or so called “prusisyon” with candles and people walked together along the street to offer prayers to the Holy Saints and to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday were a three-day of reflection, meditation, visitation and prayers wherein silence is properly observed. People reflected the sacrifices of our Lord Jesus Christ together with her blessed mother. Christian people remembered the physical and emotional pains of the Lord Jesus Christ which He had experienced together with His sorrowful mother that bring them into tears. The Easter Sunday ended up the Holy Week wherein the Christian people remember how the apostles witness the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ which bring back absolute happiness to His mother, the blessed Virgin Mary.

Tags: Easter Sunday, Good Friday, Holy Thursday, Holy Week, Palm Sunday