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MANILA: In the National Capital Region (NCR) and four surrounding provinces placed under general community quarantine (GCQ), an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said there would be a virtual blessing of palm fronds on March 28, Palm Sunday, for the second straight year.

CBCP Public Affairs Committee executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano  said this is in compliance with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution 104, which prohibits public gatherings, including religious ones, from March 22 until April 4, Easter Sunday.

This would affect Metro Manila and other areas placed under GCQ for the next two weeks, including the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna.

 “In other provinces, there will be no such restrictions. The 50 percent capacity will still be allowed,” said Secillano.

In last year’s Holy Week observance when the country was placed under varying degrees of community quarantine, the blessing of palm fronds was done virtually.

Secillano said just like in 2020, priests in GCQ areas will still say mass and read the Gospel this Holy Week.

 “They would bless the palm fronds but not use holy water since there would be no people inside the churches… the words of prayers are enough to bless the palm fronds of those who would be attending masses through social media platform such as Facebook or the radio.” He said there will still be online masses during the two weeks that churchgoers are prohibited from entering churches and parishes.

The faithful cannot visit churches for the other traditional Holy Week activities such as the 14 Stations of the Cross or Way of the Cross, procession and Visita Iglesia.

They will have to stay at home and go online to access a virtual Visita Iglesia. They could also pray on their own or check the Church-run Radio Veritas for the 14 Stations of the Cross.

But Secillano said that while there is already an IATF resolution, he advised the faithful to wait for their respective dioceses to make an announcement. So far, only the Dioceses of Novaliches and Cubao in Quezon City have made announcements.

Meanwhile, churches in Manila have halted all public masses in compliance with the national government’s newly installed protocols on physical distancing.

Instead, masses will be streamed live via Facebook to allow Manila residents to continue participating in religious activities without stepping out of their homes.

Among the churches that have announced their compliance with IATF Resolution 104 are the Manila Cathedral, Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church, Santo Niño de Tondo Parish, Santo Niño de Pandacan Parish, San Sebastian Church and San Agustin Church, Intramuros. Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila director Charlie Dungo thanked Manila apostolic administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo for complying with the government’s protocols.

 “It is saddening that this will be the second year that we cannot do the tradition that we used to do every Holy week,” Dungo said.

Dungo stressed that virtual masses would not have less value compared to public masses, saying the Covid-19 pandemic will not hinder Filipino Catholics from strengthening their faith.

 “I believe that this will not be a hindrance to the Christian faith,” he said. “Let us all pray during the Lenten season that the Covid-19 pandemic will be over soon.”