Holy Tuesday: Faithful urged to recall passion, death, and resurrection of Christ
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles has called on the faithful to recall the events surrounding the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.
“It is through recalling and reflecting on the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ that we renew and strengthen our faith. Let us
all have a deep and heart-felt reflection on the important events in the life of our Savior so that on His resurrection on Easter Sunday, we, too, will experience a rebirth of our faith,” Valles said over Church-run Radio Veritas.
The Church leader also reminded the faithful of the importance of their baptism.
“Rediscover again the gift of baptism so that when we enter the days of the Easter triduum, we will be renewed in faith and in ourselves. Pay attention and be serious, be sincere in going through the prayers and religious rites this Holy Week,” Valles added.
Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia also reminded the faithful of the importance of the events in the life of Christ that are recalled during the Holy Week as the most important events in the liturgical year.
“The passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events in the liturgical year. I encourage the faithful to find again the roots of their deep faith and rejoice in having been called to be disciples of Jesus,” Caccia said over Radio Veritas.
Well-preserved religious traditions that have been passed on for generations will be observed on Holy Tuesday, the third day of the Holy Week.
In many provinces, the three-day “pabasa,” the marathon chanting of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus lifted from the pages of the Holy Bible, which started on Holy Monday, will be held for the second straight day.
Many devotees, especially those who own images depicting the passion of Christ, will also be busy preparing for the traditional Holy Wednesday procession particularly in the provinces of Bulacan, Iloilo City, Marinduque, Pampanga, Rizal, and Laguna, as well as in many towns in Metro Manila, where these processions are held on Holy Wednesday and on Good Friday.
Tuesday’s mass readings and reflections will focus on Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver coins and of Saint Peter’s denial of Jesus.
Also known as Great Tuesday, Church officials continue to call on the faithful to perform acts of charity and self-denial and to go to confession. Catholic parishes traditionally extend confessional services during the Holy Week to give churchgoers more time to go to confession.
Washing of the feet
Meanwhile, a Bangladeshi nun, an Indian missionary, Black Nazarene devotees, a Pope youth appointee are among 12 young people whose feet will be washed by Manila Archbishop Cardinal Tagle on Holy Thursday.
Bangladeshi nun named Antonisa of the Missionaries of Charity has been in the Philippines for the past five years taking care of poor and abandoned children in the Alay ng Puso House in Del Pan, Binondo, Manila.
Twenty-three-year-old Joel Obreo of India has been in Manila for 10 months now serving as missionary under the Ligaya ng Panginoon Community and Christ Youth in Action.
Tagle will also wash the feet of Nicole Anne Perez, 23, who was appointed by Pope Francis as a participant to the 2018 Synod of Bishops on Young People in the Vatican.
Also listed is Black Nazarene devotee Jenezis Caliwag. The 25-year-old staff of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (Quiapo Church) works closely with the Hijos de Nazareno for their spiritual formation. He is also a campus youth animator in St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Novaliches.
A person suffering from cerebral palsy, Carlito Sapunto is also on the list. Despite this illness, he is a church volunteer at the St. Dominic Savio Parish, Mandaluyong Manila. He is also an awarded player of the sport boccia, a ball sport played by people with disability bound by wheelchair.
Others in the list are newly married couple Ferdinand John and Daisy Jane Azogue, Rafael Villegas, Luna Mirafuentes, Jeffrey Ranola, Jinky Pelopero, and Janry Nevado. (With a report from Leslie Ann G. Aquino)