While it has always been anticipated, the Holy Week comes in differently for Filipinos this year. With most of the country under coronavirus lockdown, you will not be able to do the traditional activities associated with the season. So how do you get to commemorate the occasion? Here are some useful ideas.
Lockdown Holy Week Activity no. 1: Attend online masses
While the coronavirus has kept everyone inside their homes, technology has allowed them to stay in touch with others and do certain activities. Going to worship services is one such activity you can do right at home thanks to online masses.
These online masses follow the same mass proper except for certain rituals that require physical presence, such as the holding of the sacred communions for Catholics. Meanwhile, other services like confessions can still be done in modified versions.
The masses are streamed live on several channels like Facebook and Youtube. They will also be viewable later for the convenience of other parishioners. Some of the churches that are offering online masses for the Holy Week are:
Quiapo Church
- Maundy Thursday Mass: Livestream at 5 PM
- Siete Palabras/Seven Last Words (Good Friday): 12 noon
- Easter Vigil (Black Saturday): 7 PM
Manila Cathedral
- Maundy Thursday Mass: 5 PM
- Celebration of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday): 3 PM
- Easter Sunday masses: 8 AM, 10 PM, 6 PM
Our Lady of the Capitol Parish (Cebu)
- Monday to Thursday, Saturday: 8 AM
- Friday and Sunday: 8 AM and 3 PM
To get a full list of online mass schedules, you can visit the CBCP News page. Other Christian denominations have also announced similar online worship services. The time and date for these vary, depending on the traditions of each particular denomination.
Lockdown Holy Week activity no. 2: Pray and reflect
People will often tell you that Holy Week is the time to pray and reflect. And with the coronavirus lockdown grounding pretty much everyone at home, it is a rare opportunity to do so. Pope Francis himself recommended the activity to the faithful.
According to the Pope, those who can’t go and confess to a priest during the season can instead talk directly to God for guidance. Note that there is no strict guideline in how you do your confessions at home. Even a short prayer is often all you need to release all that burden. Of course, you need to be sincere in your prayers.
Going through a more thoughtful reflection is also important for the season. Make that reflection relevant by fitting it to the current situation. Think about how you have dealt with the current COVID-19 lockdown up to now and what you should be thankful for.
You can also reflect on the efforts done by frontlines and what you can do to help. Note that all those efforts you reflect on needs to be concrete. After all, you don’t want this to be just a one-time thing. Go into planning how you can do this promise after the Holy Week and the lockdown is over.
Lockdown Holy Week Activity no. 3: Do a movie marathon
It has been a tradition for TV networks in the country to air reruns of classic Holy Week films like The Ten Commandments and Jesus of Nazareth. If you have already seen these movies for the nth time, you will likely want new ones to marathon this season.
Luckily, there are a ton of other Holy Week movies you can watch either online or on your TV screen. These include:
- The Chosen (2017): A refreshing retelling of Jesus’ life, with a focus on the various disciples that interact with him.
- Joseph: King of Dreams: An animated film that tells the story of the prophet Joseph and his exploits. The musical film is something that both kids and adults will love to watch.
- Saint Young Men: This Japanese web series follows Jesus and Buddha as they vacation in modern-day Tokyo. While the show is comedic, it is very respectful of the subject matter and offers some interesting views about Jesus.
- The Story of God: This documentary series hosted by Morgan Freeman explores a variety of topics related to religion, including holy laws and the power of miracles.
All these shows offer not just the usual Holy Week lessons but also a deeper understanding of faith. These make for a more worthwhile movie marathon during the lockdown.
Holy Week Lockdown activity no. 4: Home Easter Egg hunt
Many kids arguably look forward to the annual Easter egg hunt held in their local parish or nearby establishments. But with the Luzon-wide lockdown, the event is now off the schedule. Luckily, you can do an Easter egg hunt right at home.
All you need are some hard-boiled eggs or plastic eggshells. Decorate them in any way you want and hide them around the house. Each time your kids find an egg, reward them with some treats and tell them lessons related to the Holy Week. This is a great opportunity for them to learn more about it while having fun.
You can take this further by creating a whole itinerary of activities during the Holy Week for your kids. Each daily activity focuses on a certain passage in the Bible that you then relate to your kid’s life. All of these will then lead to the Easter egg hunt on Sunday.
Make Mahal Na Araw more meaningful during the COVID-19 lockdown
The lockdown that coincides with this year’s Holy Week offers a rare opportunity for people to become more thoughtful about the season’s meanings. By doing these activities, you not only keep the tradition alive but also gain new insights about it. Hope you have a more meaningful week ahead.