Skip to main content

How other religions observe Holy Week


by: Maricris Guerrero




It has been a tradition for Filipino Catholics to reflect on their sins and show their everlasting faith to the Creator when the Holy Week, which represents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in paying our inherited sin, began – be it in a form of fasting, pasyon, or penitensya.

However, some of Filipinos do not know what the Holy Week observances are followed by other faiths; so here is a list consisting of three different religions that tells us if they celebrate the Lenten season or not:


1. United Church of Christ in the Philippines

- The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), a Protestant Christian denomination, observes the same Holy Week practices as that of Roman Catholicism. They also observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Black Saturday.

They also have a senakulo-liked tradition, but it is a Last Supper reenactment and they also do the seven last words. Their Easter Sunday serves as the culmination of the whole Holy Week celebration.

There is not much difference as they also follow what is written in the bible.


2. Iglesia ni Cristo

- Another homegrown Christian sect, Iglesia ni Cristo, does not observe or mark the services of Holy Week as they believe that the customs associated with it was derived from pagan traditions.

The sect’s main activities include worship services, and missionary works. Local congregations in their house of worship usually hold the worship services on Thursdays and Sundays, which consists of prayer, singing and bible study for guide and application in their daily living.


3 . Aglipayan Church

- The Aglipayan Church, also known as the Philippine Independent Church, follows the same services and observances as the Roman Catholics, because they follow the same biblical narrative when it comes to Holy Week.

They also begin the Holy Week with Palm Sunday, while on Maundy Thursday, there would be a washing of feet and celebration of the Eucharist. On Good Friday, they include the seven last words and the processions of the cross, while the Easter Vigil mass is held on the evening of Black Saturday and the Salubong very early on Easter Sunday.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dwindling Industry of the Jewelry Capital

Dwindling Industry of the Jewelry Capital by: Mary Mica Derutas, Deb Domingo, Jamie Karen Hernandez OLD BUT GOLD. Alaheros on their daily routine inside June and Rosie Acero Jewelry Shop. Photo by: Deb Domingo Who would have thought that the lost goose who lays the golden egg has been residing in the premises of Meycauayan City in the province of Bulacan since early 16th century. Jewelries is the source of livelihood and as the time pass luster starts to appear. According to Bulacan government website, the Philippines is considered as one of the leading producers of gold in Asia and has been identified among the emerging profitable business in the country. Meycauayan City-dubbed as the ‘fine jewerly capital of the Philippines’ is rich in stones and expensive metals, there are 2,000 establishments that belong in the jewerly industry   and most of them are found in the streets of Brgy. Calvario. One of them is the Jewelry shop owned by Hernanie “Aga” Adina wh...
Post a Comment
Read more

Penitensya: Wounds of Reflection and Faith

by: Maricris Guerrero In the Philippines where Roman Catholics make up 81 percent of the po pulation, it is no surprise that Filipinos have numerous traditional events during Holy Week.  In the early days, these traditions and practices where done for reflection of their sins and the sacrifice Jesus Christ has made. One of these traditions is ‘penitensya’ [penance], which is derived from Old French and Latin ‘poenitentia’. It means repentance or the desire to be forgiven, but traditionally, it is viewed as punishment varying from the sins they have committed. It is usually done during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday; this involves severe discipline, which could be both humiliating and harsh but was considered as spiritual act. Many Filipinos participate this taboo practice, which the Catholic Church prohibits and does not endorse. This Kapampangan tradition began in 1955 after writer Ricardo Navarro came up with the play narrating Jesus’ story, and the actu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bulacan, who lays the golden jewelries

Bulacan, who lays the golden jewelries by: Mary Mica Derutas, Deb Domingo, Jamie Karen Hernandez   No one may have thought that the lost goose who lays the golden egg have been laying by in the premises of Meycauayan City in the province of Bulacan since early 16th century .   The Philippines is considered as one of the leading producers of gold in Asia and has been identified among the emerging profitable business in the country.   Meycauayan City- dubbed as the ‘fine jewelry capital of the Philippines’ is rich in stones and expensive metals. In Meycauayan, Bulacan there are 2,000 establishments that involves the making and selling of jewelries in the town and most of them are found in the streets of Brgy. Calvario.    One of them is the Jewelry shop owned by Hernanie “Aga” Adina who has been in the industry of jewelry since he was 21 years old, it was a family heirloom from his mother who has been handling the business since 1970, their family wi...
Post a Comment
Read more