Diocese of Parañaque

COMMISSION ON LITURGY AND POPULAR RELIGIOSITY

Diocesan Center for Evangelization
 
RECOMMENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES ON THE
CELEBRATION OF HOLY WEEK AND THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM
OF THE LORD’S PASSION, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION

Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through his
paschal mystery: dying he destroyed our death and rising he restored our life.
Therefore the Easter triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the
culmination of the entire liturgical year. Thus the solemnity of Easter has the same
kind of preeminence in the liturgical year that Sunday has in the week. [General
Norms on the Liturgical Year and the Calendar #18]

As we approach the culmination of the liturgical year with Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum
of the Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection, we would like to present the following
recommendations on the manner of its observance and celebration in our parish communities. The
current situation of the coronavirus pandemic has been taken into serious consideration, given the
particular context of the general community quarantine in place around the NCR.

In our desire to commemorate the highest point of Christian spirituality, we continue to keep
vigilant and take the course of utmost caution in terms of the health and safety of the faithful, the
lay liturgical ministers, and the clergy of our diocese.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

In the celebration of the Holy Week Liturgy, the government mandated minimum public health
and safety standards must always be strictly observed inside the church and in its immediate
vicinity.

 Facemasks and face-shields are mandatory for the clergy, lay liturgical ministers, and the
faithful who are in attendance.
 30% of the seating capacity of the church is to be maintained. The immediate vicinity of
the church may be occupied, provided that safety protocols are kept in place.
 Only the faithful who are above 18 years of age and below 65, in good health, and free
from any comorbidities and the symptoms of any illness may participate in the liturgical
celebrations and selected devotional practices.
 Parishes must ensure that the liturgical celebrations are made available through livestream
telecast for the benefit of the faithful in their homes.
 Physical distancing must always be observed. (1 meter apart)
 The church must have sufficient ventilation in order to maximize air circulation.
 This will aid greatly in the prevention of viral transmission. Air conditioning units
are advised to be turned off.
 Electric fans are turned on and windows are left open.

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 Contact tracing is essential and indispensable. Parishes must ensure that ministers are
assigned to handle the registration of the faithful who desire to participate in the
celebrations.
 Parishes may ask the faithful to come with their own already filled out Contact
tracing forms and submit them to the ministers in charge of registration. The only
data to be indicated in the church is the temperature of each individual.
 Contact tracing forms must include the following details: name, complete address,
contact number, and time of Mass.
 This provision on contact tracing should apply to all, including the Lay Liturgical
Ministers and the faithful who intend to stay for a short period of time to pray in
the church or in its immediate vicinity.

 The parish must ensure that the church, especially areas occupied by the faithful, are
periodically disinfected and sanitized.
 The parish must assign lay liturgical ministers to constantly monitor the observance of
public health and safety standards. In cases of necessity, the help of the local government
units, i.e., the barangay council or police personnel may be requested for reinforcement.
 Holy water fonts are still to be kept empty, and the touching or wiping of sacred images
must be prohibited to reduce the risk of viral transmission.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS AND

DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES

 All lay liturgical ministers must wear facemasks and face-shields. Liturgical music
ministers and lectors and commentators may remove the face-shield only when performing
their particular tasks, that is, singing, proclaiming the Word or various prayers. After
which, they must wear their face-shields again.
 The number of lay liturgical ministers must be kept to the minimum.
 2 lectors for the readings and general intercessions, 1 commentator
 2-3 lectors for the readings of Easter Vigil
 A maximum of 5 altar servers for more complex celebrations
 The general rule of 3-4 choir members, 1 instrumentalist is highly recommended.
 The number of extraordinary ministers of holy communion will depend on the size
of the assembly.
 The only exception is the ministry of ushers, greeters, and collectors. Additional
ministers are required to fulfill their particular tasks.
 The sharing of microphones is strongly discouraged. In cases where necessary equipment
are lacking, ministers must carry containers with disinfectant, or keep them close to their
person, and sanitize as often as needed.
 Processions are to be avoided during this time of the pandemic, especially those
accompanied by the faithful who walk together, as these are occasions where people tend
to gather in close proximity with each other.

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HOLY WEEK 2021 RECOMMENDATIONS

I. PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION

 Commemoration of the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem and the Blessing of Palm
Branches

 The Second Form (Solemn Entrance) is to used in all Masses: the prescribed rite is
carried out at the door of the Church only by the priest and ministers.
 The faithful will be seated in designated areas inside the church while carrying palm
branches and will face the door when the celebration begins.
 In place of the aspergilium, plastic holy water bottles will be used for the sprinkling of
palm branches in order to lessen the risk of aerosol transmission.
 There will be no blessing of palms outside of the Mass to prevent the faithful from
congregating in certain areas.

 Liturgy of the Word and the Proclamation of the Lord’s Passion

 Two (2) lectors will be assigned for the Readings and a commentator for certain parts
of the Mass.
 The lector proclaims the verses of the Responsorial Psalm, while the choir leads the
chanting of the response.
 The same two lectors will also read the Passion Narrative: as the Narrator (at the
Ambo), and the second lector as other characters (at a separate lectern). The part of
Jesus Christ is read by the presider, and he stays at his chair.
 The Liturgy of the Eucharist is celebrated in the usual manner.

II. HOLY THURSDAY: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

 The Rite of Foot-washing may be omitted entirely.

 However, should the presider decide to proceed with the rite, the following guidelines are
to be observed:
 The priest and those whose feet shall be washed must wear their facemask and
shield.
 The number of the faithful whose feet will be washed may be less than usual.
 One towel must be used for each person.
 The priest may pour water upon the candidate’s feet, without touching them, spray
with alcohol and then wipe them immediately using a towel.
 The kissing of the feet is omitted.
 At the end of the rite, the presider must wash his hands with soap and water for a
minimum of 20 seconds, afterwich he further disinfects his hands with alcohol.
 The Offering of the gifts for the poor may be held, together with the presentation of the
Sacred Oils, and the bread and wine.
 The offerors may place their gifts directly upon a table near the sanctuary but away from
the altar table.
 The same procedure may apply for the presentation of the sacred oils.
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 The bread and wine may be carried by offerors using a tray and upon reaching the
sanctuary, the priest takes the vessels for preparation at the altar.
 For Holy Communion, only the Lord’s Body will be given, and as usual, the faithful shall
receive it by hand.
 The Solemn Transfer of the Blessed Sacrament is carried out in the usual manner.
 The church will remain open for the faithful who wish to pray and will be closed before
curfew hours. Minimum public health standards (wearing of face mask and shield and
physical distancing) must always be strictly observed, for which ministers may be assigned
to monitor.

III. GOOD FRIDAY: Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion and the Adoration of the Holy
Cross

 The traditional Community Way of the Cross around parish neighborhood is omitted. It
may however be replaced by other devotional prayers or more laudably the Liturgy of the
Hours in the church either by the priest and a few ministers only, or with the faithful at
30% capacity of the church.
 These may be aired through livestreaming telecast over the parish’s social media accounts
for the benefit of the faithful in their homes.

 Liturgy of the Word and the Proclamation of the Lord’s Passion

 The Readings, including the Passion Narrative, are carried out in the same manner as
on Palm Sunday.
 The announcement of the General Intercessions is done in the usual manner by only
one lector.

 Adoration of the Cross

 The preparation of the Cross follows the first form, that is, with the ministers carrying
the cross from the Sacristy.
 There will be no individual adoration.
 The priest, after having uncovered and displayed the Cross for the faithful using the
prescribed rite, may walk around the Church carrying it aloft, accompanied by two (2)
candle bearers. The people, meanwhile, kneel in silent adoration.
 The procession of the Santo Intierro is omitted this year.
 In place of the procession, either the cross used for the liturgy or the image of the Santo
Intierro may be displayed inside the church for adoration up to a time to be determined
by each parish. Health and safety protocols must be strictly observed.

IV. HOLY SATURDAY: Easter Vigil

 The time of the Vigil depends on the curfew hours in place, which in the NCR, is from 12
midnight to 4 am
 The recommended earliest time for the Easter Vigil to be celebrated is 7:30 p.m.

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 The people are in designated seats inside the church carrying unlighted candles before the
celebration begins
 The faithful may be advised to wear white clothes as a reminder of their baptismal dignity
and the renewal of baptismal vows.
 The faithful may be advised to bring candles for the celebration of the light, and the renewal
of baptismal promises.
 The parish may make an announcement instructing the faithful on the manner by which the
lit candles are put off without blowing, e.g.. Pressing the wick using a folded tissue.

 Celebration of the Light and the Preparation of the Paschal Candle

 The entire ritual may be held at the door of the Church and done in the usual manner
as prescribed in the Roman Missal.

 Liturgy of the Word

 The full set of readings is to be proclaimed: Seven (7) from the Old Testament, by two
(2) or three (3) Lectors.
 The same lector proclaims the verses of the Responsorial Psalm, while the choir leads
in chanting the response.
 A commissioned lector and psalmist is to proclaim the Epistle (NT) and chant the
Alleluia and verse before the Gospel.
 The Gospel is proclaimed by a deacon, a priest-concelebrant, or the presiding priest
himself.

 Liturgy of Baptism

 Only one (1) adult candidate may be selected to receive the Sacraments.
 The Rite of Baptism is done in the usual manner.
 The sprinkling with baptismal water upon the faithful after the renewal of baptismal
promises will be done using a plastic holy water bottle as in the blessing of the palms.
 In the case of an adult baptism, the presider also administers the rite of confirmation.
Cotton is used in the anointing with Chrism Oil.

 Liturgy of the Eucharist

 Done in the usual manner.

V. EASTER SUNDAY

 The Ritual of Salubong is omitted this year.

 The sprinkling with baptismal water upon the faithful after the renewal of baptismal
promises will be done using a plastic holy water bottle as in the Easter Vigil Mass. This
will be done in all Masses of Easter Sunday
 The faithful may be advised to wear white clothes as a reminder of their baptismal dignity
and the renewal of baptismal vows.

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 The faithful may be advised to bring candles for the celebration of the light, and the renewal
of baptismal promises.

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