Celebrating the Lenten Season.

It is April fool’s Day in the US and some parts of the world but in the Philippines and other countries embracing the Catholic faith, we are celebrating the Lenten Season.

Lent is a time of prayer, atonement and sacrificial acts with the purpose of preparing the faithful for the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday and set out a more abundant reception of the graces that Jesus Christ merited by His Passion and Death.

The celebration commences on Ash Wednesday where Catholics receive ashen crosses on their foreheads as a sign of repentance and a symbolic reminder that we came from dust and to dust we shall return. But the most common Lenten celebration happens during the “Paschal Triduum” which is the three days before Easter Sunday. It begins on Holy or Maundy Thursday, a commemoration of the day Jesus performed the Washing of the Feet followed by the Last Supper with his Disciples. This is also where Jesus gave the commandment or “mandatum” in Latin, to love one another just as He has loved us. This is where the name Maundy Thursday came from. It is also today that the tradition of Visita Iglesia is observed which entails visiting 7 churches in one night.

Good Friday remembers Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. This day is honored with solemn processions and the Way of the Cross. In some parts of the Philippines, processions include devotees that perform self-flagellation and some are even crucified as acts of penance. Some places practice the “Pasyon”, a recitation of the bible verses describing the Passion of Christ or a re-enactment of the Passion through a play called the Senakulo.


Black Saturday falls on the eve of Easter. Black symbolizes mourning and is used to express grief at the death of the Savior. The day honors Christ lying in the tomb where we are called to reflect on His Passion and Death in anticipation of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Let us celebrate this Lenten Season with Love in our hearts. Jesus gave His life for us because He deeply loves us. Let’s have a meaningful and prayerful Lenten celebration!

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