To further minimize the spread of Covid-19 during the commemoration of Ash Wednesday this week, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued new guidelines allowing the faithful to take home “holy ashes.”
In his “Notes on the Ash Wednesday Celebration”, CBCP – Episcopal Commission on the Liturgy (ECL) Chairman Bishop Victor Bendico said the holy ash to take home will be available for those who will be unable to come to Church on Wednesday.
The administration of the holy ashes, which is typically made from burnt blessed palms, is usually done in churches.
He said those who will be able to attend the masses during the celebration will be given a small plastic sachet containing blessed ashes.
“Those, who cannot come to church on this day, can join the celebration of the Mass of Ash Wednesday on TV and other online means. They, then, receive the ashes from family members, who were able to go to church for the celebration and will bring home ashes for them,” Benedicto said.
Meanwhile, those present in the Church for Ash Wednesday can receive the traditional cross on their foreheads using holy ash provided the priest will apply it using cotton balls instead of their bare fingers.
“The minister uses a different cotton ball for each of the faithful,” Benedicto said.
Meanwhile, the faithful could also opt to have the holy ash sprinkled on top of the head of the faithful.
Priests started to widely practice this last year after the local onset of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Benedicto said they advised priests to administer the holy ashes without saying anything.
“Then he addresses all those present and, only once, says the formula as it appears in the Roman Missal, applying it to all in general,” Bendicto said.
Ash Wednesday is a Catholic celebration, which marks the starts the 40-day Lenten Season.
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