PALM SUNDAY. Father Edgardo Elumba of Saint James the Greater parish, accompanied by an altar server and another priest, on Sunday (April 5, 2020) goes around and blesses the palm leaves on street sides as the residents of Dapitan City stay indoors due to the community quarantine. Palm Sunday marks the start of the observance of Holy Week. (Photo by Gualberto M. Laput)
DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte – Instead of people flocking to the church on Palm Sunday, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) compelled church leaders to twist the almost four-century-old tradition with priests roaming the city to bless palm leaves on street sides as the provincial government extends the community quarantine to three more weeks.
“I consulted with the city officials, and the mayor agreed for us to continue with our ceremonies for the Palm Sunday and the rest of the Holy Week with changes so as not to break the guidelines set by authorities,” said Father Patrick C. Dalangin, Saint James the Greater parish priest, in a letter to Dapitanons posted on the parish’s Facebook page.
On Friday, April 3, Gov. Roberto Y. Uy signed Executive Order 2031 strengthening the quarantine guidelines and extending it to April 30.
There is no Covid-19 case in this province as of April 5, the province’s Inter-Agency Task Force Covid-19 reported.
But local government units are reinforcing community quarantine as the three provinces -- Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay -- and Zamboanga City that surround this province have confirmed infection cases.
Last March 29, Misamis Occidental Gov. Philip Tan announced the first confirmed Covid-19 infected person from the municipality of Jimenez, whose wife is a resident of Piñan municipality, this province.
In Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, Covid-19 cases are now three, including the latest who is a seven-year-old boy from Dumalinao town. While Zamboanga City’s Covid-19 cases rose to five as of Sunday, April 5.
Dalangin said major church activities and ceremonies, particularly on the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday will all be observed in the church, but without the parishioners.
“We will hold ceremonies and masses in the church on the live stream, but instead of the usual processions, the priest will carry the Crucifix or the Santisimo Sacramento (Blessed Sacrament) around the city while parishioners peep on windows and doors,” Dalangin said.
The Semana Santa (Holy Week) is one of this city’s most revered religious activities.
“The Holy Week, Christmas, the feast of Saint James the Greater or the All Souls and All Saints days are deeply engraved in the life of every people and of Dapitan, which was the first mission area in Mindanao of the Jesuits,” said Professor Rex Hamoy, local historian and history teacher.
The Jesuit missionaries introduced Catholicism here in the year 1631, and since then exported much of their tradition and religious beliefs to this city.
“But what the World War II and any other major calamities failed to break, the coronavirus did it in just a few weeks,” Hamoy said. “During World War II, priests also evacuated with the people, but they observed the Holy Week wherever they are.”
“During World War II Dapitanons abandoned their homes and waited for the war to end in forests and caves. Now we are inside our homes wondering when will our war against this virus ends,” Hamoy said. (PNA)
