DESPITE the raging pandemic and its quarantine restrictions, the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity this Holy Week and its succeeding activities will still push through online, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
In its schedule of activities for the Jubilee Year 2021, CBCP announced most of its events will be streamed online due to restrictions on mass gathering, particularly in areas currently under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas (NCR Plus).
The National Quincentennial Celebration of the First Easter Mass in the country will be held on April 4, 2021.
It will be marked by the simultaneous opening of the Jubilee Doors in all Cathedral, which will signal the opening of the 2021 Jubilee Year in parishes nationwide.
“Let it also be the occasion for the opening of a jubilee door in every cathedral in the whole country, as well as in select Churches during the rest of Easter,” CBCP President and Archbishop of Davao Romulo G. Valles said in a pastoral letter.
It will be followed by the reenactment of the First Baptism to be held in front of the Magellan’s Cross in Cebu City, and a mass and cultural show in the Basilica del Sto. Niño, also in Cebu City.
On April 18, 2021, cathedrals and parishes will commemorate the First Baptism, by holding the said sacrament.
During this year’s Labor Day, the National Shrine of St. Joseph and Cathedrals and Parishes nationwide will simultaneously hold the national consecration of the patron of the Universal Church.
Pope Francis declared 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph. During this period, the faithful could gain plenary indulgence through several activities, including the praying for protection to the saint for protection during work. The commemoration of St. Joseph will end during the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, 2021.
The faithful could also gain plenary indulgence by making a pilgrimage to any of the designated Jubilee Churches as listed by the CBCP (see below).
LIST-OF-JUBILEE-CHURCHES-FOR-THE-500-YOC-CELEBRATION-final-list-1Based on Pope Francis’s recent decree, the faithful can receive plenary indulgence when they make a devotional pilgrimage to one of the designated “Jubilee Churches” until April 22, 2022.
When the faithful make the pilgrimage, they have to meet the usual conditions of going to confession, receiving the Eucharist, and praying for the intentions of the pope.
Pilgrims are also asked to pray “for the fidelity of the Filipino people to their Christian calling, for the increase of priestly and religious vocations and for the defense of the family, concluding with the Lord’s Prayer, the profession of faith, and an invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary”.
An indulgence is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sins, which have already been forgiven.
Throughout the year, CBCP and Church-run Radio Veritas, will hold several other online activities related to Quincentennial Celebration.
These events include the launching of the Year of Mission ad Gentes (Nov. 8); virtual pilgrimage (starting March 2021); webinars on Mission for Youth (Jan. 23 to March 2021); Pista ng Pananampalataya (April 10); Lecture Series on Philippine Church History (May to July 2021); Webinars on Mission for Ecclesial Movements (May 22 to June 26); webinars on the mission of clergy (July 24); webinars on Mission for Christian Living Educators, Campus Ministers, and Catechists (Aug. 28 to Sept. 25); Webinar/online short course on Historical Research (Sept.); webinar on Mission for pastoral workers, parish Basic Ecclesial Communities Leaders (Oct. 23); and Webinar on Mission for Women Religious (Nov. 27).
The 2021 Jubilee will end on April 22, 2022 with the closing of the Second National Mission Congress in Cebu City.