Browse > Home / Library / Circulars / Preceding / CIRCULAR NO. 6/01-GUIDELINES FOR ART AND ENVIRONMENT (LENT/HOLY WEEK)

CIRCULAR NO. 6/01-GUIDELINES FOR ART AND ENVIRONMENT (LENT/HOLY WEEK)


February 21, 2001

TO THE PARISH PRIESTS AND HEADS OF CHAPLAINCIES

Your Excellencies/Rev. Msgrs./Fathers:

Peace!

In accordance with the General Resolution #3 of the 6th General Pastoral Assembly of the Archdiocese, an archdiocesan assembly on Liturgical Art and Environment was held last February 10, 2001. In that assembly, Guidelines for Lent and Holy Week were drawn up to be implemented in the Archdiocese.

These are the following guidelines on Liturgical Art and Environment for Lent and Holy Week:

  1. During Lent the sanctuary and the church must be bare in order to express the fasting not only of food but also of the senses. Decorations used must highten the character of Lent. It would be Wednesday in a sizeable container in a prominent place in the sanctuary. This may be placed opposite the lectern.
  2. A rough wooden cross may replace the usual crucifix in a prominent place. This may be decorated with thorns or other symbols taken from the readings.
  3. On the fourth Sunday of Lent the congregation may be asked to wear rose colored clothing, pink flowers may also be added to the decorations.
  4. On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, it is suggested that Statues and reredos may be draped in purple until the gloria of Easter Vigil.
  5. On Palm Sunday, palms may decorate the entrance of the Church but not the Sanctuary as the mass focuses on the Passion not on the Triumphal Entry. Red may drape the Cross.
  6. The rest of Holy Week, the church and sanctuary should be bare.
  7. On Holy Thursday, the Easter Triduum begins. During the Mass of the Lord’s Supper white flowers may decorate the Altar. These are to be removed right after the Mass. Also to be removed are the altar cloth and candle holders.
  8. The Altar of repose must be simple and avoid the Funeral Wake look. Only six candles burning are suggested. The Blessed Sacrament must be placed inside a closed tabernacle NEVER in a monstrance or a ciborium left in the open. Flowers must not be excessive. This altar of repose should be conducive to meditation.
  9. Adoration is to take place only up to midnight.
  10. On Good Friday the church ans sanctuary must be at its barest. Even the altar is not clothed until the proper time (just before the Lord’s Prayer.)
  11. It would be proper if the cross used during Lent be the Cross unveiled and venerated during the service. After the veneration this cross may be placed at the altar of repose in place of the Tabernacle.
  12. The “HAYA” may be placed in the Sanctuary after the Good Friday Procession for a vigil. This must be kept by noon  of Black Saturday.
  13. The church and the Sanctuary should be very well and very decorated for the Easter Vigil and Easter Day. Container for the Water to be blessed should also be decorated.
  14. The purple drapes may be removed before the vigil or during the Gloria but the decoration should already be in place before the vigil begins.

For more details, we encourage the parish priests and the parish liturgical planners to read the Ordo and the “Mag-ambahan.”

We hope and pray that by the full implementation of these liturgical guidelines we shall faithfully gather together and joyfully celebrate the Day of the Lord.

With profound sentiments of paternal solicitude, I remain.

Sincerely in Chrisy,

For and in behalf of His Eminence

+RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL

Archbishop of Cebu

+ANTONIO R. RAÑOLA, D.D.

Acting Administrator

By Mandate of the Archbishop:

REV. FR. MARVIN S. MEJIA

Vice-Chancellor