CHRISTIANS throughout the world will observe Palm Sunday, the curtain raiser to Holy Week which will cumulate with Easter Sunday on April 12.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic will see Christians here and many other jurisdictions observe the faithful dates of their calendar at home in the wake of the Movement Control Order (MCO) tentatively scheduled to be lifted on April 14.
Holy Week is the week preceding Easter Sunday and will see those of the faith observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday
Good Friday, on April 10, commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and Maundy Thursday observed in the Christian Church as a commemoration of the Last Supper.
The Catholic Bishops of Malaysia recently announced the MCO extension would see no public mass being held at churches nationwide.
In his pastoral letter, Most Reverend Julian Leow the extension of the MCO unavoidably coincides with the holiest season in our Church’s liturgical Calendar, Holy Week.
“In view of the restrictions placed under the extension of the MCO and the prohibitions of public gatherings, we the archbishops of the three archdioceses and six dioceses of Malaysia, hereby decree that the liturgical celebrations until April 14, 2020, including that of Holy Week, will be done without the congregation by the priests of the various archdioceses.”
Leow, who is also Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, urged those of the faith to continue with their prayers.
As like many parishes, daily live-streamed mass is also carried out in Sabah and Sarawak.
The various archdioceses will continue to provide daily live-streamed mass as long as this is possible.
Good Friday is a public holiday in Sabah and Sarawak.
