Quiapo Church last April 6, the fifth Sunday of Lent this year. - Quiapo Church/Facebook via PDI/ANN
MANILA: For Catholics, Lent means a period of sacrifice. Often, we think of this in terms of food: abstaining from meat on Fridays (hence the popularity of fish among Filipinos), or temporarily giving up certain comforts or pleasures.
In church, a number of practices also change every Lenten season. Because this period in the liturgical calendar focuses on penance and reflection, elements of the mass like celebratory and recessional hymns are omitted, to encourage solemnity. It is also expected that the more somber atmosphere will help the faithful to better prepare spiritually.
