MANILA — After over 2 years of online liturgies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is encouraging the faithful to go back to physically attending Sunday Holy Mass in churches.

In a circular released on Friday, CBCP President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said “the pandemic has weakened.” The easing of health protocols ”permit and oblige us to return to the normality of Christian life, which has the Church building as its home of the celebration of the liturgy, especially the Eucharist,” he added.

“We strongly encourage our faithful to return to the Sunday Eucharist with a purified heart, renewed amazement, and increased desire to meet the Lord, to be with him, to receive him and bring him to our brothers and sisters with the witness of a life full of faith, love and hope,” he said.

Most areas in the country, including Metro Manila, were placed since March under Alert Level 1, the loosest pandemic restriction.

Under this level, establishments are allowed to operate at full capacity provided that they continue following minimum health standards, such as wearing masks indoors and maintaining physical distancing.

• Metro Manila, 38 other areas to shift to Alert Level 1 starting March 1 - Palace

The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the highest act of worshipping God. As such, it is every Catholic's obligation to attend Holy Mass.

But since the pandemic, bishops have issued dispensations to physically attend mass to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Instead, churches streamed their masses through various online platforms, with Facebook and YouTube being the most widely used.

However, David cited a letter from the Vatican saying "no broadcast is comparable to personal participation" in the Holy Mass.

"These broadcasts alone risk distancing us from a personal and intimate encounter with the incarnate God who gave himself to us not in a virtual way," David said.

Recognizing that the threat of the coronavirus remains, the prelate assured the public that health protocols would be implemented in parish churches and venues for liturgical celebrations.

David also reminded fellow bishops and priests of the need to constantly catechize the faithful about the importance of returning to churches to attend the Holy Mass.

Due to the pandemic, many other church activities were canceled, including those that were usually attended by a mammoth crowd, like the Traslacion of the revered image of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo Church and various festivals across the country.

But since cases have declined and prompted the easing of health protocols, some church activities are slowly returning, including processions and other celebrations.

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