KAPIT: More than 1,000 congregants of the Church of St Mary Immaculate Conception celebrated Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) as one of their activities to celebrate Easter here on Thursday in conjunction with the Holy Week.
The mass which began at 7.30pm saw the “Washing of the Feet”, depicting Jesus Christ washing the feet of his 12 disciples at The Last Supper prior to his death.
Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday, a Latin word which means “Mandate or Command” is the last personal bonding between Jesus Christ and his disciples before His Passion during which time he also gave them a series of important commands.
After the mass the congregation observed the Holy Hour that began from 9pm and ended at 10pm led by the Sunday School children.
Later other prayer sessions from 10pm till 11pm and from 11pm till midnight were held and respectively led by the Church Warden, Cell Group, CPC and the Youth, Altar Boys and Wardens.
Yesterday morning at 9am, the congregation gathered at the car park of the old church building for a sketch play conducted by the youth depicting the suffering of Jesus prior to his crucifixion through the Station of the Cross.
At 3pm, the conduct of the Good Friday mass was divided into three parts. Firstly it was Liturgy of the Word and General Intercession with the second part being Veneration of the Cross whereas the third part was Holy Communion.
Presiding at the two masses were the parish priest, Father Philip Obaso. Also present were the Parish Council Chairman Dewis Lidek, catechists Kenneth Kanyan and Edward Antas, Divine Mercy chairman Patrick Dundang, chairperson of Marian Guild Angelyana Lee Pui Lan and chairperson of Chinese Pastoral Committee Betty Wong.
The prayer sessions at the Church of St Mary Immaculate Conception were among numerous sessions held by Christians in this town and elsewhere across the state.
