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| Pope Francis kneeling to wash the feet of people with disabilities (Source: Chron) |
- Aglipayan Church founded by Bishop Gregorio Aglipay in 1902 (Filipino former Catholic)
- The Iglesia ni Cristo founded by Felix Manalo in 1914 (Filipino former Catholic)
- Jehovah's Witnesses founded by Charles T. Russel in 1931 (Protestant)
- Seventh-day Adventists founded by Helen G. White et.al. in 1863 (Protestant)
- United Church of Christ in the Philippines founded 1901 but officially registered in 1942 by group of Evangelicals, mixed of Congregationalist, Presbyterians and Episcopalian
But the CATHOLIC CHURCH is considered as "among the oldest religious institutions in the world" (Wikipedia) and the mother of Christianity-- founded by JESUS CHRIST upon ST. PETER the APOSTLE, whom he promised that the "gates of hell" shall NOT prevail (Mt. 16:16-18). Therefore the same CHURCH now is crossing the THIRD MILLENNIUM with 266 Popes, the present is POPE FRANCIS!
MANILA, Philippines—The annual commemoration of Holy Week—marking the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which begins on Palm Sunday, climaxes on Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday and culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection—and its pious customs observed in Roman Catholic tradition also find expression in the mainstream Protestant denominations and evangelical churches. What follows is an informal survey of what Holy Week observances are followed by other faiths.
Aglipayan Church
The Aglipayan Church, officially the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), or the Philippine Independent Church, follows the same Holy Week observance as the Roman Catholic Church, according to Rev. Fr. Terry Revollido, rector of the Aglipay Central Theological Seminary.
“I don’t see any significant difference because we’re also following biblical narrative,” Revollido said.Like the Roman Catholics, the Aglipayan faithful begin the Holy Week with Palm Sunday. On Maundy Thursday, there would be a celebration of the Eucharist and the washing of the feet while on Good Friday church activities include the Seven Last Words, veneration of the cross and processions. The Easter Vigil mass is held the evening of Black Saturday and the Salubong very early on Easter Sunday.
The Aglipayan Church, which calls itself the national church of the Philippines, proclaimed its break from the Catholic Church in 1902 by the members of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina because of the alleged mistreatment of Filipinos by the Spanish clergy. Although a Christian denomination, the IFI rejects the spiritual authority of the Pope and emphasizes patriotism in its teachings.
The members of the church are called Aglipayans after its first supreme head, Fr. Gregorio Aglipay.
Iglesia ni Cristo
The Iglesia Ni Cristo, another homegrown Christian sect, does not observe Lent or mark the special observances and services of Holy Week, as it believes that the pious customs associated with it derive from pagan traditions.
For instance, it believes that Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry to Jerusalem to fulfill his paschal mystery, has pagan origins. The INC says the palm symbolizes victory, and notes how victorious armies of pagan nations decked themselves and their chariots with palm fronds.According to the INC, the word Easter was derived by St. Bede from Eastre, a forgotten dawn goddess. Numerous local customs held during Easter, such as the blessing of meat, eggs and other foods the partaking of which was formerly forbidden during Lent, have pagan origins, the INC believes.
