Cardinal Tagle to wash feet of poll chief for clean elections

COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Chair Andres Bautista says his job is to ensure clean elections.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle takes him seriously, and is making sure Bautista walks the talk by washing his feet on the night Christianity remembers the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot.

Bautista will be one of 12 people who will take part in the customary Washing of the Feet ritual with Tagle at Manila Cathedral on Maundy Thursday.

The ritual commemorates Jesus’ show of humility and servanthood by washing the feet of his 12 disciples in the Gospel of John (John 13:1-17), which takes the place of the institution of the Eucharist in the three Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke).

By washing Bautista’s feet, Tagle will emphasize the importance of the national elections on May 9, which will select new local leaders, legislators and replacements for President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay.

No relief expected

Bautista has to make sure the results are faithful to the voters’ decision and he is getting an unwelcome assist from the Supreme Court—an order to issue voting receipts that the time-pressed Comelec can only consider a scourging at the pillar.

Tagle is not expected to offer him relief, as the cardinal will have 22 other feet to wash: those of 11 people who have also been chosen for recognition.

Those people include Jun Ochiangco, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting coordinator for the Archdiocese of Manila.

The others are two people with disabilities, two young people, two religious sisters, two women and two from Tagle’s household—his driver and a helper who has been working for his family for 30 years.

The ceremonies will begin at 5 p.m.

Tagle will lead a full slate of Holy Week services at Manila Cathedral, the mother church of the archdiocese.

Publishing the cardinal’s Holy Week schedule Wednesday, the archdiocese said Tagle’s activities would begin with Palm Sunday celebration on March 20, during which he would bless palms carried by the faithful at 7 a.m. then celebrate Mass.

The Easter Triduum starts on March 24, Maundy Thursday, with a Mass of the Chrism at 7 a.m. All priests from the archdiocese attend this Mass, which celebrates the institution of the priesthood.

Parishioners also attend the Mass, during which the oils used for baptism, holy orders and the anointing of the sick are blessed.

Good Friday services

On Good Friday, the Reflections on the Seven Last Words will be held from 12 noon to 3 p.m., followed by the commemoration of the Passion of the Lord and the Veneration of the Cross.

The Stations of the Cross will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Black Saturday. The Easter Vigil will start at 8 p.m.

Confessions will be heard at Manila Cathedral on Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the archdiocese said.