THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday asked gays to act as candle holders or just spectators during Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo.

Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, public affairs officer of the CBCP, said the participation of the “third sex” in the event does not contribute to the spiritual atmosphere.

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“That’s why as a religious activity, gays should not be allowed to join,” Iniguez said.

He said the religious activity of Santacruzan should be respected.

Meanwhile, Fr. Genaro Diwa of the Ministry for Liturgical Affairs of the archdiocese of Manila appealed to the faithful not to treat occasions as pageantry.

He said that some people tend to deal Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan as spectacle by showing off lavish gowns and other material things.

“It’s so sad that the real meaning of this is reduced to touristic purposes or pageantry,” Diwa noted.

He explained that the real meaning of Santacruzan is the offering of flowers to the Blessed Mother in the month of May.

“It’s in celebration of the finding of the cross. That’s the reason why we called it Santacruzan, because it’s centered on the value of the cross as a means of salvation as the medium of salvation of Christ of all of us,” Diwa said.

Likewise, the prelate asked those who would like pageantry in their Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan to respect the church’s tradition and symbolisms.

“They should be respectful also of the church’s symbolisms such as the cross. If they do that it should be clear that it’s not the church’s custom,” he said. (FP/Sunnex)