To cap the Catholic Church’s monthlong celebration of “Flores de Mayo,” parishes in Cebu City will be allowed to hold the “Santacruzan” on Monday, May 31, 2021.
In an advisory sent to parishes, the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said Flores de Mayo activities may be celebrated provided that these are held only within the church premises.
Santacruzan is a ritual pageant held on the last day of Flores de Mayo, a whole month Catholic feast dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
However, while the Santacruzan can now be held, the EOC and the Archdiocese of Cebu continue to prohibit the holding of religious processions on city streets.
Existing protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that prohibit people below 15 years old from going out of their homes will also be enforced.
Church officials have asked parishes to bar minors from entering the church.
Earlier this month, Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, EOC deputy chief implementer, appealed to the barangays to refrain from holding Flores de Mayo activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Garganera said barangays that want to hold activities must first secure a permit from the Philippine National Police.