President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. extended his greetings to Muslims in the Philippines and around the world as they prepare to observe the holy month of Ramadan, urging reflection, discipline, and compassion.
In a message dated Tuesday, Mr. Marcos described Ramadan as a time for prayer and renewal, inviting the faithful to cultivate humility and courage. He said the sacred period serves as ‚“a second ground, a place of renewal, where spiritual growth bears fruit not only in our own lives, but also in the lives of those entrusted to our care.”
“Let every trial be a reminder of self-emptying that fills your personal spiritual hunger,” the President said, adding that the observance encourages devotion to duty and service guided by mercy, justice, and faith.
He expressed hope that the sacrifices and reflections during Ramadan would strengthen the faithful to embody love for humanity, especially for the less advantaged.
Citing the example of Muhammad, he noted the Prophet’s steadfast commitment to faith and service to others.
“May your sacrifices, reflections, and encounters strengthen you to embody His boundless love for humanity, especially for the least among our brethren,” Mr.
Marcos said, assuring Muslim communities of his prayers and goodwill.
The Philippines, a predominantly Catholic nation, has a significant Muslim population, particularly in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, thousands of Filipinos flocked to churches to observe Ash Wednesday, with Catholic priests and nuns marking their foreheads with a cross of ashes. At the Baclaran and Quiapo churches in Metro Manila, some devotees lined up before dawn to receive the ash cross, which signals the start of Lent.
The Philippines is overwhelmingly Catholic, with about 80 percent of its population adhering to the faith. The country is known for its annual reenactments of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
In his homily during the Ash Wednesday Mass at the Arzobispado de Manila chapel in Intramuros, Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula reminded the faithful that Lent is rooted in hope rather than despair.
He said the ashes placed on the forehead are ‚“not a mark of despair but of hope,” symbolizing humility and truth rather than shame or outward religious display. ‚“God does not ask us to wear ashes to shame us, but to heal us,” Advincula said.
He described ashes as reminders of human frailty that strip away illusions of self-sufficiency and moral innocence. ‚“When we stop pretending, grace can finally enter,” he said, cautioning against reducing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to mere public display without inner conversion.
