Article by SOCCOM (Vinnie Beatrice Yapp)
Pictures by SOCCOM (Romeo, Johnstone & Jonathan)
Sandakan: Good Friday is a day of solemnity with fasting or abstaining from meat, prayers, and church services to commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice.
The English service of the Passion of the Lord on Friday, 7th April 2023 at St. Mary’s Cathedral began events in Bahasa at 1.30 pm and in English at 5 pm respectively. The presider was Fr. Simon Kontou, the Rector and he commenced the service with a solemn entrance while the faithful all remained either kneeling or standing.
During the homily, Fr. Simon preached, “God’s mercy is so abundant, and His love for us is so great that He sent His son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. He redeemed us through His passion and died on the cross. Thanks be to God who gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Fr. Simon also addressed the meaning of the veneration of the Cross and questioned the congregation about the meaning of kissing the cross, bowing, and kneeling on the cross. He said, “Do we love Jesus or is this just another expression of our love for Jesus? Then, the kissing of the cross is merely an outward ritual.” He also stressed by saying that the cross where Jesus died is not only reminding us of our sinful condition but is a symbol of our faith by believing that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins. “Salvation cannot be found in anyone else, and Jesus alone has the power to save us,” he said.
After the communion service, the faithful proceeded to venerate the cross, on which the Catholic commemorates Christ’s crucifixion.
There were three other church services on the same day that began at 3.00 pm at St. Joseph’s Church by Fr. Raymond Lee Seng Huat in Mandarin, at St. Mark’s Church by Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom in Bahasa, and St. Peter’s Chapel, Sg. Manila by Fr. Thomas Makajil in Bahasa. Total attendance in all these places reached thousands of faithful.