Priest washes the feet of EJK victims’ kin on Maundy Thursday

In a similar fashion to Jesus’ washing the feet of his 12 apostles, priests across the country washed the feet of devotees as part of the tradition of Maundy Thursday. In Manila, Fr. Flavie Villanueva washed the feet of people whose loved ones died in extrajudicial killings.

Villanueva conducted the ceremony at the St. Arnold Janssen Kalinga Foundation in Tayuman, Manila. As founder of an organization counseling victims of the country's drug war, it is a practice he has done before.

Fr. Flavie told listeners that Christ removed his outer clothing before he washed the apostles' feet, indicating the stripping of his authority and showing how to serve and sympathize with their peers.

“Bago niya hugasan, tinanggal niya ang panlabas na kasuotan na sumasagisag sa otoridad at ito’y gusto niyang ipagdiinan na hindi otoridad dapat ang matimbang sa panahon ngayon, bagkus pag-ibig,” said Fr. Flavie. 

(Before he washed the feet, he removed the outerwear that symbolized his authority, because he wanted to emphasize that love, not authority, is what is truly important.)

He added that he chose to wash the feet of the unfortunate and the relatives of EJK victims because he wanted to show that they were important in the eyes of God.

“Kung babalik-tanawin natin ang mga hinugasan ng paa ni Hesus, sila yung mga tinuring na makasalanan, mga isinasantabi, mga nasa laylayan noong panahon ni Hesus. At gayundin naman sa panahon ngayon: mga homeless, mga taong nasa laylayan, mga pinagkaitan ng kalinga at katarungan. So minarapat natin, halina mahalaga kayo sa mata ng Diyos," He said.

(If we look back at the people whose feet Jesus washed, they were the sinful, the outcasts, those who lived on the edges of society. And that’s similar to today: the homeless, those on the fringes, those who were deprived of care and justice. So we emphasize that they are important in the eyes of God.)

Cristina, one of the relatives of an EJK victim, expressed her gratitude for the ceremony.

“Bilang isa sa natutulungan ng paghilom, sobrang pasalamat kay Fr. Flavie na binuo niya kami rito, pinagsama-sama niya kami sa program paghilom para magkaisa, magkaroon ulit ng tinatawag na pamilya.” Cristina said.

(As one of the people who are being helped to heal, I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Fr. Flavie for gathering us here. He gathered us together for the program paghilom to be united and have something to call a family again.) — with Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News