On Holy Tuesday, over 50 priests from the Archdiocese of Lipa, representing various parishes and towns in Batangas province, along with devotees, laypeople, and religious figures, congregated at the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Sebastian in Lipa City for the annual Chrism Mass.

The Mass was celebrated by Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera.

For the Catholic Church, this tradition takes place morning on Holy Thursday or on any other day before the celebration of the Paschal Triduum, as a reflection on baptism and confirmation to be held during the Easter Vigil and throughout the season of Easter.

During the Chrism Mass, the bishop blesses oils and chrism, which will be used throughout the year in the sacraments of the Church.

In addition to blessing the oils, the priests also renew their promises.

According to the archbishop, this ceremony aims to strengthen and reaffirm the priests' commitment to their duties as heralds of God's Word.

"The three renewals of the priests. Una, renewal of the gift of priest hood, ang pagbabago sa aklat ng pagpapari. Napakapalad natin mga pari, pari pa rin tayo sapagkat tayo'y nakahabagan ng Diyos; the face of mercy, sa pamamagitan natin, nararamdaman ang awa. Pangalawang adjournamento, the gift of synodality, [at] ang pangatlo ay ang pagpapanibago o adjournamento sa kahalagahan ng eukaristiya," Most Rev. Archbishop Gilbert Garcera, D.D., Archdiocese of Lipa, said.

For devotees, their participation in the Chrism Mass on Holy Tuesday was meaningful.

"Araw-araw po akong nagsisimba at nakakabigay po sa akin ng lakas ng katawan, maliwanag na kaisipan at nagkakaroon po ako ng kababang loob na humarap sa tao at mapaglingkuran sila," Bro. Diego Rene Magboo, a devotee, said.

"Bilang layko, tayo ay may responsibilidad na ating ipagdasal at mahalin at irespeto at mga pari, at ang ating pananampalataya ay lalong mapalalim pati na ang ating paglilingkod sa Diyos," Gina Cerrado, another devotee, said.

The Catholic Church called on devotees to make the observance of the Holy Week meaningful and beneficial.