TARLAKENYO (Oct. 11, 2025) — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has issued a pastoral appeal calling for a nationwide season of prayer and public repentance, urging the faithful to wear white and display white ribbons as a symbolic plea for divine mercy and national renewal amid a series of devastating calamities.
In Circular No. 25-14 dated October 11, 2025, CBCP President Pablo Virgilio S. Cardinal David described the country’s recent experience with “terrible calamities: typhoons, volcanic eruptions, fires, and earthquakes—one after another!” as a catalyst for the spiritual initiative.
The circular reiterates a recently released “National Call to Prayer and Public Repentance,” asking the faithful to observe it every Sunday—and daily where possible—until the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Following a suggestion from Bishop Jimmy Afable, the CBCP is encouraging a visible, collective act of prayer. The bishops have called on the Catholic faithful to:
- Wear white clothes every Sunday throughout October and November.
- Display white ribbons in homes, churches, and public spaces.
The white attire and ribbons are described as a dual symbol. They represent a prayer “for transparency, accountability, and good governance,” and a “humble prayer that our nation may be washed clean and renewed in God’s mercy, and spared of further calamities.”
In the letter, Cardinal David imbued the gesture with deep spiritual significance, stating, “Let our white garments be a symbol of the purity we seek for our land and our hearts.” He anchored the call in scripture, quoting Psalm 51: “Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
The initiative is framed as a “collective Miserere“—a reference to the penitential Psalm 51—and a plea for the nation’s healing. The bishops hope this period of intentional prayer will lead to “hope, healing, and the restoration of our common life in truth and justice.”
The call extends beyond personal piety, explicitly linking spiritual renewal with the societal values of transparency and good governance. It positions the Church as a unifying force, guiding the nation in a collective response to both natural disasters and perceived moral challenges.
The circular concludes with a final appeal: “Let us beg the Lord to renew our nation, and make us instruments of justice and peace.”
