Hazmat suits and holy water: two priests bring faith to Philippines lockdown

Hazmat suits and holy water: two priests bring faith to Philippines lockdown

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Catholic priest Eduardo "Ponpon" Vasquez has worn a hazmat suit more than a vestment this past month.

His parish in the populous Caloocan area of the Philippine capital Manila has been eerily quiet in the six weeks since the government put half of the country's population on a strict lockdown to try to curb coronavirus infections.

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Vasquez and Amancio pray for the soul of a suicide victim with the victim's family inside Our Lady of Grace Parish.

Public gatherings, schools, transport services, and non-essential work has been halted, including that of the church.

Priests in the predominantly Catholic nation have had to be creative in finding ways to keep the faithful engaged.

Most have resorted to streaming online masses while others have set up pews outside churches. Some have printed pictures of parishioners and displayed them inside their closed chapels.

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Vasquez, Amancio and church volunteer Rosemarie Gracia Ramos make their way to the homes of people with disabilities to give blessings.

But for Vasquez, the physical presence of the church is more important now than ever.

These days, he wears his stole and oblate cross over a blue hazmat suit with a bottle of Holy Water in one hand and an alcohol spray in the other as he enters some of the poorest areas of his community to bring relief, both literal and spiritual.

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Amancio and Vasquez hold mass together inside a church administrator's office, as they isolate themselves away from other priests in the parish.

"The situation of many Filipinos these days is pitiful. Lockdown is not the same for everyone," said Vasquez.

"It is easier for the rich who could take this break from work. But for some of the poor, the lockdown is equivalent to death."

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Michael Juarez who was given food by Vasquez and Amancio, talks to them about his life.

This was almost true for Michael Juarez, 42, a scrap dealer whose cart filled with prized pickings and relief goods was impounded by local officials, who said he was violating rules of the lockdown.

He has since been sleeping outside on a sidewalk, hungry and ashamed of returning home to his family empty handed.

On a recent night when Vasquez and his team were handing out relief goods to the homeless, Juarez became tearful as he told the priest his story.

"More than physical hunger, they have spiritual hunger," Vasquez said.

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Vasquez talks to a man about urban gardening at Our Lady of Grace parish.

"These are the abandoned. The poorest of the poor. They are scared but when they hear that I am a priest, their face lights up as if they have found a friend."

The relief work varies daily but most depends on requests coursed through a Facebook chat group with community leaders.

The Philippines has recorded over 8,200 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, of which more than 550 have died. Informal workers have no income or savings, and are reliant on handouts.

. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez
Amancio blesses a deceased person inside a morgue.

Many ask for food and face masks. But there are communities who ask only for spiritual blessings — for the dead, for their ashes, for the sick, or even the streets.

To Vasquez, the coronavirus pandemic is more than a fight against a disease.

"It's a spiritual battle," he said.

"And we need to hold on to our faith to survive this."

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Slideshow

Vasquez walks along the aisle of the parish.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez walks along the aisle of the parish.

Hazard tape that reads 'caution' is placed around religious relics, with a note advising church goers to avoid touching the statues, as a safety precaution to protect themselves against the coronavirus inside the parish.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Hazard tape that reads 'caution' is placed around religious relics, with a note advising church goers to avoid touching the statues, as a safety precaution to protect themselves against the coronavirus inside the parish.

Vasquez and Amancio say prayers during a wake where attendees wore personal protective equipment, while practising social distancing in a funeral chapel.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez and Amancio say prayers during a wake where attendees wore personal protective equipment, while practising social distancing in a funeral chapel.

Vasquez grabs a t-shirt in a church treasurer's office, which he is currently using as a temporary bedroom, in order to socially distance away from other priests who usually share a residence at the parish.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez grabs a t-shirt in a church treasurer's office, which he is currently using as a temporary bedroom, in order to socially distance away from other priests who usually share a residence at the parish.

Vasquez live-streams a workshop on how to make organic fertilizer, to encourage people to take up gardening within their own homes, outside the parish.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez live-streams a workshop on how to make organic fertilizer, to encourage people to take up gardening within their own homes, outside the parish.

Vasquez disinfects his personal belongings.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez disinfects his personal belongings.

The hazmat suits of Vasquez and Amancio are hung up to dry outside the parish.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

The hazmat suits of Vasquez and Amancio are hung up to dry outside the parish.

Vasquez and Amancio prepare to go outside.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez and Amancio prepare to go outside.

Vasquez and Amancio make their way to people's homes, who have disabilities, to give blessings.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez and Amancio make their way to people's homes, who have disabilities, to give blessings.

Vasquez and Amancio visit the homes of people with disabilities to give blessings on their doorsteps.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez and Amancio visit the homes of people with disabilities to give blessings on their doorsteps.

Vasquez and Amancio bless a man who has epilepsy, from the doorstep of his home.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez and Amancio bless a man who has epilepsy, from the doorstep of his home.

Vasquez visits a woman's home who has a disability, to give her and her family a blessing.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez visits a woman's home who has a disability, to give her and her family a blessing.

Amancio and Ramos pack vegetables inside a van, to distribute to homeless people.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Amancio and Ramos pack vegetables inside a van, to distribute to homeless people.

Vasquez talks to people who are homeless, that are currently living outside closed shops.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

Vasquez talks to people who are homeless, that are currently living outside closed shops.

A man who is homeless, embraces two loaves of bread that were given to him by Vasquez, who walks through different areas at night in Caloocan, to check on the homeless.
. Caloocan, Philippines. Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

A man who is homeless, embraces two loaves of bread that were given to him by Vasquez, who walks through different areas at night in Caloocan, to check on the homeless.