Minor Basilica and Parish of San Sebastian prepares for Lenten Season

Father Hector Gonzales, OAR, leads the Catholic devotees in the traditional burning of old palm fronds, known as "sunog-sala," on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the garden of the Minor Basilica and Parish of San Sebastian-Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The ashes collected from the rite will be used for Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season.