“Mag-isolate ka raw pag nakaranas ng…”
A Facebook page for Catholic teachings used the name of St. Thomas Aquinas as a pun in a reminder for the public to self-isolate when infected by COVID-19.
The Catholic social communications page called Saints of Today posted on Wednesday, January 12 a meme with a text that read: “Uy, mag-isolate ka raw pag nakaranas ka ng…”
An image of St. Thomas was shown underneath the text.
The caption of the post also left its followers to guess the joke.
“Mag-isolate ka raw kapag nakararanas ng…” it read with a thinking emoji.
The social media post immediately blew up on the social networking site with over 3,500 reactions and 3,600 shares.
Some social media users did not immediately get the pun.
“Me be like: Padre Damaso? (crying emoji)” one Facebook user said.
“Nakaranas ng Padre Pio?” another Facebook user asked.
Those who were able to join in the humor expressed how amused they were through witty remarks.
“SINTOMAS. Juicecolored ako’y patawarin, hahahahaha,” one Facebook user commented.
“Minus points kayo lods,” another user wrote in jest.
The Facebook page later left a comment that briefly introduced St. Thomas, the patron saint of educational and theological pursuits and persons, to its followers.
“He is a philosopher, theologian, and doctor of the Church (Angelicus Doctor). He is also the patron of Catholic universities, colleges, and schools. As a scholastic, he also contributed different works and writings to the Catholic Church, like the Summa Theologica which includes the Five Ways to Prove God’s Existence,” the comment read.
St. Thomas is also the patron saint of the University of Santo Tomas, also whom the academic institution was named after.
He died on March 7, 1274. His feast day is celebrated every January 28.
The priest and doctor of the church was canonized as a saint in 1323 by Pope Jon XXII.
The Department of Health previously issued a new directive stating the isolation and quarantine period for the general population.
Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 who are asymptomatic or have mild and moderate symptoms should self-isolate for at least ten days.
Those with severe and critical symptoms, on the other hand, should self-isolate for at least 21 days.
Fully vaccinated individuals who have close contact with positive cases have to quarantine themselves for at least seven days.
Those who have not yet completed their COVID-19 shots are advised to quarantine for at least 14 days.
The revised health protocols were released amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
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