Palm Sunday
THE world’s Christians, particularly the Catholics, celebrate “Palm Sunday,” which is actually the first day of the “Holy Week” in the Christian calendar, on April 10.
Palm Sunday is the day in which the faithful commemorate and honor our Lord Jesus Christ’s “triumphant, glorious and joyous” entry into Jerusalem as “Savior and King.”
On this day, parishioners attend mass and have their palm fronds or “palaspas” blessed by the priest. The fronds may be given to the church or kept by the faithful.
Since they are blessed by priests, palm fronds are sacramental and can only be buried or burned but never thrown away.
During church services on “Ash Wednesday,” the beginning of the so-called 40-day Lenten Season, parishioners receive a cross of ashes on their forehead.
“Ang mga abong ito ay galing sa mga sinunog na palaspas na ginamit noong nakaraang Ash Wednesday,” according to a 75-year-old lay minister of the Catholic Church.
When He entered Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ’s followers waved palm branches, shouting “hossana,” meaning “save us, we pray.”
It was a special occasion for Jesus Christ’s trusted followers, His triumphant entry into Jerusalem took place towards the end of His days on Earth.
Although His followers described Our Lord Jesus Christ as sinless, He was tortured and crucified on Good Friday but rose from the dead on the third day (Easter Sunday).
The solemn rites in Christian churches across the globe, including the Philippines, on Palm Sunday (April 10) should remind humanity that there is life after death.
