Christendom celebrates Palm Sunday

The whole Christendom will celebrate Palm Sunday to relive the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem before He was nailed on the cross in Calvary on Good Friday more than 2,000 years ago. (Photo by John Ragai/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA – The whole Christendom will celebrate Palm Sunday to relive the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem before He was nailed on the cross in Calvary on Good Friday more than 2,000 years ago.

By tradition, Filipino Catholics attend Holy Mass, bringing with them palm branches, which they wave as a priest sprinkles holy water before the start of the Mass.

Palm Sunday falls on the Sunday before Easter.

In the Gospel of Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19, the disciples wrote that Jesus descended from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem, and the crowds laid their clothes on the ground to welcome him as he triumphantly enters Jerusalem.

Earlier, the people in Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and believed in Him as the one whom God sent when He raised Lazarus from the dead.

However, some did not know Him and asked, “Who is this?” and the multitude of people said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

After Palm Sunday, Filipino Catholics will join the worldwide celebration of Holy Week, starting Holy Monday until Good Friday to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus to save mankind from sin.

But after three days, Christ rose from the dead to prove to all and sundry that He is God, almighty King of heaven and earth in union with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in the mystery of one God in three Divine Persons.

The Holy Week will be filled with religious activities where all roads lead to the church. Catholic priests will also be busy holding holy retreats and confessions.The traditional processions will also be conducted.

On Good Friday, some Filipino penitents, particularly in Pampanga, will be nailed on the cross to imitate Christ’s crucifixion.

Thousands of people, including foreign tourists, are expected to troop to Pampanga to witness the annual Good Friday rites.