Filipinos join Palm Sunday celebrations

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos joined the worldwide celebration of Palm Sunday, a Christian feast that marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday.

For Christians, Palm Sunday commemorates Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, welcomed by crowds waving palm branches, before his arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection.

Shown here are videos contributed by aspiring multimedia reporter Jeric Pena went to San Fernando de Dilao Parish Church in Paco, Manila on Palm Sunday, April 1, to have their palm branches or leaves blessed by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle.

“The San Fernando de Dilao Church in Paco, Manila currently serves as the temporary church of the Archdiocese of Manila while the cathedral in Intramuros, Manila is undergoing extensive repairs,” Pena reported.

Another video clip shows the celebration at Carmel Church at Carmelite Monastery in Lipa, Batangas.

Check Rappler’s special pages dedicated to Holy Week, including Palm Sunday and the virtual Visita Iglesia.

Pope leads Palm Sunday procession, mass
 
Meantime, Pope Benedict XVI led the traditional procession and mass to mark Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s square, thronged with thousands of faithful celebrating the start of the Holy Week leading to Easter.

For the third consecutive year, the pontiff arrived on his “popemobile” and not on foot amid the crowds gathered for the open-air mass. An altar was erected at the foot of the obelisk in the middle of the square and nearby an olive grove reconstructed with 13 olive trees.

Benedict XVI, who will turn 85 on April 16, appeared to be in good shape, despite only returning on Thursday from a demanding six-day visit of Mexico and Cuba.

Wearing red liturgical robes to symbolize life, the pontiff blessed the palms brandished by the faithful, including thousands of youngsters, as Palm Sunday coincides with “World Youth Day” celebrated by young Catholics in every diocese all over the world.

The pope then mounted the steps to St. Peter’s where he led mass for Palm Sunday, which he said was “the great doorway leading into Holy Week”.

In his homily, the pope asked: “Who is Jesus of Nazareth for us? What idea do we have of the Messiah, what idea do we have of God? It is a crucial question, one we cannot avoid, not least because during this very week we are called to follow our king who chooses the cross as his throne.

“We are called to follow a Messiah who promises us not an easy earthly happiness, but the happiness of heaven, divine beatitude. So we must ask ourselves: what are our true expectations? What are our deepest desires, with which we have come here today to celebrate Palm Sunday and to begin our Celebrations of Holy Week?” – Rappler.com and Agence France-Presse