Palm Sunday Celebration in General Curia

 Today, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we begin Holy Week. During Holy Week the Church presents to us key liturgical celebrations of the Lord’s Passion and Death on Palm Sunday, the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the Lord’s Passion and Death on Good Friday and the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. It is also during Holy Week that the Church celebrates the Mass of the Chrism. The Gospel accounts of the Lord’s passion and death are read twice each year: an account by one of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark or Luke) is read during Palm Sunday following a three-year cycle and each year John’s account is read at the Good Friday liturgy.  

 There is brisk business on Palm Sunday selling palms of various kinds and arrangements: blessed palms are brought home to be placed at windows and doors to protect homes from evil. 

     

 

Parallel popular religious celebrations during Holy Week are the public and communal Pasyon (reading or chanting of the Gospel readings, especially during Holy Week), the Visita Iglesia of the Altar of Repose seven churches or chapels after the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Seven Last Words on Good Friday before the Good Friday afternoon liturgy of the Lord’s Passion and the encuentro or salubong very early before dawn on Easter Sunday morning to celebrate Christ’s appearance and visit to his Virgin Mother. 

Friars in silence before the blessing of the Palms...

Raffaele Prays over the Olive branches.....

Beginning with the liturgical re-enactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with palms and hosannahs, the Church invites the faithful to contemplate and pray over the Father’s love for us and Christ’s love, obedience and generosity even unto death on the cross. Let us quietly pray over the Passion narratives and experience the love of the Lord for each one of us. Jesus tells us not to be afraid because he is with us in our own crosses and pains. 

Willie distributes the Olive and seems to be saying its time to hold Olive leaves for one another and especially in this troubled world....

Holding Olive Branches....singing hymns to the Lord.....we promised that we will walk with him through this week of Passion, suffering and Death

We pray as we do on Good Friday at the Adoration of the Holy Cross: “We adore your Cross, O Lord, we praise and glorify your holy Resurrection, for behold, because of the wood of a tree, joy has come to the whole world. May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He let his face shed its light upon us and have mercy on us.”

Willie leading the processing as a Cross bearer....we all processed with zeal and religious fervor....

Friars processing to the Church after the blessing of the Palms......Umberto our Choir master led all of us in singing.....Hail Jesus Christ , Son of David, ....the Redeemer of the World...

The Passion account being read by Raffaele, Umberto and Ivan....we all participated mentally and spiritually,,,,,,,after which came the wise words from Raffale....