Udupi : Palm Sunday to commemorate Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem for the completion of the Paschal Mystery observed at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur of Udupi diocese near here on Sunday, 25th March, 2018.

The Palm Sunday ceremony, which the beginning of Holy Week began at 8 am at a Milagres High School near the Cathedral entrance gate. Very Rev Fr. Stany B Lobo, Rector of the Cathedral and other priests conducted the prayers and blessed the Palm leaves that large number of devotees seen with the Palm leaves mark the occasion.

Fr Stay gave the brief homily after the readings of the Gospel. He said we carry palm leaves as a tribute of weaving joy, before Christ, victorious over death and also as a symbol of our wavering fickleness, betraying Jesus Christ unto his death.

After the prayers the huge well disciplined procession with carrying Palm leaves started where palm leaves blessed towards the Cathedral. The Palm Sunday procession is formed by Christians who in the fullness of faith make their own gesture of the Jews and endow with its full significance. Following the Jew’s example, we proclaim Jesus Christ as Victor. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Palm Sunday Solemn Eucharistic celebrations led by Very Rev Fr. Stany B. Lobo along with Rev Fr. Rolwin Aranha, Rev Fr. Lancy Fernandes sj, and Rev Fr. Herald Mathias, Director of Pilar Fathers. The long Palm Sunday Holy Gospel read by Fr. Stany which all huge faithful listened tirelessly by standing all the way enables devotees as it were to be eyewitnesses of Christ’s Passion and Death, revealing his love “Unto the End”.

At the end the Rector of the Cathedral Fr. Stany placed the weekly announcements and gave gratitude to all concerned for the devotional observation of the Palm Sunday.

Christians all over the world mark their Holy Week starts from Palm Sunday and concluding on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the Resurrection of Christ on the third day after his death on the cross. Palm Sunday showcases the kingship of Jesus Christ and commemorates his triumphant riding into Jerusalem sitting on an ass. The Biblical narrative of this event is brief. As Jesus Christ was going up to Jerusalem, and He will be delivered to the chief priest and scribes, and they condemn Him to death.