Christian community observes Palm Sunday in Mangalore

Christian community observes Palm Sunday in Mangalore

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Apr 1, 2012: The Christian community in Mangalore is observing Palm Sunday on April 1. Palm Sunday was celebrated in parishes all over Mangalore such as Bendoor, Kulshekar, Milagres, Valencia, and others. 

Christians observe this day by organizing grand processions, in which they walk holding up blessed palm leaves. Palm Sunday is the most important day for Christians and it is observed on the Sunday before Easter, marking the beginning of the Holy Week. Palm Sunday delivers the message of good over evil.

Christians believe that, on Palm Sunday, Jesus entered triumphantly into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed with disciples waving palm leaves into the air. Palm leaves, therefore, signify the victory of good over evil. Christians welcome Jesus by waving palm leaves into the air and walking in a procession. 

Palm Sunday is the beginning of the Holy Week, which includes the Last Supper, the Crucifixion of Jesus and his Resurrection. 

In each parish, the respective parish priest blessed the palm leaves, after which they were distributed among the people. The members of the parish then walked up to the church in a procession, after which the Holy Mass was celebrated. In Bikarnakatte, Fr. Pius James D’Souza blessed the palms, after which the gathering walked up to the altar holding aloft the palm leaves. 

Thousands of devotees meditated on the sufferings of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion and its significance for mankind.