Moodubelle: Palm Sunday observed with blessing of palms and procession from the Cross Hill

By Eugene DSouza
Pics by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 01 Apr 2012: Palm Sunday was observed in St. Lawrence Church, Moodubelle as in the past, blessing of the Palms preceded by prayers, invocation, reading from the Gospel and singing appropriate hymns by the choir.

 

This year, Palm Sunday liturgy was conducted by Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes, parish priest of Moodubelle along with Fr. Lancy Saldanha, assistant parish priest. Palm leaves were distributed to the parishioners by members of the parish pastoral council. 

 

 

The parishioners gathered in front of the Cross on the Cross hill at 8 am. Following the liturgical service and blessing of the palms, the parishioners with palms in their hands  followed the altar servers and priests in  procession from the Cross Hill through the Main Road, entering the church premises through the main gate.

 

The solemn Palm Sunday Mass was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Joswey Fernandes along with Fr. Lancy Saldanha, Fr. Maxim Pinto (OFM-Cap) and  Fr. Valerian D’Silva (OFM-Cap). The Passion of Christ according to the Gospel of St. Mark was read by  Fr. Lancy, Fr. Joswey and Fr.Valerian.

 

 

The Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week prior to the solemn Easter Sunday. The Holy Week is also known as the Passion Week, during which Christians pay tribute and show their gratitude towards Jesus Christ on his crucifixion.

 

The Palm Sunday celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into  Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover. The people who gathered all around him laid the palm leaves and branches in the way of Jesus as he approached towards Jerusalem. As the Jesus was heading towards Jerusalem his main motive behind this was to lay his life for the sake of his followers.