Malawi Catholics celebrate Palm Sunday, inaugurates Holy Week
Hosanna Son of David!!! The common hymn Christians sung as they kicked off the Catholic Church’s Holy Week celebrations with Palm Sunday Mass, which marks Jesus’ triumphal entry in Jerusalem where he was greeted by cheering crowds bearing palm fronds, according to the Bible.
The Palm Sunday, according to the Catholic belief, marks the beginning of the Holy Week until Easter Sunday when Jesus will have resurrected from the dead. The Catholics have been observing 40 days of penance in Lenten period.
The church ceremony in Catholic churches started with the blessing of palm; depicting what Jews did as they carried and spread leaves and pieces of cloth on the road where Jesus travelled as he entered Jerusalem as the King.
In his homily at St. John the Baptist Church in Mangochi, Fr. Medrick Mlava, said the Church wants the faithful to meditate on the suffering of Jesus as it was meaningful to save humankind.
He reminded worshippers that Jesus had not come to bring “a material kingdom” but one of the spirit.
“Jesus allows to suffer for our sins to save us. What are then are we supposed to do? Let us stop getting into sins. Let us also be ready to suffer for other people. Let us allow to suffer with Jesus,” went the homily as monitored on Radio Maria Malawi during the 6 am mass.
He said since Christ entered Jerusalem riding on the back of a colt, it was important that leaders today imbibe the virtues of humility and service to their people.
Elsewhere, priests said during Palm Sunday, Christians are reminded of the victory of Christ over death, in preparation for the celebration of Easter. “
Palm Sunday signals the beginning of the Holy Week, the week of Easter, and the week is holy to the church because it marks the liberation of mankind from sin.”
The catholic priests urged politicians and those in leadership positions to reflect on the kingship of Jesus Christ, a “kingship of true humility and service to the people,” stressing that the church is always concerned about the leadership problems where leadership is defined on the basis of a master-servant relationship.
In the Holy Week, the Catholic Church has big events starting with the Palm Sunday celebration.
On Thursday, the Church will commemorate the last Supper Jesus had with His Apostles where he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist.
On Good Friday is when He was killed and the faithful participate in the Way of the Cross which usually covers a long distance.
On Saturday night, the church service starts at the entrance of the church building where fire is lit and a big candle is also lit. The big candle represents Jesus as light to the world.
The Saturday night celebration goes into early Sunday when the church commemorates Jesus resurrection thus Easter Sunday
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