Love much, give to the poor for meaningful Holy Week observance

Today, Palm Sunday, is considered as the Sunday of the highest rank when Catholics and Christians across the world join in solemn observance of the start of the Holy Week.

And to observe a meaningful Holy Week, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) reminded the faithful to love much and give to the poor.

Today at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle will bless palms at 7 a.m., to be followed by a Holy Mass.

In keeping with tradition, church goers will wave the palm fronds (palaspas) as the mass celebrant makes his way inside the church in a procession that reenacts Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem astride a donkey, where a huge jubilant crowd welcomed the Son of God.

Priests in red vestments, the color of blood to symbolize the supreme redemptive sacrifices of Christ for mankind, will lead the principal religious ceremonies of the day. The procession, blessing of palms, the Eucharistic celebration, and the singing of the Passion of Christ which recalls the final week of Jesus’ earthly journey will be among the ceremonies in Catholic churches today.

The complete narrative of the Lord’s Passion is traditionally read “as a reminder of the complete obedience and submission of Christ to the will of the Father which, through His Holy Cross, brought salvation to the world.”

The palm fronds

The blessing of palms follows a ritual similar to that of the mass. Used as a sacramental by the faithful, the palm fronds are traditionally brought home and preserved in a prominent place such as in altars, near the door or on window sills. It is believed that “the right hand of God will expel all adversities, bless, and protect those who dwell in them who have been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The palm fronds are brought back to the church a year later to be burned for the Ash Wednesday service.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The branches of palms signify victory over death and the advent of spiritual victory through Christ. The death and resurrection of Christ bring us closer to eternal life as man becomes one with God and God becomes one again with man.”

Makers of ‘palaspas’

In the Philippines, the crafting of the palm fronds has become a cottage industry where its makers are now second or third generation members of a family involved in producing artful pieces.

In front of the Quiapo church yesterday, a row of women sat quietly turning the strands of palm fronds into “palaspas.” One of them, Myatte Tiron, 53, had been involved in the craft for two decades already and her hands deftly folded the strands, at the same time checking if there were buyers approaching a pile of about 50 finished “palaspas” that she had placed beside her.

Quietly, she folded the strands to create crosses, flowers and other artistic designs out of braided fronds. The final touch is a picture of the Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help and a red ribbon which she stapled on each “palaspas.” The whole process is completed in about five minutes.

The price of each “palaspas” is P20 and Mayette hopes the devotees will buy her masterpieces.

In Quiapo, the blessing of the palm fronts will be at 4:30 a.m. and the faithful are invited to bring their fronds at the Plaza Miranda for the traditional blessing. (With reports from Leslie Ann G. Aquino and Analou De Vera)