Pampanga gears up for Holy Week

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— This Sunday will be the official start of the Lenten Week as Catholics observe week-long religious events and popular devotion.

Catholics will be trooping to churches today for the traditional blessing of palm fronds this Palm Sunday in commemoration of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

The start of the week will be marked by religious events taking a more somber tone on Good Friday as Catholics commemorate the death of Christ.

This week marks the holiest day in Christendom— the Paschal Triduum. This starts on the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday, continuing through the Good Friday service and Holy Saturday, and concluding with vespers (evening prayer) on Easter Sunday.

But Catholic celebration of the Holy Week is not complete without the traditional Pabasa, a chanting of the folk version of the life and death of Christ, flagellants and penitents roaming the streets with the belief of atoning for their sins through self mor t i fi cat i on.

Most old parishes will also be observing the Holy Wednesday and Good Friday processions where in heirloom images of saints associated with Christ during his life on earth and pasos (scenes), depicting the suffering and death of Christ will be brought out in their lovely carrozas and decorated for the evening processions.

For most Kapampangans, the Lenten Week is a time to be with family in this holiest of seasons.