Palm Sunday observations in Kochi

Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of the Latin Archdiocese of Varappuzha led a concelebrated Mass at the St. Francis Cathedral, in Kochi, Kerala.

Thousands of Christians of various denominations in the city joined their counterparts across India to celebrate Palm Sunday marked by the traditional procession of the faithful bearing palm leaves and offer of prayers and solemn Masses recalling the New Testament account of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem ahead of his betrayal, suffering and death on the Cross.

Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of the Latin Archdiocese of Varappuzha led a concelebrated Mass at the St. Francis Cathedral, the principal church of the archdiocese after the blessing of the palm leaves and the procession during which the faithful sang the hosanna.

In his Palm Sunday message, the Archbishop said that the entire Easter season and the Lent that led up to it is an opportunity to grow towards Jesus. Holiness and Godliness are doors of opportunities open before us, he said. It is also a call to grow towards Jesus and to cut the distance to him every moment of life, he said.

Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar church Cardinal Alencherry celebrated the Palm Sunday Mass and led the Palm Sunday procession at the church headquarters at St. Thomas Mount, Kakkanad, on the outskirts of Kochi

Hundreds of faithful from the Syro-Malabar church participated in the procession and the Mass. Cardinal Alencherry said Palm Sunday recalled how ordinary simple folks declared their understanding of Jesus as the son of David and messiah. One of the aspects of Juesus’ mission has been to reveal God to people.

As faithful followers of Christ, Palm Sunday reminds us of the unity and service of humankind. Our mission is the unity of the human race, he added.

Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox church led the celebrations at the Kothamangalam Mount Sinai Catholicate House. Members of the Kochi diocese of the Church of South India joined the Palm Sunday celebrations in large numbers at the CSI Immanuel cathedral at Broadway in the city.