SHILLONG/TURA: Christians throughout the state celebrated Palm Sunday in a colorful manner waving palm leaves while taking part in a religious procession and singing hymns to commemorate the entry of Lord Jesus Christ into his beloved city of Jerusalem for the last time before his crucifixion by the Romans on Good Friday.
Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of the Holy Week which is also the final week of Lent.
In Shillong, the faithful gathered at various churches carrying palms and attending church services. In Tura church bells chimed as devotees flocked to churches to listen to the Gospel and partake in the celebrations of Palm Sunday.
From the Cathedral and Sacred Heart church in Chandmari, the Tura Baptist Church at Mission Compound, Goanang, police reserve and Akonggre to the St. Luke church at distant Danakgre, large numbers of the faithful attended.
According to the Gospels, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem and the celebrating people there laid down their cloaks, small branches of trees and palm leaves in front to welcome him while singing from the Psalms.
The symbolism of the donkey is believed to refer to the eastern tradition that it is an animal of peace, whereas the horse is usually regarded as the animal of war since a king usually rode into battle on a horse.
In the Catholic churches of Tura, the traditional blessing of the palm leaves took place before the start of church service.
This was followed by a short procession in which the entire congregation took part waving palm leaves and singing “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
