KANGPOKPI, Mar 29: National Highway 2 along Christian dominated Kangpokpi town witnessed a busy traffic for a few moment since Christian community within Kangpokpi came out on the street shouting `Hosana, Hosana, Hosana` as part of the observation of Palm Sunday also known as Passion Week today.
Coming out from their respective churches young and old, men and women holding twigs in their hand shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” along the Highway depicting scenes and images when Jesus Christ made a triumphal entry to Jerusalem sometime before the third or fourth century AD which marks the beginning of Holy Week, an especially solemn and important week in the Christian calendar that focuses on the last days of Jesus` life and anticipates Easter, the most important holiday in Christianity.
Among many other churches in town Kangpokpi (Kanggui) Christian Church, KBC Centre Church, Kangpokpi (Kanggui) also joined the exuberant procession along the highway today mostly participated by Sunday school students.
In Christianity, Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Lent (i.e. the 40-day period before Easter) and the last Sunday before Easter, the sacred Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday, Willow Sunday, and Flower Sunday.
Palm Sunday ceremony in the town consisted of prayers, hymns, and sermons recited by Pastor and other Church leaders wherein the Passion and the Benediction are sung.
A Pastor in the town said in the simplest of terms Palm Sunday is an occasion for reflecting on the final week of Jesus` life. It is a time for Christians to prepare their hearts for the agony of His Passion and the joy of His Resurrection.
In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions. The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph, the Pastor added.
A Sunday school teacher said `Palm Sunday teaches us the far more glorious and spiritual nature of Christ`™s kingdom and it reminds us that Jesus went to the cross on our behalf deliberately and willingly.`
She said `Palm Sunday also reminds us that Jesus was about a far greater victory than any earthly battle could afford and it anticipates Christ`™s victory over the greatest enemy of all.`
`There are many people today who may have celebrated Palm Sunday and following week Easter Sunday, but do they really have a clue what it all means?`
Therefore it is a crucial times for the Christian community to ponder that, `Are we a genuine follower of Jesus Christ? Or are we like the multitudes who gave Jesus lip service one day but who wanted Him out of their life the next day? She added.