He Has Risen!

  

     Holy Week is a special period for Christians all across the world. It begins on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, observed with special solemnity as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ.. Holy Week is a time when Catholics gather to remember and participate in the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion was the final period of Christ’s life in Jerusalem. It spans from when He arrived in Jerusalem to when He was crucified. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which marks Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem it is known as such because the faithful will receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem with a procession. On Maundy Thursday, we re-enact the Lord’s Last Supper, which he shared with his apostles on the night He was betrayed and arrested. Good Friday is one of the darkest days of the year for Catholics. It covers Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. His death and burial are also memorialized. This is the time when Christians tend to do fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ On Holy Saturday we keep watch for the expectant rising of Christ. This was the day Jesus was in the tomb.

                                   

    People spend Holy Week in many ways. As a Catholic, I spend my days during Holy Week participating in street processions with my family; "Pabasa ng Pasyon," which is the continuous chanting of the passion of Christ in Tagalog or other local dialects. This is usually done by a group of people who take turns chanting the verses, and it can last for several days, we also went to church on Palm Sunday and had our woven palm fronds or palaspas blessed by the priest,  while non-Catholics or non-practicing Catholics use this time to go on vacation, resulting in a peak season in most Philippine tourist destinations. 

    To sum up, Holy Week is a time of forgiveness as we prepare to celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ's return to the Father. It is now time to accept our flaws and forgive those who have wronged us. And a time for Christians to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and life over death. It is a time to renew one's faith and commitment to God and to share the message of hope and love with others.

Reference: 

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