Protestants and Catholics from around the world kicked off the holiest week of the Christian calendar yesterday, celebrating Palm Sunday in churches and cathedrals filled with palm fronds and olive branches.
Pope John Paul II celebrated a three-hour mass before tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square, urging young people to renew their commitment to Christ.
“Once more, the cross goes on its pilgrimage along the roads of the world,” the pope said after a parade of young people waved lush green palm fronds and olive branches as the pontiff was driven to the canopied altar atop the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The celebration coincided with the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day, being held in Rome this year.
“I strongly remind each and every one of you that the cross of Christ is the way of life and salvation, the way to receive the palm of victory on the day of resurrection,” the pope said in his sermon.
Palm Sunday marks Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, when followers strewed palm branches in his path as directed by earlier scripture, the week before he was arrested and crucified.
Joining the Palm Sunday celebration yesterday were millions of Eastern Orthodox Christians who follow a different church calendar and usually mark Palm Sunday and Easter on days different from the Western church.
This year, the two calendars coincide. That hasn’t happened since 1990, and won’t happen again until 2004.
Jews across the globe continued their celebration of Passover, which began Saturday night. The weeklong holiday marks the exodus of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
In New York, Christian faithful and cheerful children fashioned their fronds into crosses, paying tribute to the wooden crucifix where the Bible says Jesus died before his resurrection.
At St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, thick crowds filled the aisles.
“Participate in all of the services of this wonderful time of inspiration that you can fit into your schedule,” Edward Cardinal Egan said. “The Lord created a church that we must come together in and pray together.”