Palm Sunday in San Pablo Cathedral | San Pablo City, Laguna

My first immersion in the activity they call Palm Sunday was in Lipa City, Batangas. But it was not really participation; it was more of observation as we witnessed the people of Lipa raise their palapas and wave them above their heads. The Palm Sunday that year was characterized by the same festive mood I have earlier ascribed to the church in Bay, Laguna.

* the priest in a ceremony on Palm Sunday on the patio of San Pablo Cathedral

* the raised palaspas

* palaspas in the afternoon

* getting ready for blessing

It came in the form of luck when I was able to catch the same ceremony (when the priest/s bless/es the palm leaves) in San Pablo City, Laguna at Saint Paul the Fist Hermit Cathedral. But unlike in Lipa where we only stood on the sidelines, I found myself in the midst of the ceremony. I only came near the priest to take some photos but when I turned around to go, the devotees had already occupied most of the open space, leaving me with no place to exit.

* the leaves as they were being showered with holy water

* a Sacred Heart statue on the grounds of San Pablo Cathedral

* a virgin on the outside grounds of San Pablo Cathedral

* palaspas being sold outside the church fence along with some rice delicacies

There I was, joining the palaspas-bearing people and getting showered with holy water. It was good in the sense that I was able to experience one of the religious activities the Filipinos inherited from the Spaniards. People still have until Easter Sunday to do their religious activities, or head to beaches or climb mountains. For travelers, four or five days of free time are already a big package for traveling and discovering places and people.