2012 Palm Sunday Afternoon in San Pablo City, Laguna

* children participating in the annual
Palm Sunday celebration

* the parish priest blessing the palm leaves

* all for the palm leaves blessing

As we enter the month of April this year, the devout and non-believers alike are greeted today with the rustling of the palm leaves. This week is part of one of the high holidays in the Christian religion (particularly Catholicism): the Holy Week. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of Jesus’ – Christianity’s Messiah – triumphant entry to Jerusalem after ministering to different places. However, as any bible reader knows, He would be later persecuted (born it seemed out of conspiracy among those who oppose Him) leading ultimately to his crucifixion by the Romans. This was one of the most brutal forms of corporal punishment during that time.

* the presiding priest on the way to continue the mass celebration

* the image of Christ riding on a donkey as he enter Jerusalem;
found inside the San Pablo Cathedral

* palm leaves for sale

Thanks to childhood bible school and teenage Sunday bible training I still remember those details. But I am not in any way religious. My attraction to these Filipino traditions (albeit Spanish implanted) is born out of the desire to know more about our country’s past. The aim may seem too simple and static but this is essentially what Back Trails is all about.

As I have the luxury of time, I shall document the activities for the Holy Week here in San Pablo and hopefully embark on a Visita Iglesia.