It was Palm Sunday last of April 1st. Remembering
my childhood days, my mother never missed this day being a devout Catholic. They
would summon me, my brothers and my sister to go with her to attend
mass in celebration of Palm Sunday. Philippines being dominated by Catholic
religion Palm Sunday is very important occasion. This is to commemorate Jesus
Christ triumphal entry to Jerusalem met by people bearing palm leaves. Palm Sunday is the start of the Holy Week.
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I remember lining up bearing young coconut leaves shaped in
the best way my young imaginative mind could design. As practice in Philippines Catholic
churches, we substitute palm leaves with young coconut leaves. There was a
designated place inside the church for those bearing the leaves. The priest
would come to us and whisked Holy Water on the leaves. After the mass, we
brought home those leaves. My mother put them in the altar. Those blessed
leaves are believed to drive evil spirits.
