Kohima: Together with the rest of the Catholic Church all over the world, Mary Help of Christians Cathedral Parish, Kohima observed the Palm Sunday on April 13. The program began with Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, the Main Celebrant blessing the palm leaves which was followed by the Gospel and the Homily.
A press release from Fr. Loyola Antony, Asst. Priest informed that subsequently around 3000 catholic faithful took a procession from Police Headquarters to the Cathedral Church carrying palm leaves singing various songs of praise and victory.
In the Church, the Holy Mass began with an opening prayer. It was followed by the readings and the most important part, the release said, was the narration of the Passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus from Gospel According to Matthew 26:17-27:66. In his homily, the Bishop exhorted every faithful to meditate on the passion of Jesus in the coming Holy week and appreciate the love of God for each person.
Fr. Loyola Antony in the note mentioned that Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entrance of Christ into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9), when palm branches were placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent, and the week in which Christians celebrate the mystery of their salvation through Christ's death and his resurrection on Easter Sunday, he added.
