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Palm Sunday begins Holy Week for Christians
YOUNGSTOWN
The Palm Sunday Mass at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown signals the beginning of Holy Week for Christians and a time to prepare themselves mentally and spiritually for Easter.
Sunday’s Mass at St. Columba began at 4 p.m. with the Blessing of the Branches by Monsignor Peter Polando, rector of the cathedral.
After the blessing in the brilliant sunshine outside the cathedral, parishioners received palm branches that they waved while processing into the cathedral. The green or flowering branches signify the victory of life.
Palm Sunday is the launching point for sincere reflection and self-examination, said Thomas Gilmartin Jr., one of the readers for the Mass.
Margaret Bourne of Youngstown, a native of Barbatos, was also a reader for the Mass.
“Palm Sunday is a celebration that Christ has arrived and that great things are expected of him,” Gilmartin said.
Members of the St. Columba Choir, that sang during the Blessing of the Branches and throughout the Mass, described their feelings about Palm Sunday.
“Palm Sunday is a great reminder of why I’m Catholic,” said Olivia Kochunas of Champion, a freshman at Youngstown State University.
“It gets your mind prepped for Holy Week. You hear it so many times it makes Easter more meaningful, not just another holiday,” said Kochunas, who considers St. Columba her parish away from home.
“I love the music and spirituality of Palm Sunday and Holy Week,” said Jessica Chisholm of Poland, who is a part-time teacher at YSU’s Dana School of Music.
“Palm Sunday commemorates Christ’s re-entry into Jerusalem. When he entered, the whole city was shaken and said ‘who is this.’ According to Christian Scripture, the people laid palm branches and their cloaks as his feet,” Rector Polando said.