EMN
Dimapur, March 20
Catholic churches in Nagaland joined the rest of the Christian world in celebrating the Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday that initiated the Christians into the Holy Week.
Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, Bishop of Kohima, officiated the Palm Sunday celebrations at Holy Cross Church, Dimapur, along with nine priests and hundreds of Catholic faithful of the parish.
During the first part of liturgy, parish members gathered at the school ground, where the Bishop exhorted the gathering to be faithful to Christ and Holy Week, which is a call to Christian fidelity.
Bishop later prayed and blessed the palm leaves, after which the community in possession proceeded to the Parish Hall, singing hymns, with palm leaves in their hands, commemorating the triumphant entry of Jesus in Jerusalem.
In the second part of the liturgy held in Parish Hall, passion narrative from the gospel of Luke was read. The Bishop, in his homily, said Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday are two sides of the same coin because we have to rejoice and sing as we receive Jesus into our lives as our Lord and Savior and also weep and morn as his death confronts us with our sin.
Bishop urged the faithful to spend the week mediating the great things God has done in the silence of their hearts.
Rev. Fr. Thomas PJ, Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church, thanked the Bishop for being the main celebrant of the day. He further announced to the faithful about the Chrism mass to be celebrated on March 22 at 4 p.m. in Holy Cross, Parish Hall, during which the Bishop along with all the priests working in the diocese would celebrate the priesthood day. He has invited all the faithful to take part in the priesthood day programme.
In a related programme, St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Kidima, observes Palm Sunday with Rev. Fr. Sojan, Director of Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement as main celebrant on March 20.
The members undertook procession symbolizing Jesus triumphant entry to Jerusalem. The members shouted ‘hosanna God bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God,’ during the procession.
Meanwhile, MGOS Church also celebrated Palm Sunday on March 20 which was marked by conducting morning prayer, holy mass and special Palm Sunday service at 8 a.m. and Palm Sunday procession. The church would observe passion week beginning from Sunday evening where special prayers would be conducted in the church.
Fr. PS Varghese, parish priest, informed that evening prayers would be conducted from Mon to Thursday at 5.30 p.m.
On Good Friday, morning prayer service would be conducted at 5:30 a.m. followed by holy mass and Good Friday services. On Saturday morning service would be conducted at 8 a.m. and holy mass, while on Easter Day morning service would be conducted at 5:30 morning prayer and Easter services.
MGOS church is the only orthodox Syrian church in Nagaland under the Diocese of Kolkata. The church is also running MGM Higher Secondary School, MGM hostel and MGM College of Teacher Education in the city.
