Joining the rest of the world, Palm Sunday was celebrated by Holy Cross Church, Dimapur with bishop of Kohima, Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil on Sunday along with nine other priests and Catholic community.
Bishop in his introduction exhorted and said “Constantine the Great” was the first Christian Roman emperor, who had encouraged the Christians to be faithful to Christ and observe “Holy week”. Bishop also blessed the palm leaves, after which the community proceeded to the parish hall, singing hymns, with palm leaves in their hands, commemorating the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Bishop in his homily said “Palm Sunday” and “Passion Sunday” were 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 “we” have to weep and mourn as His symbolic death confronts us. Bishop urged the faithful to spend the week mediating the great things God has done in the silence of “our” heart.
Parish priest of Holy Cross Church, Rev. Fr. Thomas P.J thanked bishop for being the main celebrant of the day and also announced to the faithful about the “Chrism Mass” to be celebrated on March 22, 4 p.m in Holy Cross, parish hall. Bishop along with all the priests working in the diocese would also celebrate the priesthood day, thus showing the unity in priesthood and bless the sacred oils – oil of Chrism, oil of the catechumens and oil of the sick and invited all the faithful to take part in it.
SJC Viswema: Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday was also celebrated at St. Joseph Church (SJC)Viswema on Sunday.
Counsellor of St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama, Fr. C. Joseph presided over the celebration and mentioned the “Holy week” challenges and asked the people to remember and relive the events which brought about “our” redemption and salvation. He reminded the faithful to appreciate gratefully the price Jesus had paid for “our” salvation, and to return God’s love expressed through the suffering and death of Jesus, by loving others.
The hour long procession was attended by large number of children, men and women. Fr. C. Joseph also thanked the church community for arranging the palm procession, recalling special event which opens the “Holy week”.
MGM Church: MGM Church also celebrated Palm Sunday with morning prayers, holy mass and procession. From Sunday evening the special prayers for “passion week” would be conducted.
In a press release parish priest, Fr.P.S.Varghese informed that every day there would be evening prayer at 5.30 pm on Maundy Thursday at 5.30 p.m followed by morning prayer pass-over service, Good Friday 5.30 a.m morning prayer followed by holy mass and Good Friday services, Holy Saturday 8 a.m morning prayer and holy mass.
On Easter day the morning prayer would be at 5.30 a.m to be followed by Easter service.
MGOs church is the only orthodox Syrian church in Nagaland under the diocese of Kolkata. The church also runs the MGM Hr Sec School, MGM Hostel and MGM College of teacher Education in the city.