Filipina Soul

We call it “Palaspas“, for the woven palm leaves that are made into crosses and other symbols of this week’s celebration. Today will be the last time that joy and happiness will be expressed, for a whole week. 

Today, Palm Sunday begins in the Philippines, and in many other parts of the Christian world. It is the first of a week-long observance of Christ’s passion – his entry into Jerusalem, amidst waving palms and cloths spread by the Jews who greeted him. And Filipinos take this week to heart.

Holy Week is the most revered and solemn of all Filipino holidays. “Mahal na Araw” is the Tagalog term, and I appreciate how Fr. Genaro Diwa, head of the liturgical affairs ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila said it –

To call something mahal means it is near your heart. The days unfolding are so dear to the hearts of every Filipino…. everything stops”.

Among the most devout, this week will be so solemnly observed there can be no merry making or no unnecessary activities. Even children are forbidden to make boisterous noise. It is truly as if the Philippines is waiting for someone, a living being, is expected to die anything soon, and mourning is about to begin.

photo source: hypertypos on Flickr

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