date: 05.04.2009.
Palm or Passion Sunday is an introduction into the Holy Week, which ends with the solemnity of the Resurrection. The Church remembers the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem few days before the Jewish feast of Pesah. This entry is described in all four Gospels (Mk 11,1-11, Mt 21,1-11, Lk 19,28-44, i Jn 12,12-19). The Church remembers also the Passion of Jesus, which followed. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, people were waiting for him with palm and olive branches, and spreading their cloaks on the road where he was riding on a donkey. Jesus enters Jerusalem as a king, who was announced by the prophets: “Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is approaching, he is vindicated and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9,9). This is why on Palm Sunday before Mass, there is a procession with blessing of the palm and olive branches. During Holy Mass, the whole Passion is read or sung. (foto)
When Jesus was handed over, the religious court was asking the question - is he the Messiah and the Son of God, and the Roman court – is he a king? (Mk 15,2; Jn 18,33). When Pilate is asking Jesus: “Are you a king?”, Jesus replies: „My kingdom is not of this world“ (Jn 18,36).
In Medjugorje, the liturgy of the Palm Sunday begins at 10.30 AM at the place where once was situated the old parish church. In a procession, after the reading of the Gospel and the blessing of the branches, priests and the faithful go to the parish church to celebrate Mass of the Passion of the Lord. The liturgy was presided over by Fr. Tomislav Pervan and Fr. Vjeko Milićević who also sung the Passion, accompanied by the parish choir under direction of Sr. Slavica Kozul.
It has become a tradition that very numerous pilgrims from Austria come precisely to Medjugorje to celebrate the Palm Sunday. This year, they were over 2.000. Their procession began at 8.30 AM at the statue of the Risen Christ, and Holy Mass in German language was celebrated in the yellow hall by 25 priests.
