Christians were able to attend Palm Sunday mass in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Christians from all across the globe were able to offer prayers in Arabic and Latin. After two years of Covid-19 travel restriction, devotees were able to enter church again.
Almost 500 worshippers were able to enter through the huge wooden doors of the church. The most important festival as per the Christian calendar is where Jesus believed to have been crucifies and resurrected.
Pierbattista Pizaaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, told Reuters, “After two years of Covid, of restrictions, of closed churches, today we are in a normal atmosphere. We have a lot of pilgrims, a lot of local Christians. We are very happy. For us, it’s a kind of resurrection”.
As tradition gesture to remember the branches laid by the crowds, devotees rattled with palm fronds. It is their way of welcoming Jesus to Jerusalem as per the gospels. It makes the beginning of Holy Week for Roman Catholics.
Joseph Obiajulu from New York City said to Reuters,” There’s no better place to celebrate Holy Week, seeing that this is where all the events originally took place, and also seeing as the Covid-19 pandemic is mostly resolving, so it’s safe enough to come this year.
Israel has allowed the re-entering of foreign tourists only recently.