Christians in Nigeria and their counterparts across the world are marking Palm Sunday, signalling the beginning of the Holy Week.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The day symbolises the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem where he triumphantly rode on a donkey before his passion, death and eventual resurrection. The event is recounted in each of the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Many Christian faithful made small crosses from palms to celebrate the day and some churches also held processions, reenacting Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.
The palm branches, for most Christians, signify goodness and victory. Palm Sunday is the last week of the Lent season that precedes Easter.
In several churches in the country, messages were centred on the lessons from the event. At the Catholic Church of nativity, FESTAC Town, Lagos, worshippers were admonished to draw from the humility of Christ in opting to ride on a donkey. They were also asked to reflect the lessons of the period in their relationship with their fellow human beings.
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Channels Television recalls that in his message, Pope Francis called for an Easter truce in Ukraine to pave the way for peace through “real negotiations”.
“May an Easter ceasefire begin but not to reload arms and resume combat. No. A ceasefire to arrive at peace through real negotiations,” he told a public mass at Saint Peter’s Square.
“Let the Easter truce begin. But not to provide more weapons and pick up the combat again — no! — a truce that will lead to peace, through real negotiation.”
The pontiff denounced a war where “defenceless civilians” suffered “heinous massacres and atrocious cruelty”.
“What victory is there in planting a flag on a pile of rubble?” he asked.
Francis on Wednesday had already condemned the targeting of civilians in Ukraine, calling the discovery of bodies in Bucha near Kyiv a “massacre” and embracing a Ukrainian flag from the “martyred town”.
He has also expressed his willingness to contribute to halting the fighting in Ukraine and said he would be ready to travel to Kyiv.
Russia has denied responsibility for the apparent killings of civilians in Bucha, accusing Ukraine of staging them. Moscow has not provided any evidence to back up its claim.