El Salvador; Palm Sunday celebration kicks off the Holy Week activities

teleSUR English

*Citizens with bunches of palm fronds in their hands take to the streets singing praises *The picture that represents this Holy Week is that of Jesus entering Jerusalem *Pilgrimage includes participants ranging from children to the elderly

Transcript

00:00On Sunday, the Holy Week that is commemorated by millions of Catholics around the world

00:04begins in several countries.

00:07In El Salvador, a town of indigenous origin also begins the Holy Week

00:10with a procession full of color, fervor, and tradition.

00:14A correspondent in El Salvador, Roberto Copresa, has the story.

00:24Panchimalco, located in the south of San Salvador,

00:26is one of the few towns where the Nahuatl culture is still alive.

00:30This Sunday, the streets were dressed in colors

00:32and its inhabitants in faith and devotion in this religious pilgrimage

00:36that gives green light to the activities of the Holy Week.

00:41I come from San Salvador and I like the traditions of this place,

00:46which is a historical place with a lot of tradition very old.

00:50It is worth sharing all the religious ceremonies,

00:58which are very colorful and very traditional.

01:08Chanting praises, thousands of villagers take to the streets

01:11carrying in their hands bunches of palm leaves, which are blessed by the priest.

01:15These branches are placed in the houses as a symbol of faith,

01:19humility, and protection to the families.

01:24And for us, this is a reminder that we have to do it more often based on our belief.

01:28God is always present with us.

01:30And now, that fervor is reborn day after day.

01:33These musicians have kept alive for almost a century the rhythm of the native people

01:43that now mixes with the faith of the Catholic people.

01:46They go through the streets with the whistle and the drum.

01:52We have been working since 1954,

01:55until today we have been accompanying the passion of Christ, Jesus.

01:58We do it every year.

02:02In Holy Week, processions, celebrations of the Virgin and all the saints.

02:11One of the most attractive and significant images of this procession

02:16is this image that represents the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem,

02:21which according to the scriptures he did on a donkey.

02:23It is something invaluable, because at that time the donkey was one of those animals that

02:30obeyed, that were not very rebellious.

02:34God chose this animal that by nature is passive.

02:41This is a very important event in the Catholic religion,

02:45this is the beginning of Holy Week and this is when the Lord entered Jerusalem and we all

02:49applauded him, we shouted with cheers.

02:51On Friday and Holy Thursday we will also be shouting,

02:54crucify him, crucify him.

02:59This pilgrimage involves from children to the elderly,

03:04who seek to keep alive this tradition that each year attracts thousands of local and foreign tourists.

03:13El Salvador, like several Central American countries,

03:16keeps alive traditions such as these,

03:18which is the beginning of the Holy Week,

03:20a week full of activities that brings together millions of people.

03:23Roberto Hugo Presa, Telesur, Panchimalco, El Salvador.

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