Philippines Catholic faithful mark Palm Sunday

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Catholic worshippers all around the Philippines are freely celebrating Palm Sunday, marking the start of Holy Week. In the capital Manila, hundreds of Catholic devotees took part in a street procession to a church, holding up palm fronds that were sprinkled with holy water by a priest.

It’s been 3 years since the last procession due to the coronavirus pandemic limiting religious gatherings. Palm Sunday is one of the most important dates in the calendar of the Philippines, the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia.