Palm Sunday marches mark the beginning of Easter in Chitungwiza.

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St Alois Catholics during the Palm Sunday recently

By Chitownews citizen reporter Mjamaru

Christian churches around Chitungwiza staged multitudes of colourful processions marked by the swinging of palm fronds, dancing and display of church regalia accompanied by singing of the soulful “hossana, hosanna “ turning the streets of Chitungwiza into a carnival atmosphere as they marked Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday re-enacts the biblical royal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back on a donkey depicting the humbleness of his kingdom.

Palm Sunday traditionally marks the beginning of the Easter holidays for the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United Methodist and many other traditional churches in Zimbabwe and is always celebrated in style by marches and processions.

Christians believe that Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey remains a significant part of their faith as their ‘Lord and saviour’ went to finish his mission of dying for their sins at the cross.
Ironically, some established and upcoming churches do not believe in the significance of Easter and allege it is a pagan ritual incorporated into Christendom throughout the ages as Christianity spread through the Roman Empire. This view is shared by churches suchas the Seventh Day Adventist who do not celebrate Easter.

A congregant of the church, Mary Makumbochena, confirmed this view in a recent interview with chitownews.

“ These are pagan rituals Christ never commanded his followers to observe Easter or Christmas but the people of miedeval Europe used to dedicate such days to their gods and have feats and offerings to them.” She explained.

“ When they converted to Christianity- they could not let go of their cultural-religious practices and sought to sanitise these ungodly feasts by renaming them as celebrations of the birth or death of Christ”, she emphasised with religious conviction.

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