The Story of a Cherished Tradition

The Holy Week is one of the most sacred times of the year for Christians around the world as we commemorate the events that constitute the pascal mystery of Christ — his passion, death, and resurrection. It begins with Palm Sunday (in 2021, when this article’s written, on Mar 28). Various cultures and ethnicities prepare for and welcome this week in their own way. For instance, the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday, the Great Sabbath before Passover is celebrated as Lazarus Saturday by the Eastern Orthodox Church, or Shabbat HaGadol by Jewish Christians. This is based on the liturgical evidence of raising Lazarus six days before Passover in Bethany where Jesus was, before entering Jerusalem. In another region of the world, in certain parts of India’s southwestern state of Kerala, catholics uphold the tradition known in the local language as Kozhukatta Shaniyazhcha — a traditional I finally celebrate again in my first Holy Week with my family in four years. <a href="https://themariavincent.medium.com/the-story-of-a-cherished-tradition-11ef0d342975">Read More</a>