Mizoram celebrates Palm Sunday, multifaith congregations wave palms, chant "Hosanna"

 Palm Sunday was observed on Sunday across Mizoram. The day’s celebration began with a march in the morning with congregations from various churches and denominations waving palm branches and chanting Hosana in the highest. Special church services were also observed across the State with choirs.

Palm Sunday is one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar that commemorates the Christian belief in the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches that they set out on the ground along his path.

In Mizoram, Palm Sunday was first observed on March 25, 1934 when the Welsh missionary Katie Hughes (Pi Zaii, in Mizo) gathered children from Mission Veng church and marched on the streets waving palm branches and singing. It was again celebrated on April 10, 1938 where two church congregations were combined, chanting Mark chapter 11, verses 9 and 10. 

Since 1938, Palm Sunday has been observed every year across Mizoram where church members from children to senior citizens march, carry palm branches, singing and chanting the same Bible verses: “And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.”