Christians across India observed Palm Sunday on March 29 with processions and special services, but nowhere did the occasion carry a sharper edge than in Manipur, where thousands of displaced Kuki-Zo families marked the beginning of Holy Week still unable to return to their homes amid the ongoing ethnic conflict.
In Kangpokpi, chants of “Hosanna” echoed along National Highway-2 as devotees from churches including KCC, KBC, KIBC and CRC marched carrying palm branches. Sermons across the hill districts of Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong centred not only on Christ’s passion but on collective prayers for peace, restoration and the right to go home.
The observance was notable for its geographic spread, with services reported from Nagaland, Assam, Mizoram and Manipur in the Northeast, through Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the South, and across Uttar Pradesh in the North, reflecting the reach of India’s Christian community as Holy Week leading to Easter on April 5 got underway.
In Nagaland, Governor Nand Kishore Yadav and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio both issued formal greetings to the Christian community, with the Governor calling for reflection on the values of humility and sacrifice. Hundreds gathered at Mary Help of Christians Cathedral in Kohima, with a march beginning at PHQ Junction, while in Wokha district, Sunday School students went through the streets with palm leaves, singing hymns.
Across Mizoram, the day was observed as “Tumkau Ni,” with children leading morning processions chanting “Hosanna” before adults joined congregations for services. Churches served special teas to members after worship, a local tradition marking the occasion.
In Kerala, where Palm Sunday is known as Oshana Njayar, Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil of the Syro-Malabar Church led rituals at St. Mary’s Basilica in Ernakulam, while Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil officiated at St. Francis Cathedral. Along the Karnataka coast, tender coconut leaves substituted for palm fronds in a local tradition observed across parishes of the Mangaluru and Udupi dioceses, where Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha led the main celebrations at Holy Spirit Church in Mukka. “Palm Sunday is not merely a ritual but an invitation to accompany Jesus in his journey of sacrifice,” he told the congregation.
In Tamil Nadu, Bishop Stephen conducted Holy Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Thoothukudi, with the faithful marching through the city’s main streets singing hymns and chanting “Hosanna.” In Tiruchirappalli’s Melapudur, devotees gathered at St. Mary’s Cathedral for prayers and a palm leaf procession.
In Vijayawada, services began at St. Paul’s Cathedral near Benz Circle at around 7 a.m., with the faithful walking from Bishop’s Dhyanashram to the cathedral carrying palm and coconut leaves. At All Nations Church in Mogulrajpuram, children from Sunday School sang “Hosanna to the King” waving palm branches.
In Assam’s Dongkamukam, congregations from multiple denominations participated, with Father Denu Sangma at Mary Help of Christians Church in Satgaon directing his sermon at the state of the world. “World turmoil now signals us that Jesus’ second coming is not far,” he told his congregation, urging prayers for world peace.
Across Uttar Pradesh, congregations in Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Farrukhabad and Gorakhpur gathered for services and prayer meetings. In Agra, Archbishop Dr. Rafi Manjali told the faithful the occasion carries a message of love, humility and devotion, while Reverend Anil B. Lal offered special prayers for peace and brotherhood in the country.
Holy Week observances continue through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, culminating in Easter Sunday on April 5.
