“Hosanna” in the center of Athens: how the Filipino community celebrated Palm Sunday

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In the halfway of Athens an unusual work took place Palm Sunday: Catholic Filipino community held a festive liturgy with songs, euphony and traditional thenar decorations.

The work took spot successful the assemblage connected Charalambos Trikoupi street, connecting Hippocrates and Fidiou streets, which for a clip became a space of surviving and multicultural spiritual tradition.

Another tradition

Palm Sunday for Filipino Catholics differs from the usual format of worship for Orthodox Christians.

instead of a strict liturgy – corporate chants;
use of philharmonic instruments;
a much affectional and unfastened signifier of information of believers.

The cardinal constituent was “palaspás” – decoratively woven thenar branches.

“Hosanna” successful the halfway of Athens: however the Filipino assemblage celebrated Palm Sunday pic.twitter.com/cErEP0ulwo

— Athens News (@russianathens) April 7, 2026

Symbolism of “palaspas”

During the service, believers assistance and rhythmically sway these branches, filling the space with question and sound.

The tradition refers to the Gospel scenes of the gathering of Christ successful Jerusalem, where radical greeted him with branches and exclamations of “Hosanna”.

After the consecration, the “palaspás” are taken home:

placed successful iconostases;
left astatine the windows;
used arsenic a symbol of extortion from disasters and evil forces.

Living religion successful the metropolis

According to video materials, the ambiance of the work was filled with chants of “Ωσαννά”, creating a feeling of solemnisation and spiritual unity.

Despite the differences successful rituals, the meaning remains communal – mentation for Holy Week.

Editorial comment

Such scenes are a uncommon reminder that modern Athens has agelong go not lone a Greek city, but besides a cosmopolitan city.

And while some reason astir traditions, others simply proceed to unrecorded them – albeit successful a signifier that seems unusual to some.

As a result, it is precisely such “small” stories that champion amusement however the metropolis is changing without losing its spiritual essence.