"Holy Week" begins with Palm Sunday service; Archbishop Listecki explains its significance

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Christians gathered in Vatican City Sunday, March 29th to join in the Palm Sunday Mass led by Pope Francis. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' procession into Jerusalem. Crowds waved palm branches days before Jesus' death and resurrection. In Milwaukee, Archbishop Jerome Listecki delivered a special Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist -- explaining why Palm Sunday is so important.

"Today is most significant time for the liturgical year for the church," Archbishop Listecki said.

Palm Sunday marks the start of "Holy Week" -- the final days of Lent for Catholics and others.

"This is the time where we follow the passion, the death and resurrection of Christ," Archbishop Listecki said.

As parishioners held palms, Listecki explained that this is a time to celebrate Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.

"We begin with kind of a sense of the joyfulness of Christ, but within a very short period of time, the turning on Christ and his condemnation and death on the cross," Archbishop Listecki said.

It is only through embracing the cross that the resurrection is understood. As "Holy Week" continues, Listecki says it's important the faithful attend as many services as possible.

"Each of the days represents, if you want, a continuous action of following Christ from the upper room. On Holy Thursday right though the suffering on the cross on Good Friday to the glorious resurrection on Easter Saturday -- the Easter vigil, which is a celebration of the empty tomb and resurrection of Christ," Archbishop Listecki said.

During "Holy Week," Listecki says it's crucial to integrate spirituality into one's life and contemplate God's love for us.

"Think in terms of a God that so loves us he becomes one with us and enters into every aspect of our life, our suffering, our death -- everything Christ identified with us except for sin. Therefore by doing that it's a statement that God is never apart from us in everything we experience in life," Archbishop Listecki said.