Filipino Catholics pray for peace in the Middle East on Palm Sunday

Filipino Catholics observe Palm Sunday Mass, carrying palm fronds and praying for peace in the Middle East ahead of Holy Week.

Reuters

29 March 2026 at 07:26:30

Filipino Catholics pray for peace in the Middle East on Palm Sunday

Catholic devotees wave their palm fronds during Palm Sunday celebrations at the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto shrine in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan province, Philippines, March 29, 2026.

Noel Celis/Reuters

Hundreds of Filipino Catholics attended morning Mass on Sunday (March 29), carrying palm fronds, a tradition in the lead-up to the remembrance of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection in the upcoming Easter weekend.

Some Catholics prayed for an end to the conflict in the Middle East, which had a global impact due to the sharp rise in fuel prices, with countries like the Philippines declaring an energy emergency.

The Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday, marks the last week of Lent, during which Roman Catholics fast, pray and give alms to the poor.

Roman Catholics make up about 80 percent of the more than 112 million Philippine population.

Production: Jay Ereno, Peter Blaza/Reuters