palaspas

Usage Notes:

Palm Sunday is a Catholic tradition in the Philippines to be commemorated with the blessing of the "palaspás", the name given to a palm frond that is artistically woven and ornately designed. These are sold usually in stalls or along the sidewalks near a church. Palm Sunday in Filipino is "Linggo ng Palaspás".

People will bring their "palaspás" to the church on Sunday. A special ceremony will be held, normally just outside the church or at its plaza, if there is one, where the bearers wave these as the priest blesses them.

If you will get to visit some Filipino homes here, you might see these hanging outside their doors or on a wall inside the house. This is done based on the belief that they have the power to ward off evil spirits.

Some of those who breed and raise gamecocks also use these as feed, perhaps in the hope that the blessing will be passed on to the cocks and make them invincible. ("Sabong" is the Filipino word for "cockfight").

The Church also burns these and collect the ashes to be used for Ash Wednesday of the following year.