Holy Week Activities are our priority during the week following Palm Sunday. It has always been a special time for me, and now for my little family.
Let this holy week be a practical lesson to teach religion to your kids. Bring them with you when attending holy week activities in Church (Photo Credits: John Ragai, cc: Some rights Reserved)
It starts at Ash Wednesday, when i will haul the whole gang to church to attend mass, and have the priest put ash on our foreheads.
I love exposing Little to Holy Week Activities like such because apart from being a Catholic, it is an opportunity for me to teach her practical lessons on Religion.
Come Palm Sunday, little gets excited to choose palms to buy outside the church. I remember when i was younger, i didnt feel mainstream because my parents insisted on bringing our own leaf branch to church during Palm Sunday, and refused to buy from palm frond vendors.
Going back to my Palm Sundays as an adult — particularly as a mother — i now find myself elated as i see my little girl getting excited to participate in church activities. From choosing the palm frond to buy and to going up near the altar to wave her palm and have it blessed. After the mass, she greets me with a mouthful of smile proclaiming HAPPY PALMS DAY MAMA!
I also involve her in the other holy week activities in church like the Visita Iglesia. It is like a field trip to her because she gets to see all the altars. And since she has a penchant for the statues of the Saints, she gets all curious when she sees them draped in purple, as the Standard Practice during holy week.
She also gets super pumped up and curious during Maundy Thursday or the Washing of the Feet. She often asks what’s with the washing of the feet. To me, this is a good opportunity to explain religious facts. My parents — and i say this is not their fault — never explained to me all these, because, i have never been to a Maundy Thursday mass or even the veneration of the cross with my mother, much less my dad.
And at this age, i make Little watch the Siete Palabras with me on TV during Good Friday, and then we attend the veneration of the Cross. She asks me what kind of instrument do the altar boys use to make that sound during the procession.
The most exciting and happy holy week activity for me at least is the Easter Vigil Mass. I get so excited about the dark Church, the ball of Fire, and the lighting up. Little got so amazed by it the first time she witnessed such event too, but she is more excited with what is going to happen the next day — Easter Sunday. And you all know why. If you want to make your Kids’ Easter more exciting and at the same time budget friendly, you may want to read my post here about DIY Colored Easter Eggs. Advanced happy Easter to you all.