Some 300 faithful Christians gathered for the second time in less than a month as a sign of Christian Unity in the city of Port of Spain to witness to the nation that Jesus Christ meant for us to be together as one in His body.

Christians gather with Downtown Clergy Council for Palm Sunday walk

The Downtown Clergy Council came together kast Sunday, Palm Sunday to walk the streets of Port of Spain as one body. The procession started promptly at 2.00 p.m. Scores of young and old filed into the pews of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the starting venue for the afternoon’s proceedings. Rev Pam Greaves of the Anglican Church in her opening address alluded to how good it was to be gathered once again to sing the praises of God as one people, one nation, under one God.

The theme for this year’s Palm Sunday Procession was taken from Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”. The different preachers reflected on the role of the family in today’s society, encouraging the faithful to pay close attention to the deteriorating state of family life, and to support each other in trying to rebuild what has been lost. As customary, each minister did not preach in his/her own church. That too was a good sign that we as Christians ought to more accepting and open to learn from each other’s way of worship.

The streets were boldly swept with the sound of praise choruses, and people waving palm branches in the blistering sun led by an ecumenical group of altar servers and clergy. Among the churches and groups represented were the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Moravian, Methodist and London Baptist Churches, the Salvation Army, the Taizé Trinbago Ecumenical Prayer Group and other Christian denominations who supported the initiative. Some of the preachers included Rev Clifford Rawlins of the Presbyterian community and Roman Catholic Tricia Hudlin-Cooper who delivered a stirring sermon exhorting us to be careful not to “eat-up” each other in hatred, envy, greed, malice but that we ought to be converted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and allow our lives to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Claude Berkley dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and black trousers, served as a good shepherd to the flock as he walked among the people throughout the entire procession. Only at the closing moments at Trinity Cathedral was he invited to share a few words with the faithful and give the final blessing. As the saying goes, “time flies when you’re having fun!’’ After ssome three hours it seemed as though no one wanted to leave the grounds of the church. Indeed an afternoon well spent in the company of God’s people. “How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters) live in unity!” – Stephen Jones, Catholic Media Services Limited