Domingo de Ramos - Palm Sunday



In Spanish, there is a word -- "ramoso", an adjective that describes a plant or a tree full of branches or abounding with twigs. One can even translate it with the words 'twiggy", "branchy". The Spanish word "ramo" (branch) standing as its noun. But for Filipinos, if we then shift to the plural form "ramos", it creates a different bang, as people will relate it to surnames and personalities.

Actually, the Spanish, "Domingo de Ramos", and even the Tagalog "Linggo ng Palaspas" are terms, too generic, merely mentioning branches, etc. With the English "Palm Sunday", attention of course focuses then more on a branch of palm trees. It also highlights the meaning of palm branches, that Semitic and Middle Eastern tradition of offering it as a symbol of peace, triumph, renewal, and happiness. Hosanna!

In the Pigafetta account of Magellan's voyage, with its original Italian title "Relazione del primo Viaggio intorno al mondo", the chronicler wrote about a tree which he termed as: "cochi".-- the fruit which the palm trees bear." Pigafetta went on: " And as we have bread, wine, oil, and vinegar, proceeding from different kinds, so these people have those things proceeding from these palm trees only."

Incidentally, we also call the coconut tree "the tree of life", one of the very first unique things mentioned in the chronicling of our homeland.

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