Old Palm Sunday ‘palaspas’ burned to make ash as Lent approaches

Dried palm branches and leaves that were used as "palaspas" in last year's Palm Sunday have now been burned to make ash for Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on February 10, is the first day of Lent. On this day, many Christians—including Catholics—go to Mass where priests mark their foreheads with ash as a reminder of Genesis 3:19 ("for dust you are and to dust you will return").

Lent is the six-week season of reflection and repentance that culminates in Holy Week, which in turn leads to Easter Sunday. This year, the date celebrated as the day of Christ's resurrection falls on March 27.

In Pope Francis's message for this year's Lenten season, the pontiff urged Catholics to accompany prayer and reflection with "corporal works of mercy."

"In the corporal works of mercy we touch the flesh of Christ in our brothers and sisters who need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, visited; in the spiritual works of mercy – counsel, instruction, forgiveness, admonishment and prayer – we touch more directly our own sinfulness. The corporal and spiritual works of mercy must never be separated," he said. — BM, GMA News