Christians express support for Gaza in traditional Palm Sunday procession in East Jerusalem

March 24 (UPI) -- Christians from around the world flocked to East Jerusalem on Sunday to march in a traditional Palm Sunday procession amid Israel's war in Gaza.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar, commemorating Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Jesus, who would be crucified later in the week, was welcomed to the holy city with palm branches by Jews recognizing him as the Messiah as he rode in on a donkey.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a Franciscan friar who serves as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem appointed by Pope Francis, directed a message to civilians suffering in Gaza in which he said that they "are not alone."

"The whole of the Church of Jerusalem is together with you, embraces you and thanks you for your testimony of force and courage," Pizzaballa said. "Together with us, all the churches, all our brothers and sisters in the world pray for you and with you."

Also in his remarks, Pizzaballa said Christians wanted to celebrate Jesus' entrance into the holy city "despite the war, despite everything."

The cardinal lamented that many were not able to join this year's celebration because of what he called "never-ending" violence amid a "terrible war" that has made people feel "lost" and "bewildered." The Franciscan order Custodia Terrae Sanctae said in a statement that about 3,000 people showed up for the procession.

"Whether there are a few of us or many of us, what is important is being here, and strongly crying out with faith that we have a reference, Jesus Christ," he said. "That we are not alone and that we are not abandoned, and above all that we are not afraid!"

Each year, thousands flock to the Church of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives - the site of the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is believed to have prayed on Maundy Thursday, the night before his crucifixion, and later where he ascended into Heaven, according to Christian tradition.

Typically, pilgrims proceed from the church down Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus with Roman soldiers before his death. The route ends at the Church of St. Anne in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. Priests, handling guitars, were seen marching as nuns and other revelers carried palm branches in the celebratory but solemn processional.

Pizzaballa blessed the palms from Jericho and the olive branches brought from the Franciscan convent of St. Savior that he then distributed to revelers celebrating Palm Sunday.