Palmeras de Chacao received the blessing prior to the palm harvest

Published at: 22/03/2026 06:24 PM

This Sunday, March 22, at the Shipping Mass held at the San José Church, as a formal beginning to the rites of Holy Week, the Palmeras of Chacao received the blessing prior to the palm harvest.

During the church ceremony, the community and local authorities will accompany the blessing of the men who will climb the Waraira Repano. The palms collected during that day will be blessed and given to the parishioners next Sunday, March 29.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Major Week and commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, an event that symbolizes his recognition as King and Savior.

This shipping mass functions as a spiritual mandate where palmerists are commissioned to carry out their pastoral work and carry the message of the Gospel through their historic promise.

The tradition of the Palmeras of Chacao dates back to the 1770s, when the parish priest José Antonio Mohedano tasked farm workers to search for palms in the mountains to pray for an end to an epidemic of yellow fever.

After more than 250 years of uninterrupted validity, this religious manifestation remains a symbol of identity and resilience for the people of Caracas.

Today's palm trees follow the trail of those ancestors, climbing the hill to collect the leaves that will later be protagonists in the city's liturgical celebrations.

Mazo News Team