around the sun

April 7, 2009 around eleven o'clock before noon, while walking in the corridor, a co-worker called my attention. he asked me if i already saw the sun. I answered "no" and asked him "why". Then he described what he saw with the sun. Immediately after our conversation, i looked up in the sky but unfortunately, due to the wide overhang shading the corridor from the sunlight, i was not able to witness the event.

On my way home for lunch, i again looked up in the sky. On the moment, i saw that the sun is surrrounded by a rainbow. The space inside the rainbow is darker (looks like its cloudy) while outside of it is not. I heard from other people that the view is still the same since an hour ago.

Since it's my first time to witness the phenomenon, of course, i was amazed. So, I told myself that i will research a literature of the said event. And i have known that there were already places witnessed the same phenomenon. I have also known that the circular rainbow was a HALO also known as Nimbus, Icebow or Gloriole. Said halo is an optical phenomenon that appears near or around the sun or moon or any light source. It is caused by iced crystals instead of raindrops in cold cirrus clouds found in the upper troposphere. The shape & orientation of the ice crystals is responsible for the halo observed.


Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(optical_phenomenon)

Domingo Ramos 2009

Domingo Ramos or Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week. Its a Christian belief which commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his death...

Me and my family attended the ceremony at the St. William the Hermit Cathedral. we went to the cathedral not only to hear mass and join the celebration but also to inculcate into my child's mind the Christian belief.

Before the mass began, worshippers were gathered at the narthex wherein the priest blessed (through sprinkling the Holy Water) the palms raised by the people. Unfortunately, since we were far from the priest,our "ramos" was not showered with Holy Water. After the blessing, the celebrant immediately proceed to the altar for the mass.

During the homily, the priest told that Palm Sunday is also called the Passion Sunday because its the start of the passion of Christ. He also told the highlight of Christ's life from his entry to Jerusalem to his death.

The mass was ended with final blessing by the priest and palms which were not blessed at the start of the mass were also blessed.

This year's Domingo Ramos is April 5.









The "palms" being sold outside the church







A lady busy in selling the palms outside the church




A "desperate" person who was not able to join the blessing of palm just dipped his "palm" in an empty basin for holy water