Palm Sunday celebrated across Southland, around the world

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Christians around the world are celebrating Palm Sunday, and services are underway at churches in the Southland.

People around the world are marking the first day of Holy Week, which retraces the story of the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection three days later on Easter Sunday.

At the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles, crowds of parishioners were carrying palm fronds to commemorate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.

Due to increased attendance, mass times at the cathedral have changed by 30 minutes on Palm and Easter Sunday. For details, click here.

Earlier, crowds of people gathered in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Pope Francis urged young people not to be silent and let their voices be heard, even in the face of corrupt or silent elders.

The pope's message comes on the heels of a meeting of young Catholics who told the Vatican they want a more transparent and authentic church, and a day after hundreds of thousands marched in youth-led rallies across the United States to demand greater gun control.

"The temptation to silence young people has always existed," Francis said. "There are many ways to silence young people and make them invisible. ... There are many ways to sedate them, to keep them from getting involved, to make their dreams flat and dreary, petty and plaintive. "

But he told youths in his homily that "you have it in you to shout," even if "we older people and leaders, very often corrupt, keep quiet."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.