Palm Sunday

𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. This Sunday is the last Sunday in Lent and marks the beginning of Holy Week. The event is recorded in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; John 12:12-18) , though it should be noted that it is only in John that palm branches are mentioned.

On this Sunday palm crosses are traditionally given. How and when this practice emerged in the church is unclear. In old church calendars and books there are some references to this practice, but it is not until the 700’s and the venerable Bede that there is a clearer indication that palms were used. John Sullivan comments that “It is likely that the use of palms began in the “ Miracle-Plays,” or reproductions of the Passion of our Lord, which were common in the early Middle Ages… and it is probable that the triumphal entry into Jerusalem was shown on the stage with the use of palms. Then, following her usual custom of blessing anything intended for religious purposes, the Church began to give a solemn benediction to the palms and made them a sacramental.”

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳?

Just as the olive branch is a symbol of peace, the palm leaf was used as a symbol of triumph and victory. We should recall the triumphal processions of victorious generals processing into their city decked with palm leaves. Or the Jews, who used palm leaves to express rejoicing during the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. In Christian art the palm branch is often used to introduce pictures of martyr saints. It is not surprising then that the simple palm leaf was used as a Christian expression for the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘍. 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘯, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩: 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘚𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬: 𝘗. 𝘑. 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥𝘺 & 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝟣𝟫𝟣𝟩), 𝟤𝟢𝟫–𝟤𝟣𝟢.

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