Palm Sunday

Greetings,

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent, and commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This significant event occurs on the Sunday before Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday is named after the palm branches that the crowd scattered on the road before Jesus as he rode into the city on a donkey, symbolizing victory and peace.

The biblical accounts of this event, found in all four Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19), depict the joyous welcome Jesus received from the crowds, who hailed Him as their king and messiah, shouting “Hosanna!” which means “Save, we pray!” or “Save now!” This act of welcome fulfilled the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9, which speaks of a king coming to Jerusalem, humble and riding on a donkey.

Palm Sunday is a day of paradoxical celebration and anticipation, as it recalls Jesus’ regal entry into Jerusalem amidst shouts of honor, yet it also sets the stage for the unfolding of the Passion narrative, leading to His crucifixion. It serves as a reminder of the path Jesus took as a servant king who embraced suffering for the salvation of humanity.

The observance of Palm Sunday involves special church services that often include the distribution of palm branches to congregants, symbolizing the palms spread before Jesus in His entry into Jerusalem. These branches are sometimes kept by worshippers and then burned to create ashes for the next year’s Ash Wednesday, linking the celebration of Palm Sunday with the penitential season of Lent.