The Meaning and Celebration of Palm Sunday: Insight into the Start of Holy Week
Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, is a significant day in the Christian calendar that commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. According to the Bible, Jesus was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches, which they set out on the ground along his path. This year, Palm Sunday falls on March 24, marking the beginning of Holy Week.
One of the key elements of the Palm Sunday story is Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. The Gospel writers in the Bible describe this procession differently, but they all agree on Jesus’ mode of transportation. Joanne M. Pierce, a professor emerita of religious studies, explains that the use of the word “colt” in the Bible refers to a young donkey rather than a horse. This reference from the Book of Zechariah in Jewish scriptures further emphasizes the symbolic significance of humility associated with the donkey.
The palms that are mentioned in the biblical Palm Sunday story hold their own symbolism as well. As Jesus made his way through the crowds, people spread their garments on the ground and threw down leafy branches they had cut from the fields. In the Gospel of John, these branches are specifically identified as palms, which were seen as a symbol of victory and triumph. The crowd shouted “Hosanna to the son of David!” as an exclamation of adoration and a plea for salvation.
The celebration of Palm Sunday involves various rituals and liturgies. Clergy bless the palms, which are then distributed to congregants. The Passion of Christ, which recounts the final events of Jesus’ life, is read during the service. In some German-speaking countries, a figure of Jesus riding a donkey, known as a “Palmesel,” was used in ceremonies. Worshippers would lay palms on the ground before the Palmesel during lively processions.
Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land mark Palm Sunday by holding Masses and processions that retrace Jesus’ triumphal entry. They carry palm fronds and olive branches as they march from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem’s historic Old City. This route encompasses holy sites of the three Abrahamic monotheistic faiths. The palms taken home by congregants are often used to make ashes for Ash Wednesday, which signals the beginning of the penitent season of Lent.
Some churches make their own ashes by burning the palms from previous years. These ashes are then used on Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting and reflection. The significance of these ashes lies in their reminder of mortality and the need for repentance.
As we delve into Holy Week, Palm Sunday serves as a meaningful starting point. It symbolizes Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem and sets the stage for the events that will unfold in the coming days. The celebration of Palm Sunday is a reminder of the humility, adoration, and salvation that are central to the Christian faith.
