Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, 10 April 2022

WelCom April 2022 Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. …

WelCom April 2022

Palm Sunday – in this unfinished mural, artist A Lois White, circa 1935, Auckland, depicts Jesus riding triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey. His supporters spread cloaks before him as a sign of honour. Image: 1990-0019-1, part of Art Collection, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. 

In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage and a customary practice for people of great respect.

Palm branches are widely recognised symbol of peace and victory. The use of a donkey instead of a horse represents the humble arrival of someone in peace.

A week later, Christ would rise from the dead on the first Easter.

During Palm Sunday Mass, palms are distributed to parishioners. The palms are blessed and may be returned to the church or kept for the year.