What Is Palm Sunday? History, Traditions & Meaning
Palm Sunday opens the most sacred week in the Catholic liturgical year. On this day, we commemorate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, and we step into the Passion that will bring us to Easter. Hold your palms. Cry Hosanna. The mystery begins.
The faithful gather for Palm Sunday Mass, holding blessed palm branches, a centuries-old tradition of the Church.
What Is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday, officially the Sunday of the Lord's Passion in the Roman Rite, is the sixth and final Sunday of Lent. It commemorates Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, five days before His crucifixion on Good Friday.
The crowd welcomed Him as a king: they waved palm branches and spread their cloaks on the road, a gesture reserved in the ancient world for victorious monarchs and military heroes. They cried Hosanna, "Save us now", not knowing that He would do exactly that, though not in the way they imagined.
"The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'" — John 12:12–13
The Biblical Story: What Happened on Palm Sunday?
Palm branches: the universal symbol of Christ's victory
All four Gospels record the event with remarkable consistency. Jesus sent two disciples ahead to Bethphage to retrieve a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah written five centuries earlier: "See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).
The crowd spread palm branches and their own garments on the road as Jesus entered. They cried Hosanna, a Hebrew word from Psalm 118:25 meaning "Save us, we pray." What had once been a prayer of supplication had become a joyful acclamation of the coming Messiah.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem as He entered it, knowing what the celebrating crowd could not yet see: that the city which welcomed Him with palms on Sunday would call for His crucifixion by Friday. Palm Sunday is never only triumph. It is triumph on the way to the Cross.
The Meaning of the Symbols
Why Did Jesus Ride a Donkey?
In the ancient Near East, a king on horseback signaled war and military conquest. A king on a donkey announced peace. Jesus chose the humble animal deliberately, to signal that His Kingdom would not be built by force, but by sacrifice. The crowd hoped for a political Messiah to overthrow Rome. They received something infinitely greater: a King who would conquer death itself.
What Do the Palm Branches Mean?
Long before Christianity, the palm branch was a universal symbol of victory across the Mediterranean world. In the Book of Revelation (7:9), the great multitude of the redeemed stands before the Lamb holding palm branches, connecting Palm Sunday directly to the final victory of Easter. Early Christian art depicts martyrs carrying palms as trophies of spiritual triumph.
In Catholic tradition, blessed palms are kept in the home throughout the year, placed near a crucifix or holy image, as a sign of faith and a daily reminder of the Passion. At the end of the year, they are burned to make the ashes for the following Ash Wednesday, completing a beautiful liturgical circle.
What Does "Hosanna" Mean?
Hosanna comes from the Hebrew Hoshia na, "Save us now." It is drawn from Psalm 118, one of the great Hallel psalms sung at Passover. By the first century, it had evolved from a cry of distress into a joyful shout of praise and expectation. When the crowd cried "Hosanna in the highest," they were proclaiming Jesus as the Savior sent from God Himself.
The Palm Sunday Liturgy: What Happens at Mass
The Palm Sunday Mass has a unique two-part structure unlike any other Sunday of the year
Palm Sunday Mass has a distinctive two-part structure found on no other Sunday of the year:
1. The Blessing and Procession of Palms
Before Mass begins, the priest blesses the palm branches. The congregation then processes, either entering the church together or processing inside, re-enacting the entry into Jerusalem. The ancient hymn All Glory, Laud and Honor is sung. It is one of the most joyful moments in all of Lent.
2. The Reading of the Passion
The long Gospel reading, the full Passion narrative from Matthew, Mark, or Luke (rotating by liturgical year), is proclaimed by three voices: narrator, Jesus, and a third reader. The congregation plays the role of the crowd. When the text reaches the moment of Christ's death, all kneel in brief, solemn silence, one of the most powerful liturgical moments of the entire year.
Liturgical Color: Red
Unlike most Sundays in Lent (purple/violet), Palm Sunday uses red vestments, the color of the blood of martyrdom and of Christ's kingship. The Passion begins today.
Palm Sunday Traditions Around the World
St. Peter's Square, Rome, the Pope celebrates Palm Sunday with thousands of pilgrims
Italy. Domenica delle Palme
In Italy, both palm fronds and olive branches are blessed, olive being more common in Mediterranean regions. Palms are often woven into intricate crosses or decorative shapes by skilled vendors outside churches. In Rome, the Pope celebrates a solemn outdoor Mass in St. Peter's Square, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world.
Spain and Latin America. Domingo de Ramos
Elaborate ramos (palm arrangements) are crafted and blessed throughout the Spanish-speaking world. In Elche, Spain, home to the only palm forest in Europe, specially blanched "white palms" are a UNESCO-protected tradition dating back centuries.
Eastern Europe. Willow Branches
In Poland, Slovakia, and other Slavic countries where palm trees do not grow, blessed pussy willows or elaborate folk-art palmy wielkanocne (Easter palms) made from dried flowers and herbs serve the same purpose. Some can reach several meters in height and are genuine works of folk art.
Philippines. Palaspas
Filipino Catholics bring intricately woven palm fronds called palaspas to church, works of art featuring crosses, stars, and birds folded from a single leaf. The blessing of the palaspas is one of the most beloved annual rituals in Filipino Catholicism.
What to Do With Your Blessed Palms
Once blessed, palm branches carry sacramental significance and should be treated with reverence:
- Place them in your home, behind a crucifix, near a sacred image, or above a doorway as a sign of your household's faith.
- Fold them into a cross, a simple palm cross can be made in minutes and kept in a wallet, car, or prayer corner.
- Return them for Ash Wednesday, many parishes collect old palms, burn them, and use the ashes the following year. This is the most fitting end for a blessed object.
- Never discard in ordinary trash, if you cannot return palms to a parish, burn them yourself and scatter or bury the ashes in the earth.
✟ Pray Holy Week with an Easter Rosary Blessed in Rome
Walk through the Passion of Christ bead by bead with our Easter Rosary, handmade and blessed in Rome by our trusted papal artisans. Crafted with genuine olive wood beads sourced from the Holy Land and a sterling silver crucifix, this rosary is designed for praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of Holy Week:
- The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane
- The Scourging at the Pillar
- The Crowning with Thorns
- The Carrying of the Cross
- The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord
Each rosary ships from Rome with a certificate of papal blessing. Presented in a velvet pouch with a Holy Week prayer card. Limited quantities for Palm Sunday and Easter.
Shop Easter Rosaries →Palm Sunday and Holy Week: What Comes Next
A Prayer for Palm Sunday
Lord Jesus Christ, as You entered Jerusalem in triumph and humility, enter now into our hearts. We hold these palms as a sign of our welcome, but may we hold fast to You not only today, but through every Friday that comes, and until that glorious Easter that never ends. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palm Sunday
When is Palm Sunday in 2025 and 2026?
Palm Sunday always falls one week before Easter. In 2025 it is April 13; in 2026 it falls on March 29. The date changes each year because Easter is calculated based on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.
What does "Hosanna" mean on Palm Sunday?
Hosanna comes from the Hebrew Hoshia na, meaning "Save us, we pray." Drawn from Psalm 118:25, it evolved from a prayer of supplication into a joyful acclamation of Jesus as Savior and King.
Why do Catholics keep blessed palms at home?
Blessed palms are sacramentals, objects set apart by the Church's blessing to help the faithful receive grace. Keeping them near a crucifix is a centuries-old tradition that marks the household as a domestic church and provides a year-round reminder of Christ's Passion and victory.
What should you do with palm branches after Palm Sunday?
Treat blessed palms with reverence. Keep them at home until the following Lent, then return them to your parish to be burned for Ash Wednesday ashes. If you cannot return them, burn them yourself and bury or scatter the ashes outdoors. Never discard blessed objects in ordinary trash.
Is Palm Sunday a Holy Day of Obligation?
Palm Sunday falls on a Sunday, so the regular Sunday Mass obligation applies. It is not an additional Holy Day of Obligation, but given its importance in Holy Week, attendance is especially meaningful.
Why is Palm Sunday also called Passion Sunday?
The official Roman Rite name is "Sunday of the Lord's Passion" because the Mass includes the full Passion narrative from the Gospels. The Church deliberately holds together the triumph of Jerusalem and the suffering that follows, reminding us that the Resurrection passes through the Cross.
What is an Easter Rosary?
An Easter Rosary is designed for praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of Christ's Passion during Holy Week, the five sacred meditations on Gethsemane, the Scourging, the Crown of Thorns, the Way of the Cross, and the Crucifixion. Many are blessed in Rome and made with olive wood or decorated beads appropriate to the Paschal season. Browse our Easter Rosaries →
Can non-Catholics participate in Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday Masses are open to everyone. Non-Catholics are warmly welcome to attend, join the procession, and receive a blessed palm. While non-Catholics do not receive Holy Communion, they are encouraged to participate fully in all other parts of the liturgy.
