Palm Sunday, the 2,000-Year-Old Tradition That Marks the Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem and Kicks off Holy Week

Palm Sunday is this coming Sunday, Mar. 29, 2026. It marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and kicks off Holy Week’s celebrations. The day gets its name from the palm leaves that were waved excitedly by the citizens of Jerusalem. They also placed palm leaves at the feet of Jesus as he rode into the city on a donkey.

The day is marked by the reading of the Passion of Jesus. The Passion tells the story from supper on Holy Thursday, through the death of Jesus on Good Friday. The Passion has a long history. “Passion Plays” were put on in many European cities for centuries. The people who saw the “Passion Plays” became excited, blamed the Jewish people for killing Jesus, and went out and conducted anti-semitic acts. It is thought that the historical anti-Semitism in Europe stems from here. Do you have an emotional reaction to the reading of the Passion?

Palm Sunday Traditions

There are several traditions associated with Palm Sunday, and it is worthwhile to list these.

Palm Leaves

In most Christian services and Masses, palm branches are blessed by the Priest. Many take these palm leaves home and fashion them into crosses, either placing them behind their crosses and crucifixes or pressing them into their Bibles. Palm leaves from last year are not to be thrown out; they are to be taken to Church to be burned and made into ashes for next Ash Wednesday. However, this is far from the only tradition.

In Catholic Masses, the branches are blessed by the priest. He begins with a microphone in the narthex, where he says a blessing and reads from scripture over the branches. The congregation turned around 180 degrees and faced the narthex to see the priest. That drives home the point that the palm leaves should be treated with care, and that is why people save them.

Passion

The Passion itself, the Gospel reading for the day, is a tradition. The reading from the Gospel has multiple parts. There are parts for the narrator, voice, Jesus (played by the priest), and people (played by the congregation). Everyone kneels when Jesus dies.

The accounts of the Passion are recorded in all four Gospels. The preceding chapter in the Gospel of John sees Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. It is said Jesus rode into the city on a donkey. This is important as a donkey is the symbol of peace. A king would have ridden a horse, the sign of war.

Covering

In most churches, the crucifix and religious paintings are covered with purple cloth. The reason for this is that the congregation should not gaze upon these items while they await the Resurrection of Jesus. That is the rest of the story. Jesus is said to have been raised from the dead on the third day, Easter Sunday. What Christians believe is that by defeating death and being raised from the dead, Jesus enabled us to live forever in heaven with him as well. This is why what is about to happen is very important.

Modern Relevance

Palm Sunday is Mar. 29, 2026. It is very important, and has several traditions associated with it; these traditions are explained here. Some of the same traditions observed 2,000 years ago are used today. So, there is tremendous reliance associated with what happened to Jesus and his disciples.

Parting Shots

It is important to understand what is going on in the world around you. It is for this reason that people need to understand what is about to happen with the world’s 2 billion Christians. The branches are meant to symbolize goodness and victory.

Disclaimer: This article contains a summary of the practices of Lent as well as interpretive insights from the author. Interpretations of church teachings can differ, and this piece represents one approach.