PALM SUNDAY

PALM SUNDAY

Palm Sunday marks the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on a donkey, just a few days before he was betrayed by his friend Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 apostles, put on trial and sentenced to death by crucifixion.

The day is called ‘Palm Sunday’ because the people of Jerusalem threw palm leaves to the floor as a greeting when he arrived.

Nowadays Palm Sunday is commemorated by a ritual procession of people carrying palm branches, or if these are not available, branches from yew, willow and olive trees into church.

For this reason Palm Sunday is sometimes called Branch Sunday.

These palms are then blessed, and sometimes fashioned into crosses.

Palm Sunday is always the Sunday before Easter and is also the final day of lent.