Palm Sunday is a Christian feast on the Sunday before Easter that starts Holy Week. It commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The tradition is that the faithful laid palm branches in front of Jesus as he entered the city.
Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week (Semana Santa).
Palm Sunday 2024
The next one is Sunday, March 24, 2024.
The Symbolism
In the ancient way, stories were filled with symbolism, with metaphors. They were not intended to be read literally. Jerusalem is a town in the West Asia so much of the symbolism comes from the Orient.
Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The donkey is an animal of peace. Riding a horse would have symbolized war.
There is an eastern tradition of covering the path of someone who is highly respected. In this feast’s tradition, people laid palm fronds on the road.
Palm branches are a Greco-Roman symbol of victory. They are also an ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life. Palm branches were carried in funeral processions.
Celebrations in New York City
Most, if not all, Christian churches celebrate. However, you bring the holy spirit with you, wherever you are.
St Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown East, Manhattan is the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
However you celebrate, may you have a blessed Palm Sunday.