By Leslie Thayer
Note: This is the first of a two-part series on our blog. The second will be published tomorrow.
Tomorrow is one of the several best attended days of the year for churches of virtually all denominations — and not because of any ability of the presiding minister to crack a joke or pull off a prank!
Sunday is popularly named Palm Sunday, or in some churches The Sunday of the Passion.
The new Roman Missal calls it Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. And why is this Sunday so well attended across Christianity? Because this is one of two days when attendees get to take something home with them in their hands — something physical, not just their memories of the sermon, or greetings from friends and neighbors, and in addition to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, as important as Communion is.
(By the way, the other day that brings even marginal Christians to church is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, in which the palms from the previous year are burned to create the ashes that are placed on everyone’s forehead in the shape of a cross.)
On this Sunday, we receive palm branches or, depending on what country in which we live, boxwood or yew branches, or even pussywillow branches! Throughout the centuries, Christians of all ages have flocked to church on Palm Sunday to receive their branches and to take them home to display behind pictures or crosses or crucifixes for the year, or to weave them into crosses.
So what is the meaning of this “Palm Sunday” anyway? Where did it come from and why do Christians celebrate this day — an example of unity that occurs so very seldom, but for which Jesus fervently prayed?
Palm Sunday originated in the late fourth century in the Church at Jerusalem, but spread to Spain in the fifth century, Gaul by the seventh century, England by the eighth century, and (perhaps surprising to Roman Catholics) Rome not until the 12th century.
The purpose of celebrating Palm Sunday was to commemorate Jesus’ entry into the City of Jerusalem six days prior to His arrest and crucifixion — a moment where He was perceived to be the Messiah, a political and social leader who would liberate the Hebrew nation from the grip of the Roman Empire and restore the people once more to favor with God.
Read the second half of this piece on our blog tomorrow.
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| Join the Sisters of Providence for PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION, April 1, 11 a.m. (EDT). Palm Sunday Vespers at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) in the church. |
Tomorrow is one of the several best attended days of the year for churches of virtually all denominations — and not because of any ability of the presiding minister to crack a joke or pull off a prank!
Sunday is popularly named Palm Sunday, or in some churches The Sunday of the Passion.
The new Roman Missal calls it Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. And why is this Sunday so well attended across Christianity? Because this is one of two days when attendees get to take something home with them in their hands — something physical, not just their memories of the sermon, or greetings from friends and neighbors, and in addition to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, as important as Communion is.
(By the way, the other day that brings even marginal Christians to church is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, in which the palms from the previous year are burned to create the ashes that are placed on everyone’s forehead in the shape of a cross.)
On this Sunday, we receive palm branches or, depending on what country in which we live, boxwood or yew branches, or even pussywillow branches! Throughout the centuries, Christians of all ages have flocked to church on Palm Sunday to receive their branches and to take them home to display behind pictures or crosses or crucifixes for the year, or to weave them into crosses.
So what is the meaning of this “Palm Sunday” anyway? Where did it come from and why do Christians celebrate this day — an example of unity that occurs so very seldom, but for which Jesus fervently prayed?
Palm Sunday originated in the late fourth century in the Church at Jerusalem, but spread to Spain in the fifth century, Gaul by the seventh century, England by the eighth century, and (perhaps surprising to Roman Catholics) Rome not until the 12th century.
The purpose of celebrating Palm Sunday was to commemorate Jesus’ entry into the City of Jerusalem six days prior to His arrest and crucifixion — a moment where He was perceived to be the Messiah, a political and social leader who would liberate the Hebrew nation from the grip of the Roman Empire and restore the people once more to favor with God.
Read the second half of this piece on our blog tomorrow.
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