Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday remembers Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, when crowds spread palm branches and cloaks on the road and cried Hosanna. It begins Holy Week, the week before Easter. Palm Sunday 2027 falls on Sunday, March 21, 2027, and Orthodox churches keep it on April 25, 2027.
When Is Palm Sunday?
What Palm Sunday Means
Palm Sunday opens Holy Week, the most sacred seven days in the Christian calendar. On this day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy of a king coming 'lowly, and riding upon an ass.' The crowds spread palm branches and their cloaks on the road, shouting 'Hosanna,' a word meaning 'save, we pray.' The mood is triumphant, even jubilant. Yet within the week, a crowd before Pilate would call for his crucifixion. Palm Sunday holds the tension that defines Christian faith: glory and suffering, triumph and sacrifice, the king who comes not to conquer by force but to give his life as a ransom for many.
Palm Sunday in the Bible
“And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”
“On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
How Palm Sunday Is Observed
Palm Sunday services often begin with a procession, with congregants carrying palm fronds or crosses made of palm. The Passion narrative, the full account of Jesus's arrest, trial, and crucifixion, is typically read aloud during the service, often with different voices taking different parts. Palm branches distributed at the service are sometimes kept by families throughout the year, and many churches burn these palms to create the ashes used on the following year's Ash Wednesday.
Catholic
The Catholic liturgy is called Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. It begins with the blessing of palms and a procession, then turns to the reading of the Passion, often shared among several voices. The blessed palms are kept at home, and many parishes burn them to make the next year's ashes.
Orthodox
The Orthodox Church keeps the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem as one of the twelve great feasts, joined to Lazarus Saturday the day before. Worshippers hold palms, or willow branches in colder lands, and the hymns join the raising of Lazarus to Christ's entry as king.
Protestant
Many Protestant churches mark Palm Sunday with children's processions, palm branches and hosanna hymns such as All Glory, Laud and Honor. Churches that follow the lectionary often call it the Sunday of the Passion and read the account of Jesus's death as well.
Where It Falls in the Christian Year
Palm Sunday opens Holy Week, which moves through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to Easter. Read Matthew's account of the entry into Jerusalem in Matthew 21.
Palm Sunday FAQ
When is Palm Sunday 2027?
Palm Sunday 2027 is Sunday, March 21, 2027, one week before Easter on March 28, 2027. Orthodox Palm Sunday in 2027 is April 25, 2027. In 2028, Western Palm Sunday falls on April 9, 2028.
What is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, when Christians remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey while crowds welcomed him as king. It opens Holy Week, which moves through the Last Supper and the crucifixion to the resurrection.
What is the meaning of Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday shows Jesus as king, but a humble one. He fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy of a king lowly, and riding upon an ass (Zechariah 9:9). Within days he was arrested and crucified, so the day holds both welcome and the shadow of the cross.
Why do churches give out palms on Palm Sunday?
John 12:13 says the people took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus. Palms were a sign of victory and welcome. Churches bless and hand out palms to reenact that welcome, and many burn them the next year to make ashes for Ash Wednesday.
Where is Palm Sunday in the Bible?
All four Gospels tell of Jesus's entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40 and John 12:12-19. John's Gospel is the one that names palm branches.
What does Hosanna mean?
Hosanna comes from a Hebrew phrase meaning save, we pray, found in Psalm 118:25. By the time of Jesus it had also become a shout of praise, which is how the crowds used it when he entered Jerusalem.
Sources
- Scripture quotations: the King James Version, from our KJV Bible.
- USCCB, Liturgical Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States, 2027
- Orthodox Church in America, Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Palm Sunday
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 559-560
Related Christian Holidays
The Thursday of Holy Week, remembering the Last Supper and Jesus washing his disciples' feet.
Learn moreThe solemn commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Learn moreThe resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the central and defining event of the Christian faith.
Learn moreThe forty-day season of repentance, prayer, and fasting that prepares believers for Easter.
Learn more