As we now practice it, holy week is the last 40 day season of Lent and the week preceding Easter. In Holy Week we focus on the last week of Christ’s life, remembering especially His passion and resurrection. Though calling this week “Holy Week” is more and recent innovation, the annual observance of the festivals within it, are of ancient origin.

Palm/Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday is the commemoration of our Lord’s triumphant entry to Jerusalem five days before His crucifixion. Scripture records this incident in Mathew 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44 and John 12”12-19. This day takes its name from the fact that as Jesus approached Jerusalem on a donkey (in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9), the huge crowd that followed carried palm branches as they praised Him. The people hailed Him as the long awaited “Son of David,” that is the, Messiah.

Though not annually observed at first, by 600-1000 A.D. Palm Sunday was being given full treatment, especially by Christians aligned with Rome. This treatment was part of a growing emphasis at that time to imitate as closely as possible the last days of Christ’s life.

Palm Sunday has a dual focus today. Our service begins with a joyful procession with palms to remember our Lord’s jubilant entry to Jerusalem. The hymns, prayers, and lectionary Scripture readings also reflect this joy. A second focus on Palm Sunday is our Lord’s Passion. When this second focus is observed, the entire passion story (Mathew, Mark, or Luke) is read (in the place of the sermon).

Originally, however, Passion Sunday was held two weeks before Easter and it began the two week period known as “Passiontide” in which special stress was placed on Christ’s suffering and crucifixion. The two week Passiontide is older than Lent, having been observed since the third century.

Dr. Richard Bucher