PASSION SUNDAY CELEBRATION: Its Historical Evolution, Significance and Spiritual Imports

PASSION SUNDAY CELEBRATION: Its Historical Evolution, Significance and Spiritual Imports

PIUSRALPH EFFIONG, SMMM    piusralphe@gmail.com

Palm Sunday in the Christian tradition is the first day of Holy Week, a Christian moveable feast that falls on Sunday before Easter; which commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is associated in many churches with the blessing and procession of palms (leaves of the palm or twigs from locally available trees). These special ceremonies were taking place toward the end of the 4th century in Jerusalem and are described in the travelogue Peregrinatio Etheriae (The Pilgrimage of Etheria). In the West the earliest evidence of the ceremonies is found in the Bobbio Sacramentary (8th century). During the European Middle Ages the ceremony for the blessing of the palms was elaborate: the procession began in one church, went to a church in which the palms were blessed, and returned to the church in which the procession had originated for the singing of the liturgy. The principal feature of the liturgy that followed the procession was the chanting by three deacons of the account of the Passion of Christ (cf. Matthew 26:36–27:54). Musical settings for the crowd parts were sometimes sung by the choir. After reforms of the Roman Catholic liturgies in 1955 and 1969, the ceremonies were somewhat simplified in order to emphasize the suffering and death of Christ. The day is now called officially Passion Sunday; the liturgy begins with a blessing and procession of palms, but prime attention is given to a lengthy reading of the Passion, with parts taken by the priest, lectors, and the congregation.

In the Byzantine liturgy, the Eucharist on Palm Sunday is followed by a procession in which the priest carries the icon representing the events being commemorated and in the Anglican churches some of the traditional ceremonies were revived in the 19th century.

The religious importance and significance of Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) cannot be over emphasized. This unique feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all the four canonical Gospels. In many of the Christian Churches, Palm Sunday is marked by the distribution of palm leaves (often tied into crosses) to the assembled worshippers. In some places where unfavourable climates make it difficult to procure palms, it is being substituted by boughs of box, yew, willow, olive, or other native trees. That is why this particular Sunday was designated by the names of these trees as “Yew Sunday”, or by the general “Branch Sunday”. Following the four canonical Gospels, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem takes place about a week before His resurrection. The biblical account of Palm Sunday can be found in these scriptural texts: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.

However, the symbolism of this great feast is captured in Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey - on a colt, the foal of a donkey” It was perceived that Jesus was declaring the King of Israel to the anger of Sanhedrin.  According to the Gospels account, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and the celebrating people there lay down their cloaks in front of Him, and also lay down small branches of trees. The people sang part of Psalm 118:25-26 “…blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord….” The symbolism of the donkey during the triumphal narrative may refer to the Eastern tradition that it is an animal of peace, versus the horse which is referred to as animal of war. This is a depiction that a King came riding upon a horse when he was bent on war and rode upon a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem would thus symbolize His entry as the Prince of peace, and not as a war-waging king.

In many lands in the near East, it was customary to cover in some way the path of someone thought worthy of the highest honour.  In 2Kings 9:13 it was reported that Jehu son of Jehoshaphat was treated this way. Both the synoptic Gospels and Gospel of John reported that people gave Jesus this form of honour. In the synoptic Gospels they are only reported as laying their garments and cut rushes on the street, whereas John in his Gospel account specifies fronds of palm, which is referred to as phoenix in Greek. In Jewish tradition, the palm is one of the four species carried for sukkot as prescribed for rejoicing as contained in Leviticus 23:40. Also in Greco-Roman Culture of the Roman Empire, and it became the most common attribute of the goddess Nike or Victory.

In ancient Egyptian religion, the palm was carried in funeral processions and represented eternal life. The palm branch later became a symbol of Christian martyrs and their spiritual victory or triumph over death. This can be reflected in the scriptural passage of Revelation 7:9 “…the white-clad multitude stand before the throne and Lamb holding palm branches.” In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, Palm Sunday was marked by the burning of Jack-o-Lent figures. This was a straw effigy which would be stoned and abused. Its burning on Palm Sunday was often supposed to be a kind of revenge on Judas Iscariot who had betrayed Christ. It could also have represented the hated figure of winter whose destruction prepares the way for spring. In our context, the celebration is the advent of wet season which spells life in both plants and animals.

A look into some of the Orthodox Churches, Palm Sunday is one of the twelve great feasts of the liturgical year, and is the beginning of Holy week. The day before this Sunday is known as Lazarus Saturday, and commemorates the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead. Unlike the West, Palm Sunday is not considered to be a part of Lent, the Eastern Orthodox great fast ends on the Friday before Lazarus Saturday. Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy week are considered to be a separate fasting period. On Lazarus Saturday, believers often prepare palm fronds by knotting them into crosses in preparation for the procession on Sunday. The hangings and vestments in the Church are changed to a festive colour – gold in the Greek tradition and green in the Slavic tradition, unlike the Roman Catholic tradition where the vestment will be scarlet red as used on the feast of martyrs and feast of Pentecost.

In the Catholic tradition, Passion Sunday involves the service of the blessing of palms. These palms are saved in many Churches to be burned the following year as the source of ashes used in the service of Ash Wednesday. The Catholic Church considers the blessed palms to be sacramental. The vestments for the day are deep scarlet red, the colour of blood, indicating the supreme redemptive sacrifice Christ as he was entering the city to fulfill His passion, death and Resurrection in Jerusalem. Many Christians keep the palm crosses which are distributed during this great event and hang them in their houses through the year.

According to Leela Ramdeen, chair of the Catholic Commission for Social Justice, the Jewish people most likely picked up the practice of using and waving palms in celebrations and coronations from the Romans. Ramdeen further explained that, “The waving of palms was significant in those days in Jerusalem because the Romans used to give palms to those who were victorious in their games, example chariot races, gladiatorial games, military conquests and the crowning of Caesars.” The utmost significant of this liturgical celebration symbolizes not only in the humility of Jesus Christ, but peace. He did not come for war like warriors who waved palms. The solemn procession during this celebration is our public demonstration of our faith and belief in the risen Christ. As we are professing our faith publicly on this great day of our Lord, let us not forget that Jesus was praising as the universal king and the next moment they want to exchange Him for Barabbas and have Him crucified. The spiritual import of this great event transcends the pictographic representation of the rites and goes deeper into the very marrow of our spiritual life. It is on this note that St. Andrew of Crete in of his addresses called on us to a deeper understanding of this celebration by inviting us to spread ourselves under Christ’s feet on this day instead of coats or lifeless branches or shoots of trees, which will delight the eye only for a few hours and wither away. (cf. The Office Readings, Vol. II, PP. 254-255).

Therefore, my brethren on this sacred day in the life of the Church, let us reflect on the Gospel values of this celebration and live to our calling not only as acclaimed Christians but real Christians in thoughts and in deeds during this Holy week and the rest of our lives here in this ephemeral world; with the hope of beholding that beatific vision we are always hope for.