This weekend, mainstream Christians the world over, celebrate Palm Sunday — Catholics, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, Moravian, Reformed, and other congregations join the celebration. Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, which is sometimes called Passion Week. Each of the four Gospels tells the story of this Holy Event. Different branches of mainstream Christianity shape their observance of the day and week according to their culture and geography.

The core event of Palm Sunday is a joyous parade of the faithful, waving branches of palms or native trees. In the Gospel story, the followers not only waved palm branches but also laid them in Jesus’ pathway. Some followers also laid their garments on the ground as well. It was a joyful, exuberant parade cheering “The King of the Jews.”

Some churches, with the space to do so, include a real-live donkey in their Palm Sunday parade down the aisle — an effort to reenact that ancient procession. Some churches pin two palm pieces in the shape of the cross for worshippers to wear during worship.

Palm branches can also be saved for use next year — they are safely stored to maintain their shape for the beginning of Lent. The branches are then brought out for Ash Wednesday. Having become thoroughly dry by then, the branches are burned, and their ashes are used in the solemn Ash Wednesday worship service for “the imposition of the ashes.”

Palestine was under Roman domination. As often happens when cultures mingle, especially in wartime, practices of one culture migrate into that of another. In the Greco-Roman culture, palm branches were often used in victory marches and triumphal celebrations. The crowds following Jesus to Jerusalem, according to all four Gospels, were caught up in the exuberance of this celebrative event.

Celebrating Palm Sunday may be as varied as national anthems are. Although based on the Gospels’ recounting of the event, using palm branches is not possible everywhere. Fronds with shapes similar to palms can be used, sometimes surprising Western Christians who may interpret this deviation as odd or unexpected. 

Having lived much of my life in Southern Georgia, I’ve seen variations in celebrating Palm Sunday. The closest we ever came to seeing a palm branch at Deepstep was the Palmetto fronds from the Oconee River swamp. They served well and looked remarkably similar to the palm branches of Palestine. After all, we are really celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, not attempting to be botanically correct.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2026