Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
The people at Episcopal Church of the Redeemer welcomes everyone. We look forward to seeing you at this 10:30 am service of Holy Eucharist at Church of the Redeemer.
It is in-person and on-line.
All are welcome to participate fully at Redeemer.
- All races.
- All religions.
- All countries of origin.
- All sexual orientations (including LGBTQ+).
- All genders.
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter at which Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11a, Luke 19:29-40) and Jesus’ Passion on the cross (Matthew 26:36-27:66, Mark 14:32-15:47, Luke 22:39-23:56) are recalled. Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week.
The observance of Palm Sunday in Jerusalem was witnessed by the pilgrim Egeria in about 381-384. During this observance there was a procession of people down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. The people waved branches of palms or olive trees as they walked. They sang psalms, including Psalm 118, and shouted the antiphon, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The Palm Sunday observance was generally accepted throughout the church by the twelfth century. However, the day was identified in the 1549 Book of Common Prayer as simply “The Sunday next before Easter.” The blessing of branches and the procession were not included.
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer added the phrase “commonly called Palm Sunday” to the title of the day. A form for blessing palms was provided by the Book of Offices (1960). The 1979 BCP presents the full title for the day, “The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday” (BCP, p. 270).
The liturgy of the palms is the entrance rite for the service. The liturgy of the palms includes a reading of one of the gospel accounts of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. All the people hold branches in their hands during the procession. Appropriate hymns, psalms, or anthems are sung.
When the service includes the Eucharist, the liturgy of the palms is followed by the salutation and the collect of the day. The service changes focus abruptly from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the solemnity of the Passion. The Passion gospel may be read or chanted by lay persons. Specific roles may be assigned to different persons.
(Taken from Palm Sunday.)
