03/28/2026
The Blessing of the Palms is, after the blessing of the Paschal Candle, the most solemn blessing to occur during the liturgical year. The so-called "Liturgy of the Palms," which comprises the solemn blessing, distribution, and procession of the palms, is in effect an adapted Mass with a collect, readings, the Sursum Corda, a proper preface, the Sanctus, and an extensive series of blessings that echo the Eucharistic Canon.
The structure of the liturgy originates in the Roman Church, where a Mass of Palm Sunday would be celebrated before the Bishop of Rome at St. Mary Major during which palms would be blessed and distributed. There would then be a procession to St. John Lateran where the Pope would celebrate a Mass of the Passion. Thus the Liturgy of the Palms followed by a procession followed by the Mass of the Passion is a remnant of this ancient practice.
The two readings of the Liturgy of the Palms offer some insight into why we bless and carry palms this day.
The reading from Exodus tells of the Israelites, now escaped from Egypt, coming to Elim, where there were "twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees." The springs of Elim and the shade of the palm trees represent the care that the Lord has in leading His people out of slavery and providing for them on their journey into the Promised Land. The palms thus represent for us Christ's leading His people out of bo***ge to sin and death. The familiar reading from St. Matthew's Gospel tells of Our Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where palm branches were strewn before Him. So, the palms also represent our confession of Christ as our King.
You will note that some of the blessings make reference to blessing olive branches, which of course we do not have easy access to in Indiana. Until recently when palms became readily available, the custom of the Church outside of areas where palms and olive trees are native has been to use whatever local flora happen to be available and to treat these symbolically as palms and olive branches and to bless them accordingly.
