Palm Sunday in Australia

If Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season, the Palm Sunday marks the start of the Holy Week which is the most important week of the Lenten Season. Palm Sunday is also called by many Christians as Passion Sunday. The celebration of the Palm Sunday is patterned to the way the crowd welcomed Jesus when he entered Jerusalem by waving palm leaves.

The Palm Sunday in Australia

The Palm Sunday is a Christian celebration that remembers Jesus Christ’s entry to Jerusalem. This marks the coming of the Holy Week, the week of his passion, death, and resurrection. The Catholic Churches and Great Orthodox Churches in Australia regard the Palm Sunday as one of their biggest celebrations. Due to its significance, these religions in Australia prepare for the big event, since Palm Sunday is always expected to draw big crowds. There are Palm Sunday readings to honor the entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem. Similarly, the event follows the remembrance of the suffering and passion of Jesus Christ, as well as his resurrection three days after his death, or the Easter Sunday.

Prior to this important Christian event, the faithful would arrange palm leaves in different designs. Some have a simple palm leaf design, while some would take effort to shape the palm leaves, like a shape of the cross where Jesus Christ was nailed to death. Apart from the palm leaves, other leaves may be used as well.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd greeted him by waving palm leaves. The Christians do the same way during the Palm Sunday. The palm trees will be blessed by the priest, with the assistance of the lay ministers, with holy water and the crowd waves their palm trees as they receive the holy water.

The Palm Leaf After the Palm Sunday

 It is a practice to display the blessed palm leaves in front of the houses in the belief that it will protect the residents from bad spirits. Before the Ash Wednesday comes the following year, Catholic Churches call the faithful to surrender their palm leaves to the church. The leaves will be burned and its ashes  will be used to rub in the foreheads of the faithful who will attend the Ash Wednesday celebrations.

Palm Sunday for Australians

Since the occasion happens on a Sunday, most offices and services are not open that day. It is not a working day and there is also no school during Palm Sunday. In large cities, commercial establishments are open, like shopping malls and restaurants. The Church-goers, after they have attended the Palm Sunday mass, usually stroll in the commercial areas to have a simple relaxation and quality time with their families.