Holy Week Begins as Christians Celebrate Palm Sunday
The end of Lent offers a time of reflection and celebration for some Christians.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week for some Christians and the historic events leading up to Jesus' death on the cross. The Early History of Palm Sunday The celebration of Palm Sunday originated in the Jerusalem church, around the late fourth century. It originally consisted largely of prayers, hymns and sermons recited by clergy. Parishioners would walk through the city of Jerusalem, visiting the holy sites and making a final stop at the place where Christ ascended into heaven. There, priests would read from the gospels of the Bible. At twilight, all would return to the city; children carrying palm branches reminiscent of the ones lining Jesus' own way as he re-entered Jerusalem before his death. As the observance of Palm …
