Day 40 - Palm Sunday - St John Lateran/St Peter in the Vatican

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem - 14th century, by Giotto - from the Scrovegni Chapel Life of Christ.

Today we enter into Holy Week —  in Rome, palm and olive branches wave happily, and throughout the world, symbolic palm fronds are carried in procession by the faithful.  For century after century, the church has memorialized this first day of Holy Week as Palm Sunday, because of the palm branches and cloaks spread on the road before Jesus as he entered Jerusalem.  Many in that crowd had followed him to the city from Bethphage, the little town in the New Testament to which Jesus sent his disciples to find a donkey and a colt for Him to ride on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Above:  Franciscan Church of Bethphage where the procession begins on the slope of the Mount of Olives 

 The Gospels locate the little town of Bethphage close to Bethany, on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives.  Still today, an annual Palm Sunday walk into Jerusalem begins here at Bethphage, and the Franciscan Church of Bethphage stands at the beginning of the ancient triumphal entry. 

Above:  Interior of the Franciscan Church of Bethphage - the dome of the apse depicts the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

Entry into Jerusalem - Miniature from a medieval illuminated manuscript

 The Gospels writers describe a great throng, exuberant with excitement, lining the road in front of Jesus as he slowly rode into the city. As he processed, on the quaint little beast of burden on which he sat, a sort of carpet was rolled out before him. Fresh, green palm branches from nearby trees, and  clothing,  from the backs of those in the crowd, formed a tapestry of endearment to welcome Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.  Herein was a problem — for the Pharisees.

The palm branches were not so much the problem, as were the words the people were shouting:  "Hosannah!  Hosannah!  Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Luke 19: 38). Some of the Pharisees actually tried to get Jesus to hush the crowd, to rebuke the people for this style of welcome symbolically appropriate only for the Messiah.

Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem 

The phrase reflects a passage in Psalm 118, which rejoices in the Lord’s triumph. By verse 22, the rejected stone has become the 'cornerstone.'  

21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders refused is become the cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

26 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord . . .

28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

This rambling crowd, tumbling into Jerusalem, shouting and singing from Psalm 118, is declaring Jesus to be the Messiah! The Pharisees insist that Jesus stop the madness. "Do you hear what they are saying? They think you’re the Messiah!  Tell them to be quiet."  Jesus does not stop them; instead he replies that if the people stop saying these things, then the rocks themselves would cry out. Jesus, quite simply, IS the Messiah. He has come to save his people as was foretold — riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the foal of an ass, as the prophet Zechariah had said centuries before.

Greek Orthodox Icon of the Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem 

Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.” 

Abraham rode an ass when he took Isaac for sacrfice to the mountain. Moses rode an ass. Abimelech’s 30 sons rode asses as a sign that they were the rulers of 30 cities. David rode an ass and he had Solomon ride an ass as a sign that he was David’s successor and then Zadok and Nathan anointed him.  Riding on an ass is in itself a sign of Christ’s kingly character.

Below is a video of the type of music written for this type of procession.   Imagine that you are at St Peter's Square, waving your palms, and singing of the glorious reign of Our Lord ! ! !  You can start the video and listen while you look at the pictures.