Answers to Questions about Palm Sunday and Holy Week

On Palm Sunday, the Lord Jesus entered Jerusalem as a King. The Romans had no problem with this, for He did not rival Caesar. The problem came from within His own people—from the Jewish leaders who saw Him as a competitor for the leadership of the nation.
The people, however, welcomed Him joyfully with palm branches and olive branches. What are the symbols and spiritual lessons found in these palms and olives?

Palm Branches

1. The palm branch used even today is the heart of the palm tree. Sellers call out, “Your heart, O Christian!” This heart is what we offer to God, who said, “My son, give Me your heart” (Proverbs 23:26).

2. The palm heart is not only the center of the tree but is also new and white—two qualities that belong to a pure heart, renewed in baptism (Romans 6) and born again “through the washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:5). Thus, the heart of the palm is indeed a new birth for its branches.

3. The heart of the palm is also soft and yields to the hand that shapes it. This teaches us about submission to God—how the believer leaves himself in the hands of the Lord to do as He wills, in full obedience to the divine will, without resisting the work of the Holy Spirit. Like clay in the potter’s hand (Romans 9:21), we are to be molded into the vessel God desires. Today, we weave the palm into crosses or hearts, all of which carry deep meanings.

4. The palm tree itself symbolizes the righteous, as it is written: “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree” (Psalm 92:12). The palm grows tall, ever reaching upward toward heaven, teaching us spiritual growth. As St. Paul said, “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13–14). The palm’s deep roots, hidden and strong, remind us that our spirituality must not only appear outwardly high but must also have deep inner strength and unseen work.

5. The palm tree stands firm, even in strong winds. It may sway, but it does not fall, for its roots anchor it deeply. This is a lesson for us—to remain steadfast amid trials.

6. The palm is also an ascetic tree, content with little. It can live in deserts beside hermits like St. Onuphrius, enduring heat and thirst. Thus, it became the tree of the wilderness, symbolizing endurance and simplicity. It even served as food for saints, and we remember St. Paul the Hermit, who wore garments made of palm fibers.

7. The palm is fruitful and nourishing. Its dates are rich in nutrients and last long without spoiling. This fruitfulness reminds us of the true believer whose faith bears fruit in his life and in the lives of others.

8. The palm tree is useful in every part—its fruit for food, its fronds for weaving baskets, its fibers for ropes, its branches for roofing, and its trunk for building or fuel. Even its offshoots produce new trees. Thus, the palm teaches us to be beneficial to everyone around us.

Olive Branches

The people welcomed the Lord with both palm and olive branches. Why olive branches? What do they symbolize?

1. Olive branches represent peace. Since the dove brought Noah a green olive leaf (Genesis 8:11), it became a sign that the flood had ended and life had returned—the punishment of God had passed, and peace was restored between heaven and earth. Likewise, Christ made peace between God and humankind, between Jews and Gentiles, tearing down the dividing wall (Ephesians 2:14). Thus was fulfilled the angelic message: “Peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). We greet Christ as the King of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), who said, “My peace I give to you” (John 14:27).

2. Olive branches also remind us of the anointing oil—the oil of chrismation (1 John 2:20, 27), first commanded by God to Moses (Exodus 30:23–25). With it, the Tabernacle, its altars, and Aaron and his sons were anointed and consecrated, becoming “most holy” (Exodus 30:29–30). Kings and prophets were also anointed with this oil. Through the Holy Chrism (Myron), the baptized are anointed and become temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Thus, when we hold olive branches, we remember the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit within us.

The General Funeral and the Beginning of Holy Week

After the Palm Sunday Liturgy, the general funeral is held. It is a prayer for all who may depart during Holy Week, since no incense is offered for the dead during this week—the Church’s focus is solely on the Passion of Christ. The blessed water used in this service is funeral water, not water for blessing the palms, as some mistakenly think.

Why the Shift from Joy to Sorrow?

Palm Sunday is a Lordly Feast, meant for rejoicing. Holy Week begins afterward, on Monday evening. The black curtains of mourning should not be hung immediately after the Palm Sunday Liturgy, for doing so diminishes the joy of the feast when we receive Christ as King.

The change from joy to sorrow came when the Jewish leaders were angered by the people’s enthusiastic welcome of Jesus and by His cleansing of the Temple: “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:12–13). He overturned the tables of the money changers and drove out those who defiled the Temple (Mark 11:16). Though gentle, Christ was firm. The leaders could not confront Him openly, but “the chief priests and the scribes sought to destroy Him” (Luke 19:47).

They began plotting His death but feared the people. Christ, knowing their hearts, did not retreat. He exposed their hypocrisy and warned them: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matthew 21:43). Their anger deepened, yet they did not dare to arrest Him because of the crowds. He rebuked them sharply: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…” (Matthew 23), calling them “whitewashed tombs” (Matthew 23:27). He also silenced the Sadducees and lawyers (Luke 11:45–46; 20:40).

The Change in the People

The people, who had shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9), later cried, “Crucify Him!” (Mark 15:13–20). Why? Because they wanted a political king to free them from Roman rule. When Jesus spoke of a spiritual kingdom “not of this world” (John 18:36), their hopes turned to disappointment, and they followed their leaders in condemning Him.

Why Do We Celebrate the Passion?

We usually celebrate feasts, not suffering—so why do we celebrate the Passion?
Because Christ’s sufferings are the source of our salvation. Through His pain, He redeemed us. Thus, as we draw near to the Cross, we sing: “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation” (Psalm 118). His Passion reveals His power, for by the Cross He destroyed the devil’s might and delivered humanity. “The ruler of this world is judged” (John 16:11), and “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

Christ’s Passion is proof of His love—“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). It is also proof of His humility, endurance, and divine strength. His death was not weakness, but the ultimate act of love and victory—“He trampled death by His death.” Therefore, throughout Holy Week we proclaim:
“Yours is the power, the glory, the blessing, and the majesty…” (Thok te ti gom).

By His suffering, Christ sanctified pain, turning it into the path to glory: “If you suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed” (1 Peter 3:14). “If we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17).

Blessed be the Lord in His sufferings, His love, His sacrifice, and His death for our salvation—He who gave us life and lifted from us the sentence of death.

—
Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Watani Newspaper, April 20, 1997

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