Liturgical Colour: Violet

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week. This Sunday has a double theme and can be referred to either as Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday.

One theme is the passion of Jesus. The service for Passion Sunday focuses on the suffering and death of Jesus. The central focus of the service is the reading of the long gospel, usually the entire passion narrative.

The other theme for this Sunday is Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before his death (Palm Sunday).

Please note the following for this week’s liturgy:

– The Palm Sunday gospel and psalm are used for the palm procession and/or entry into the church.
– The Passion Sunday readings, psalm and gospel are for use in the service itself.

It is possible to omit the palm procession, and to use the Palm Sunday psalm and gospel in the service itself instead of the Passion psalm and gospel, but this may result in an odd mixture of triumphant jubilation and sorrowful reflection. When we observe the separation of the two themes, the day appropriately begins in shouts of joy but ends in silence.

Advice on the Palm Procession

A Rite for the Palm Procession

A Shorter Rite (without procession)

More info can be found under the Liturgy and Prayers tab.