Palm Sunday is the last Sunday in Lent and the Sunday before Easter. It’s the beginning of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Jesus rode a young donkey into the Jerusalem and was greeted by a large crowd with palm branches and people shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” and other expressions of praise (Matthew 21:9). The people put their coats and palm branches on the ground as Jesus passed by.
On Palm Sunday, Christian churches often give the congregation palm branches to re-create the celebration of Christ’s final arrival in Jerusalem because his followers used palm branches to honor him as King and Messiah.