Guide Note

Palm Sunday is a Christian holy day that celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem one week before his resurrection. He reportedly rode into the city on a donkey and had palm branches laid on the road before him.¹

Fast Facts

1. The biblical account of Palm Sunday can be found in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19^{2 3 4 5}
2. Falls on the Sunday before Easter⁶
3. Is the last Sunday of Lent⁶
4. Christian churches generally distribute palms at services on Palm Sunday⁷
5. Olive or willow branches can be substituted for palms⁸
6. Palm branches are mentioned in John 12:12⁵

Fulfillment of a Prophecy?

The prophet Zechariah is quoted in the Bible as stating, "your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey." The manner of Jesus's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday is held by Christians to represent the fulfillment of that prophecy.¹

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