Palm Sunday

Jesus' entry to Jerusalem is one of 4 murals painted by Cesare Vagirini in the Franciscan church in the village of Bethphage. This church is near the traditional starting place for the route taken by Jesus from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. It shows Jesus riding a donkey, people spreading cloaks and tree branches on the ground, as for a triumphal procession, and shouting

"Hosanna! 

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

You can read the story in one or more of these:

• Matthew 21: 1-11
• Mark 11: 1-11
• Luke 19: 28 - 40
• John 12: 12 - 19

Soon after I took the photo of the mural I walked in blazing sunshine with a group of pilgrims down the path of the Palm Sunday processional route. It was an ordinary day in October but crowded. Today is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week, so it will be even more crowded for the Palm Sunday Procession. Last year there were 15,000 processing, singing, praying and waving palm branches. You can see a video of the 2011 procession below.

You can find a prayer for Palm Sunday in Palms and Passion.

Photos: my own