PALM SUNDAY(Dominica in Palmis), the Sunday immediately before Easter (see Holy Week), in the Roman Catholic communion is characterized by a striking ceremonial which takes place in church at the beginning of the high mass of the day. Branches of palms and olives or other trees having previously been laid in sufficient quantity in front of the high altar, the anthem Hosanna is sung by the choir, the collect is said by the celebrant, and lessons from Exodus xv. and xvi. and Matt, xxi. are sung by the subdeacon and deacon respectively. The branches of palm and olive (held to symbolize “victory over the prince of death” and “the coming of a spiritual unction ”) are then blessed with prayer and aspersion, whereupon the principal person of the clergy present approaches the altar, and gives a palm to the celebrant, who afterwards gives one to him, then to the rest of the clergy in the order of their rank, and finally to the laity, who receive kneeling. During the distribution appropriate antiphons are sung, and when it is over a procession begins for which there is another series of antiphons. At the return of the procession two or four singers go into the church, and, shutting the door, with their faces towards the procession, sing two lines of the hymn “Gloria, laus, et honor,” which are repeated by the celebrant and others outside; this continues till the end of the hymn. The subdeacon next knocks at the door with the end of the cross he carries; the door is opened, and the procession re-enters the church. Then f<5ilows mass, when all hold the palms in their hands during the singing of the Passion and the Gospel. There is evidence that the feast of palms (βatωv eopτη) was observed, in the East at least, as early as the 5th century, but the earliest mention ...