Palm Sunday has always been my favorite Sunday of the entire year. When I was young, my family attended the Kinsman Presbyterian Church. The deacons always handed out entire palm branches as we entered the sanctuary the Sunday before Easter. I loved fanning myself with the fronds as we sang “Hosanna to the King of Kings.”
Kinsman Presbyterian Church, photo by Rebecca Nieminen, Storyteller Photography (used with permission).
Palm Sunday Services
Unfortunately, it’s been several years since I’ve been able to attend church services on Palm Sunday. Usually we are out-of-town, and this year is no exception. Our plane touches down in Dublin after most churches will have started their services. However, visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral that afternoon will be an amazing experience. I love the churches of Europe with their ancient stones and intricate stained glass. I marvel at the men who designed and built them without modern machinery. I wonder at the thousands, if not millions, of people who have stepped inside to find solace or even just a quiet moment. If only walls could talk…
History
When I am surrounded by these bastions of history, I think about the men and women who walked and worked in these places. Unfortunately most of their stories have been lost through time. I wonder if any of them were related to me and what we have in common. People’s lives focused around their churches and faith. Life was simpler then. We’ve made great strides with regards to certain ideals, but I wonder what we’ve sacrificed along the way.
This trip will take me to the country of many of my ancestors. I can’t wait to see the countryside and vistas they once viewed. Stay tuned for more about our Irish journey! I’m so excited!
To read about our flights to Ireland, click here for the first leg and here for the second. Check out our Ireland adventures here.
I was raised a devout Methodist and then a converted weekly practicing Catholic for 25 years in my first marriage. Six years ago I came to the conclusion that organized religion is and probably never has been True to my heart. I do have allot of experience with Palm Sunday and the whole Easter tradition, so I do recall it will. I to love European churches and architecture and the history is beyond intriguing.
I love exploring and looking on old building. I am not religious and not christian but churches are beautiful
looks so beautiful! it totally set me up for exploration mood.
I adore looking at old architecture up close. My family didn’t bring me to church every week, but I’ve been to some churches for weddings and baptisms before and I’d love to see one in Ireland.
Love Palm Sunday! I totally remember being handed play branches as well.
That’s a beautiful photo! By the way I wasn’t aware about palm sunday. I wanna know about it more! 🙂 Like… is the celebration done in a church?
That is such a beautiful picture with the rainbow! I hope you had a great trip! Dublin has been on my bucket list so I hope to make it there sooner rather than later.
I hope you were able to find that same sense of peace you remember about Palm Sunday when you visited churches during your trip to Ireland. The splendor of churches, and really any building built before modern times, is a marvel of construction.
Although I am not religious, I agree with you wholeheartedly that churches, especially the very old one’s, are such a sight to see! The craftsmenship of them are astounding and always worth taking a few moments to enjoy their awesomeness.
Beautiful writing, thanks for sharing!
I’ve never been big on the idea of organized religion, but I grew up as a southern baptist. I can’t say that Palm Sunday has any significance to me. I’ve always admired churches in England and Scotland though, and attended several during my visits. I’m taken with the history and tradition there.
Catholic churches have always held a certain fascination for me. Like you, I marvel at the craftsmanship achieved without modern building technology. And, I’m happy that there was none, because we now have works of artistry that touches a place in the soul that a skyscraper can never reach.
Admittedly I am an Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve Christian. I went to church every week as a child as I was raised Catholic but as an adult I rarely go. However it’s hard not to feel a tremendous sense of community when you’re in church, especially some of these larger ornate churches. St Patricks Cathedral in NYC is one I marvel at constantly. I also think and try to figure out how they could possibly build these in that time.
Looks really nice!!!!!
This picture is really pretty Mrs.Cleland! I love Palm Sundays, its always fun to celebrate Easter at Church.
Rebecca’s picture is so gorgeous! Palm Sunday was always one of my favorites as well.