Introduction
One holiday that I always look forward to is Palm Sunday. After church on that day, my family spent time with my cousins, and we ate lunch together. I always have a great time. In order to make this year’s Palm Sunday even more fun for myself, I decided to create an article about Palm Sunday-related art. This article will cover art from the past 100 years.
1920s: [Girl holding a tall decorated candle on Palm Sunday: b&w photoprint.] (c. 1920) by Alixa Naff
[Girl holding a tall decorated candle on Palm Sunday: b&w photoprint.] is a photograph taken by Alixa Naff c. 1920. This artwork is a picture of a little girl holding a lit decorated candle on Palm Sunday. This reminds me of the times I would go to church on Palm Sunday, holding a decorated candle to light at church as a kid. After lighting it, the congregation and I would walk around the church’s neighborhood for a bit. The candles I used were a lot smaller than those of the girl pictured here, though.
1930s: Palm Sunday Procession Near Gethsemane (1934-1939) by American Colony
Palm Sunday Procession Near Gethsemane was created by the American Colony sometime between 1934 and 1935. This artwork is a photograph of a church procession being held on Palm Sunday in Jerusalem. This picture reminds me of the church processions that I have been a part of during the Palm Sundays I have experienced. Many people in the photo seem to be wearing formal wear. This aligns with my memories of always dressing formally on Palm Sunday.
1940s: [Palm Sunday, Mexico: black-and-white photoprint] (1941) by Katherine Joseph
[Palm Sunday, Mexico: black-and-white photoprint] is a photograph that was taken by Katherine Joseph in 1941. This artwork was taken in Mexico and depicts people celebrating Palm Sunday. Many of them are holding palm leaves, which reminds me of how my dad would fold palm fibers to form crosses on Palm Sunday. I would always be happy to have one of the crosses. I can’t help but wonder if the people in this photograph had a similar tradition.
1950s: Palm Sunday (1955) by Lorenzo Homar
Palm Sunday was created in 1955 by Lorenzo Homar. It is a Puerto Rican poster for a play called Palm Sunday, which was written by René Marqués. The play depicts a massacre that occurred in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in 1937. The massacre saw police officers attack peaceful protestors who were unarmed. The protest was “Organized by the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico,” which promoted Puerto Rico’s independence from the US. The protestors there advocated for the Puerto Rican cause. The police attacked these people, resulting in the deaths of nineteen civilians and two police officers. The Ponce Massacre occurred on March 21st, 1937, which was Palm Sunday. Therefore, this poster for Palm Sunday provides a social commentary much like the play it was based on.
1960s: Palm Sunday, Patzcuaro, Mexico (1966) by Todd Webb
Palm Sunday, Patzcuaro, Mexico, is a photograph that was created in 1966 and published in 1980. It depicts a group of people in Patzcuaro, a city in Mexico, on Palm Sunday. I like that this picture is a glimpse into these people’s everyday lives. I also think that the lighting of the scene depicted works in its favor.
1970s: Parade in Patterson Park before St. Elizabeth’s Annual Palm Sunday Balloon Mass (1979) by Joan Clark Netherwood
Parade in Patterson Park before St. Elizabeth’s Annual Palm Sunday Balloon Mass was created by Joan Clark Netherwood in 1979. The photo was taken in Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America. The artwork depicts a group of children posing for the camera while holding palm fibers. The photo reminds me of how I would spend time with my cousins during Palm Sunday as a kid. It also reminds me of how I always have to pose for photos with my relatives during the holiday.
1980s: Ornament; Religious/Ritual Equipment (1980s) by Unknown Artist
Ornament: Religious/Ritual Equipment is a religious ornament made out of palm fibres. It was created in Hidalgo, Huejutla de Reyes, Mexico, during the 1980s. It depicts a cross decorated with birds and a fan. This cross reminds me of the crosses that my dad would make out of palm fibers for me to use during Palm Sunday as a kid. Those were also made out of palm fibers, but they often had no decorations.
1990s: Palm Sunday Celebration (1999) by Domingo Garcia Criado & Tz’utuhil Maya
Palm Sunday Celebration is a painting created by Domingo Garcia Criado and Tz’utuhil Maya in 1999 in Guatemala. It depicts a pair of people celebrating Palm Sunday. They appear to be lighting candles around a statue of a saint, perhaps Jesus. This reminds me of the candles that I would light at church on Palm Sunday, as well as the religious art that I would often see at churches.
2000s: Palm Sunday (2006) by Anselm Kiefer
Palm Sunday is an artwork created by Anselm Kiefer in 2006. It shows a dead palm tree surrounded by pictures of its roots. This artwork reminds me of the palm fibers I see at church on Palm Sunday. It makes me wonder whether the tradition of turning those fibers into crosses contributes significantly to deforestation.
2010s: Palm Sunday, Spanish tourists wait outside Antioch Baptist Church, 515 W. 125th St., Harlem (2014) by Camilo J. Vergara
Palm Sunday, Spanish tourists wait outside Antioch Baptist Church, 515 W. 125th St., Harlem, is a photograph taken by Camilo J. Vergara in 2014 in New York, New York, United States of America. It depicts a group of Spanish tourists standing outside a church waiting to be let in. The church is called Antioch Baptist Church and is in Harlem, a neighborhood of New York City. I like this picture because it honestly portrays an ordinary Palm Sunday and provides a glimpse into the daily lives of a group of ordinary people.
2020s: [Pope Francis meets with people as he unexpectedly appears during the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican] (2025) by Simone Risoluti
[Pope Francis meets with people as he unexpectedly appears during the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican] is a photograph that was taken by Simone Risoluti in the Vatican in 2025. It depicts the late Pope Francis meeting people in Saint Peter’s Square. I like this person because it shows that Pope Francis was willing to interact positively with ordinary Catholics. It’s nice to know that he did not see himself as better than the people he led.