Palm Sunday is the joyful door into Holy Week. Christians remember the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while the crowds waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna. One week later comes Easter, and you can find blessings for that day on our Easter Sunday blessings page.
Below are Palm Sunday blessings for family, friends, and your church, plus short lines for texts and cards. You will also find a blessing to read aloud, one Palm Sunday prayer, and exact KJV Bible verses. Along the way, learn what Hosanna means, why palms are blessed in many churches, and when Palm Sunday falls in 2027. Copy any of them, save them, or share them.
Hope for Sunday. Faith for the week.
Quick answer: A Palm Sunday blessing is a short message that wishes someone the peace and joy of Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as King and Holy Week began. A blessing is spoken to a person, like May your heart welcome Christ this Palm Sunday. A prayer is spoken to God. Scripture is God’s word, quoted exactly. We keep the three apart so you always know which one you are sending.
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When Is Palm Sunday in 2027?
Palm Sunday 2027 is Sunday, March 21. It is always the Sunday before Easter, so the date moves every year. In 2027 it opens Holy Week, with Good Friday on March 26 and Easter Sunday on March 28.
Most Orthodox churches keep Palm Sunday on Sunday, April 25, 2027, one week before Orthodox Easter on May 2. They set the date with the older Julian calendar.
Palm Sunday is also the sixth and last Sunday of Lent, the season that began on Ash Wednesday, February 10. For every date in one place, see the 2027 Holy Week dates on our Easter page.
Palm Sunday Blessings
Start here. These Palm Sunday blessings fit almost anyone you want to bless as Holy Week begins.
- May the King who came in peace fill your heart with His peace this Palm Sunday.
- Blessed Palm Sunday. May you meet Jesus with open arms, the way the crowds once did.
- May your Palm Sunday be full of praise, and your Holy Week full of grace.
- Happy Palm Sunday. May every Hosanna you sing today come from a glad heart.
- May the humble King come gently into the busy places of your life this week.
- On this Palm Sunday, may you find a quiet place to welcome Christ.
- May the fresh green palms remind you that new life is on the way.
- Wishing you a blessed Palm Sunday and a Holy Week that draws you close to Jesus.
- May the joy of the first Palm Sunday reach your home today.
- May you follow Jesus this week, from the palms to the empty tomb.
Short Palm Sunday Blessings
Quick lines for a card, a text, or a social media caption. Short Palm Sunday blessings work best when you add the person’s name.
- Blessed Palm Sunday to you.
- Hosanna! Happy Palm Sunday.
- Peace and praise to you this Palm Sunday.
- May Christ reign in your heart today.
- A joyful Palm Sunday to you and yours.
- Palm Sunday blessings and love.
- Welcome the King. Happy Palm Sunday.
- Holy Week begins. God bless you.
Happy Palm Sunday or Blessed Palm Sunday?
Both are fine. Palm Sunday is a day of praise, so Happy Palm Sunday fits its joy. Blessed Palm Sunday sounds a little more prayerful, and many Christians like it because Holy Week is so near. The one Holy Week day when most people avoid happiness is Good Friday, which we explain on our Easter page.
Here are wishes and Palm Sunday blessings in both styles:
- Happy Palm Sunday! May your day be full of praise and your week full of peace.
- Wishing you a happy Palm Sunday with the people you love most.
- Blessed Palm Sunday. May you walk into Holy Week close to Jesus.
- A blessed Palm Sunday to you. May the Prince of Peace guard your heart.
Religious Palm Sunday Blessings
These religious Palm Sunday blessings keep Jesus Christ at the center of the day.
- May you welcome Jesus as King today and every day of this Holy Week.
- May the Son of David, who came to save, reign in your home this Palm Sunday.
- As the crowds laid their garments on the road, may you lay your worries at the feet of Christ.
- May the humble King who chose a donkey over a warhorse teach your heart His gentle ways.
- On this Palm Sunday, may the Holy Spirit stir a fresh song of praise in you.
- May the One who rode toward the cross for you fill you with gratitude this week.
Palm Sunday Blessings for Family and Friends
These Palm Sunday blessings are for the people closest to you, at home or far away.
For Family
- May God bless our family this Palm Sunday and keep us close all through Holy Week.
- To my family: may our home always be a place where Jesus is welcome.
- May our children wave their palms with joy and grow up loving the King who loves them.
- Happy Palm Sunday to the people I thank God for every day.
- May this Holy Week bring our family patience, kindness, and time to pray together.
- May every heart at our table say Hosanna this Palm Sunday.
Find more on our Sunday blessings for family page.
For Friends
- Happy Palm Sunday, friend. May this week bring you a peace you can feel.
- Thinking of you this Palm Sunday. May Jesus meet you right where you are.
- I am praying for you this Palm Sunday, that your heart feels light and your faith stays strong.
- Praying your Holy Week is calm, hopeful, and full of grace.
- Blessed Palm Sunday, dear friend. I thank God for you.
- Near or far, may the joy of Palm Sunday find you today.
See more on our Sunday blessings for friends page.
Good Morning Palm Sunday Blessings
Good morning Palm Sunday blessings are best sent early, before church or before the day gets busy.
- Good morning, and happy Palm Sunday. May your day begin with praise.
- Good morning. Holy Week starts today. May you walk it close to Jesus.
- Rise and shine, it is Palm Sunday. May your first song today be Hosanna.
- Good morning. May the peace of Palm Sunday stay with you all day.
- A bright Palm Sunday morning to you. May God bless every step you take today.
For more, visit our Sunday morning blessings page.
Palm Sunday Blessings for Your Church
These Palm Sunday blessings work in a church bulletin, as a greeting at the door, or on your church’s social page.
- Blessed Palm Sunday to our church family. We are so glad you are here.
- May our voices rise together today in praise of the King.
- Welcome to Palm Sunday worship. May you leave with a lighter heart and a palm in your hand.
- As Holy Week begins, may our church walk together toward the joy of Easter.
- May everyone who worships with us today know they are welcome and loved.
A Blessing for the Start of Holy Week
Palm Sunday opens the most sacred week of the Christian year. From here, the story moves to the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, the cross on Good Friday, and the empty tomb on Easter morning. These Palm Sunday blessings fit that first step.
- As Holy Week begins, may you give Jesus the first place in your days.
- May this week slow you down enough to notice His love.
- May the joy of Sunday carry you through the quiet of Friday and into the light of Easter.
- May you walk this week with a heart ready to welcome the risen Christ.
For a short blessing for each day of the week, see our Holy Week blessings, day by day.
A Palm Sunday Blessing to Read Aloud
Some moments call for more than one line. This one is longer than the other Palm Sunday blessings on this page. Read it at the family table, in a small group, or at the start of a church meeting. It is a blessing, so it speaks to the people in the room.
May you stand by the road today,
with the crowd that could not stay quiet.
May you see Jesus coming,
not on a warhorse, but on a young donkey,
gentle and lowly, and still the King.
May you lay down what you have been carrying,
the way they laid their garments in the dust,
and find that He does not pass you by.
May your Hosanna be honest,
a song of praise and a cry for help at once,
because He hears both.
And as this week turns toward the cross,
May you keep walking with Him,
until Sunday comes again,
and the stone is rolled away.
Echoes Matthew 21:5, Matthew 21:8, and Mark 16:4.
A Palm Sunday Prayer
A blessing is spoken to a person. A prayer is spoken to God. Here is one prayer for Palm Sunday, to pray alone or with others.
A Prayer to Welcome the King
Heavenly Father, thank You for Palm Sunday. Thank You for sending Jesus, the humble King, who rode into Jerusalem knowing the cross was ahead. Like the crowd that day, we cry Hosanna. Save us, Lord, and make our praise sincere. Help us welcome Jesus into every part of our lives this week, and keep us close to Him from Good Friday to Easter morning. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and teach us to love as He loved. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Echoes Psalm 118:25 and Matthew 21:9.
For more prayers, read our Sunday prayers page.
What Is Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, when Christians remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It begins Holy Week. Its main message is simple: Jesus is King, but He came in humility and peace on His way to the cross to save us.
All four Gospels tell the story, in Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12. Jesus came near Jerusalem by Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, and sent two disciples ahead to bring a young donkey. Crowds who had come to the city for the Passover feast spread their garments and branches on the road. They praised Him with words from Psalm 118.
In many churches the day is also called Passion Sunday, because the story of Jesus’ suffering and death is read in the same service. Orthodox Christians call it the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Why Palm Branches?
Palm branches were a sign of joy and victory. John’s Gospel is the one that names palm branches (John 12:13).
Matthew and Mark say the crowd cut branches from the trees, and Luke tells how people spread their clothes on the road. Palms appear again near the end of the Bible, held by a great crowd before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9).
Why Did Jesus Ride a Donkey?
Jesus rode a donkey to fulfill a promise God gave through the prophet Zechariah, centuries earlier. Matthew 21:5 points straight back to it.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Zechariah 9:9 (KJV) · Read it on Bible Gateway
In the King James Version, an ass is a donkey. A king who came for war rode a horse. In the very next verse, God promises to take the war horse away from Jerusalem, and says this King will speak peace to the nations (Zechariah 9:10). So the donkey shows what kind of King Jesus is: humble, gentle, and bringing peace.
What Does Hosanna Mean?
Hosanna means save now, or save, we pray. It comes from a Hebrew plea, hoshia na, found in Psalm 118:25. By the time of Jesus it had also become a shout of praise.
So when the crowd cried Hosanna, they were praising Jesus and asking Him to save them, both at once.
Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Psalm 118:25 (KJV) · Read it on Bible Gateway
The next verse, Psalm 118:26, gave the crowd the rest of their welcome. You will find it in the verses below.
Palm Sunday Bible Verses (KJV)
These are the key Bible verses for Palm Sunday. Scripture is not something we write, so every verse is quoted exactly from the King James Version with its reference. You can check each one on Bible Gateway. If you came looking for Palm Sunday quotes, these words from the Bible are the best ones to share.
The Palm Sunday Verse: John 12:13
This is the verse behind the name Palm Sunday. It is the only Gospel verse that names the palm branches.
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 12:13 (KJV) · Read it on Bible Gateway
More Palm Sunday Verses
| Bible verse (KJV) | What it shows |
| Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. | The crowd’s welcome |
| Mark 11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: | Praise from every side |
| Luke 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. | Jesus welcomed as King |
| Psalm 118:26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. | The words the crowd sang |
| Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; | Palms before the throne |
Zechariah 9:9 is quoted in full above. To read the whole story, start with Matthew 21:1 to 11. For more Scripture, visit our Sunday Bible verses page.
Palms, Palm Crosses, and the Blessing of the Palms
In many churches, Palm Sunday begins with the blessing of the palms. This is the other meaning of the words Palm Sunday blessing. The priest or pastor prays over the branches, often outside or at the back of the church, and the people carry them in a procession. Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and many other churches keep some form of this.
What happens to the palms after that differs from church to church:
- Palm crosses. Many people fold a palm leaf into a small cross to keep at home.
- Kept for a year. Some families tuck a palm behind a cross, a picture, or inside a family Bible until the next Lent.
- Burned for ashes. In many churches that keep Ash Wednesday, last year’s palms are burned to make the ashes.
- Other branches. Where palms are hard to find, some churches use olive, willow, or other local branches. Willow is a common choice in parts of Eastern Europe.
If your church does not use palms, that is fine. The heart of the day is the same: welcoming Jesus as King. A simple way to mark it at home is to read Matthew 21:1 to 11 together and share one blessing from this page.
How to Share a Palm Sunday Blessing
- Pick one line. Short Palm Sunday blessings read better than a long list, in a text or over a photo.
- Add a name. Happy Palm Sunday, Grace feels personal. A forwarded image with no name does not.
- Quote Scripture exactly. If you add a verse, copy it word for word with its reference, like John 12:13 (KJV).
Palm Sunday images travel well on Pinterest, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Pair a short blessing with a calm photo of palms, and you have a message worth saving.
About These Palm Sunday Blessings
Many Palm Sunday pages online mix prayers and blessings into one long list, or quote the Bible from memory. We wanted something more careful.
We write every blessing and prayer here ourselves, in plain words, and nothing is copied from another site and reworded. We do not use quotes attributed to famous people.
We quote every Bible verse from the King James Version with its exact reference, and we never rewrite Scripture. Where churches keep Palm Sunday in different ways, we say so. You can read how we work in our editorial policy.
Blessings and prayers are original SundayHope texts. Scripture is quoted from the King James Version. Last reviewed: 24 Oct 2026
More Sunday Blessings
Looking for more than Palm Sunday? Explore the rest of SundayHope.
- Easter Sunday Blessings: Blessings, an Easter grace, and resurrection verses for the day Christ rose.
- Sunday Blessings: The full collection for peace, hope, gratitude, and strength.
- Sunday Prayers: Honest prayers for peace, strength, and the week ahead.
- Sunday Bible Verses: Scripture for hope, rest, and new beginnings.
- Sunday Morning Blessings: Bright words to start the Lord’s Day.
- Sunday Blessings for Family: Warm words for parents, kids, and loved ones.
- Sunday Blessings for Friends: Warm words for the friends who matter.
Palm Sunday Blessings FAQ
When is Palm Sunday in 2027?
Palm Sunday 2027 is Sunday, March 21, one week before Easter on March 28. Most Orthodox churches keep it on Sunday, April 25, 2027.
Is it okay to say Happy Palm Sunday?
Yes. Palm Sunday is a joyful day of praise, so Happy Palm Sunday is a warm and fitting greeting. Blessed Palm Sunday works well too.
Why is it called Palm Sunday?
It is named for the palm branches the crowd used to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, as John 12:13 describes.
Is Palm Sunday the same as Passion Sunday?
In many churches, yes. The Catholic Church calls it Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, and the Passion story is read at Mass. Some churches once used the name Passion Sunday for the Sunday before.
What do you do with palms after Palm Sunday?
Many people fold them into palm crosses or keep them at home until the next Lent. In many churches, old palms are returned and burned to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday.
What is the main message of Palm Sunday?
Jesus is King, and He came in humility and peace. Palm Sunday celebrates His welcome into Jerusalem and opens the week that leads to the cross and the empty tomb.
What is a good Bible verse for Palm Sunday?
John 12:13 is the classic Palm Sunday verse, because it names the palm branches. Matthew 21:9 and Zechariah 9:9 are two more favorites. All are quoted above in the King James Version.
Are these Palm Sunday blessings free to share?
Yes. You can copy or share any blessing, prayer, or verse here for personal use, such as a text, a card, or a church bulletin. A note with the person’s name means the most.
Begin Holy Week With Praise
Palm Sunday starts with a shout of joy and a road covered in branches. Then the week turns toward the cross, and Sunday comes again with an empty tomb. Send one of these Palm Sunday blessings today, pray the prayer, and keep walking with Jesus all the way to Easter. Hope for Sunday. Faith for the week.