POCATELLO — Christian churches throughout the world will remember Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem during their Palm Sunday services on April 17.

    According to the Gospel of Matthew 21:1-11, a large crowd of people spread their garments on the ground and cut palm branches to mark the path as Christ rode into Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion.

    Today, many churches commemorate the event as part of their Easter services.

    At the Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Pocatello, the Palm Sunday Masses mark the beginning of Holy Week in which church members remember Christ’s suffering and death as well as his resurrection, pastoral associate Kathy Barkdull said.

    The priests bless numerous palm branches, which are then distributed to members of the congregation as a symbol of the branches the crowd used to mark Christ’s path, Barkdull said.

    Congregation members hold the palm branches while they listen to the Gospel reading of Christ’s entrance.

    “We begin the service with a commemoration of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem and that leads us into our first hearing of the Passion story,” Barkdull said.

    Many of the church members keep the palm branches they receive during the Mass and display them in their homes until they begin the next Season of Lent.

    “Next year they will be dried out and then we burn them for the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday,” Barkdull said.

    Although Palm Sunday is important, it’s only the start of a series of services, which include Holy Thursday, focused on the Last Supper; Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate Christ’s crucifixion; and finally Holy Saturday, when the church holds its evening Easter Vigil.

    “The Easter Vigil is the high point of the church year,” Barkdull said, adding that they light the new Easter fire and a new Easter candle.

    “That’s the night adults are baptized into the Catholic Church and confirmed. We hear the stories about our history from the Creation to the Exodus, about the people who came before us. The celebration of the Easter Vigil leads us into Easter Sunday.”

    Palm Sunday plays an important role in the commemoration of Christ’s death and resurrection, Barkdull said.

    “It’s the beginning of Jesus’ journey towards His crucifixion, which started with his entry into Jerusalem,” she said.