The Archdiocese of Detroit marked Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week and is the final Sunday before Easter, telling parishioners it marks the start of the holiest week of the liturgical year.

“At the Palm Sunday Mass, we hold palm branches up high, commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted with shouts of joy,” the archdiocese posted on Facebook. “As we remember this moment of great joy, we ready our hearts for what lies ahead: the joy quickly disappears as Jesus is betrayed, scourged, carries his cross, is nailed to the wood, endures mockery and abandonment, and dies for us.” 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) selected a section from Luke 22 for the Gospel reading for Palm Sunday this year. 

The passage begins with the Last Supper, where Jesus broke bread with his apostles. It was during the Last Supper that Jesus instituted the Eucharist, telling his disciples that the bread was his body and the wine was his blood, which would be shed for them.

He then tells the disciples he knows one of them will betray him. Jesus and the disciples went to the Mount of Olives, but the disciples fell asleep while Jesus was praying. He prayed so fervently that "his sweat became like drops of blood." The passage goes on to describe Judas' betrayal, Jesus' arrest and trial before Pilate, and finally, Jesus' crucifixion. 

“In #HolyWeek, the Church invites us to enter into Jesus’ suffering and death—to recognize our own betrayals in Jesus’ betrayal; to see our own shame in his mockery; to know in his crucifixion, our own human suffering,” the archdiocese’s posting read. “As #Lent comes to an end, we welcome this king, who comes in the name of the Lord, and walk with him to the cross.”

Meanwhile, Pope Francis celebrated Palm Sunday Mass in Rome. During his homily, the Vatican said, Pope Francis pointed out that those surrounding Jesus leading up to his crucifixion kept encouraging him to "save himself.” 

"Against this self-centered mindset is God’s way of thinking. The mantra ‘save yourself’ collides with the words of the Savior who offers his self," the pope said. 

Pope Francis went on to emphasize the significance of the fact that as he was being crucified, Jesus asked God to forgive his persecutors. The pope connected this forgiveness to the way that God is willing to forgive us for all of our sins.