 During the middle ages, it was the custom, in
many churches, to carry the book of the holy Gospels in
this procession. The Gospel contains the words of Jesus
Christ, and was considered to represent Him. The
procession halted at an appointed place, or station: the
deacon then opened the sacred volume, and sang from it
the passage which describes our Lord's entry into
Jerusalem. This done, the cross which, up to this moment,
was veiled, was uncovered; each of the clergy advanced
towards it, venerated it, and placed at its foot a small
portion of the palm he held in his hand. The procession
then returned, preceded by the cross, which was left
unveiled until all had re�entered the church. In England
and Normandy, as far back as the eleventh century, there
was practised a holy ceremony which represented, even
more vividly than the one we have just been describing,
the scene that was witnessed on this day at Jerusalem:
the Blessed Sacrament was carried in procession. The
heresy of Berengarius, against the real presence of Jesus
in the Eucharist, had been broached about that time; and
the tribute of triumphant joy here shown to the sacred
Host was a distant preparation for the feast and
procession which were to be instituted at a later period.A
touching ceremony was also practised in Jerusalem during
today's procession, and, like those just mentioned, was
intended to commemorate the event related by the Gospel.
The whole community of the Franciscans (to whose keeping
the holy places are entrusted) went in the morning to
Bethphage. There, the father guardian of the holy Land,
being vested in pontifical robes, mounted upon an ass, on
which garments were laid. Accompanied by the friars and
the Catholics of Jerusalem, all holding palms in their
hands, he entered the city, and alighted at the church of
the holy sepulchre where Mass was celebrated with all
possible solemnity. This beautiful ceremony, which dated from the period of the Latin kingdom in Jerusalem, has been forbidden, for now almost two hundred years, by the Turkish authorities of the city. We have mentioned these different usages, as we have done others on similar occasions, in order to aid the faithful to the better understanding of the several mysteries of the liturgy. In the present instance, they will learn that, in today's procession, the Church wishes us to honour Jesus Christ as though He were really among us, and were receiving the humble tribute of our loyalty. Let us lovingly go forth to meet this our King, our Saviour, who comes to visit the daughter of Sion, as the prophet has just told us. He is in our midst; it is to Him that we pay honour with our palms: let us give Him our hearts too. He comes that He may be our King; let us welcome Him as such, and fervently cry out to Him: Hosanna to the Son of David!' At the close of the procession a ceremony takes place, which is full of the sublimest symbolism. On returning to the church, the doors are found to be shut. The triumphant procession is stopped; but the songs of joy are continued. A hymn in honour of Christ our King is sung with its joyous chorus; and at length the subdeacon strikes the door with the staff of the cross; the door opens, and the people, preceded by the clergy, enter the church, proclaiming the praise of Him, who is our resurrection and our life.
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