Palm Sunday opens Holy Week and recalls Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The Gospels tell of his arrival on a donkey, welcomed with cloaks spread along the road and branches in people’s hands. The Christian celebration brings this entry together with the reading of the Passion.
The blessing of palms in Verges
In Verges, those taking part gather outside the church with woven palms, tall palm fronds, or branches of bay and olive. It is one of the moments that announce the beginning of the village’s great week.
In the custom we remember, boys carried the tall palmó and girls the woven palma. Godparents often gave them to their godchildren. Today, each family can follow the tradition in its own way; what remains is the excitement of carrying a palm and meeting outside the church.
The steps seem small amid the palms and the crowd. A few days later, these same steps will host a very different scene: the Crucifixion in the Procession. From Palm Sunday morning to Maundy Thursday night, this space changes its meaning while remaining a place where people come together.
The Hosanna we sing in Verges
Among the memories of the blessing is “l’Hosanna que cantem a Verges”, the Hosanna we sing in Verges, with the parish priest encouraging everyone present to sing together. The song accompanies the raised palms and preserves that blend of religious celebration and village life.
Tortell de Rams and brunyols
The day has its sweet side too. The tortell de Rams, a ring-shaped cake, and brunyols are part of the flavours of this season. In Verges and the Empordà, we call these fritters brunyols: a word of our own for a treat that returns to many homes during Holy Week.
After the blessing, the gathering may continue at home around the table. Holy Monday will soon bring us to the rehearsals and preparations for the Procession.
Attending the celebration
Check the Holy Week parish bulletin or parish notices to confirm the time of the blessing and Mass. The day-by-day guide follows the rest of the week.
Palm Sunday and flowers for the statues
Concepció Nadal Coloma remembers collections in the streets on Palm Sunday to help pay for flowers for the religious statues. Her account connects the day’s celebration with practical preparations that would become visible in the Maundy Thursday Procession.
This memory describes a practice from a period that the interview does not date precisely. It does not establish a collection taking place today, or prove that all the statues were always funded in the same way. Collecting money, paying, buying flowers and decorating the statues are distinct responsibilities.
Sources for this addition
Interview with Concepció Nadal Coloma, passages on collections and flowers, in the Memòria Viva La Processó project, analysed as part of this research.
