The palm branches—and any other branches—held by believers on Palm Sunday symbolize freedom from hell and death, through the grace of “the One who died for us and rose again.”
Palm Sunday
Augustine Sokolovski
The coat of arms of the French city of Nîmes, located in the south of ancient Gaul—where, according to hagiography, Saint Lazarus once preached—features a palm tree, a crocodile, and a laurel wreath.
The wreath is a symbol of Roman imperial power, while the crocodile represents Egypt, whose economic might Rome once subjugated. The palm tree represents the Roman Empire.
In the time of Jesus, the palm branches torn from the tree, with which the Messiah was welcomed, signified a banner of independence from Rome. Jesus was not a politician; he did not promise any independence, but He suffered for something He had no part in—for our sins—“for our sake as human beings and for our salvation,” as the Creed states.
Finally, the crown of thorns—which, according to the Gospels, Roman soldiers placed on Jesus’ head—was indeed a crown of thorns, not a laurel wreath—shows that the Romans, represented by Pilate, truly regarded the Lord as a usurper, for which He was crucified. “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (John 19:19). The words Pilate inscribed on Jesus’ cross were a verdict, not irony.