
For centuries, Christians have celebrated Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem by waving branches of either palm or another local tree.
In the U.S. alone, nearly 18,000 Catholic parishes distribute fresh palm branches to the faithful and that doesn’t include all of the Protestant churches that observe the tradition.
The final destination of the palms is to be burned for the ashes used during the following year’s Ash Wednesday services. But where do they come from in the first place?
The work needed to provide palms for Palm Sunday is so immense that it actually constitutes a full-time year-round job for some harvesters. Continue reading →