Palm Sunday Domingo de Ramos

Palm Sunday celebrations and processions in Barcelona

Event date:
Sunday, March 24, 2024

Event location:
Barcelona, Spain

Information:
Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter Sunday and signals the start of Barcelona Semana Santa Easter Week.

Palm Sunday is called 'Domingo de Ramos' in Spanish language and 'Diumenge de Rams' in Catalan language. In Barcelona there is a Palm Sunday procession which is called 'La Borriquita' (little donkey) organised by the Parish of San Agustín (see maps, dates and times below.) 

All churches in Barcelona have Palm Sunday masses, which usually include a 'Bendición de la Palma' palm blessing ceremony during which the parish priests go outside the church to bless the congregation, who carry laurel branches 'ramos de laurel' and palm stalks and leaves 'palmónes y palmas'.

The boys carry the 'palmónes' which are the tall palm stalks - and the girls carry 'palmas', which are smaller and shorter stems with intricately woven crosses. All of the childrens' palm leaves have small bags of sweets or toys on the palms tied to them, and are often decorated with Catalan senyera ribbons.

If you visit the Feria de Ramos markets in Barcelona outside Barcelona Cathedral, or on la Rambla de Catalunya or by the Sagrada Familia, where palmónes and palmas are sold on the days leading up to Palm Sunday, you can find many different sizes and variations on display. 

One of the traditions of Easter in Spain is that the Godmother of children is responsible for making or getting the palm leaves for her Godchildren.

In the past this probably meant weaving them by hand, but nowadays most Godmothers buy the palm leaves at the Feria de Ramos or at the supermarket. 

Another tradition for the children on Palm Sunday is that children should be wearing a new item of clothing.

The saying goes 'Domingo de Ramos - al que no estrena se le caen las manos!' which means 'Palm Sunday - if you don't wear something new you hands will drop off!'

The most popular Palm Sunday markets - called 'Fira de Rams' - are in front of Barcelona cathedral La Seu, on the street 'Rambla de Catalunya', at the famous Sagrada Familia basilica and in Sants area of Barcelona on Plaça Bonet i Muixi.

Guide to Easter Barcelona
Pictures Easter processions Barcelona

Barcelona Palm Sunday processions

Parroquia de San Agustín 
Domingo de Ramos - Palm Sunday processions 
Paso: La Borriquita (little donkey) Jesús enters Jerusalem in triumph on a donkey
Start: 10.00 Iglesia de San Agustín on Plaça Sant Agustí, 2, Raval
Finish: 12:00 same place
Procession Route: Plaça Sant Agustí, Hospital, La Rambla,  Santa Ana, Portal del Ángel, Cucurulla, Portaferrisa, La Rambla, Hospital and back to Plaça Sant Agustí


Bendición de la Palma - palm blessing ceremonies
11:00 at Barcelona cathedral La Seu 
12:00 at La Sagrada Familia church. Sagrada Familia closes from 9-15 during Palm Sunday Mass. 



FULLSCREEN map Barcelona Easter

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