On Palm and Passion Sundays

Following yesterday's post and the explanation of cloaks and palms in the first gospel account read last Sunday, someone asked about why we don't just stop at the account of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and provide a reflection on that action to begin Holy Week.

Answer: it once was that way.  Apparently, prior to 1960, Passion Sunday was observed on the fifth Sunday of Lent (and I believe that statues in churches used to be veiled beginning on the fifth Sunday of Lent as well).  However, Pope John XXIII changed the rules in 1960 and since then, we celebrate Passion and Palm Sunday on the same date: the sixth Sunday of Lent.

Just remember that the Church is a living organism made up of people.  That means that the rules do change from time to time.