Palm Sunday procession with donkeys outside York Minster

Palm Sunday – a religious event which commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover – was celebrated today as hundreds gathered at York Minster to pay their respects.

In the gospel, Jesus arrives riding into the city on a donkey, while the crowds spread their cloaks and palm branches on the street to honour him as their long-awaited Messiah and King.

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To mark this day in York, a procession – including two donkeys – and led by members of the clergy gathered outside the South Piazza of the Minster to welcome worshippers.

Crowds were greeted by a choir and led in prayer by Dean Dominic Barrington – holding their palm crosses in the air – before the procession began, entering into the cathedral via the West End.

After entering the Minster, various liturgies, gospels, and hymns were performed with a special sermon read by The Very Reverend Cythia Briggs Kittredge – Dean Emerita at the Semeniary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas.

A spokesperson for the Minster welcomed worshippers ‘most warmly’ to the Palm Sunday Liturgy – noting that it marks the beginning of Holy Week.

The crowd raising their crosses (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

They said: “On Palm Sunday, the Church commemorates Christ’s entry into Jerusalem to accomplish his saving work through his dying and rising again.

“The Procession with Palms is the first of the commemorative actions of Holy Week. The procession is an act of praise to Christ the King who reigns and triumphs on the cross, and it expresses our readiness to take up our cross and follow our Lord.”

George the Donkey (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

The two donkeys involved in this year’s event were named Gary and George, with this year being the first time that George has taken part in the procession.

This afternoon, the Minster will hold a Choral Evensong service at 4pm, and the Ebor Singers choir will perform John Stainer’s Crucifixion at 7.30pm.