A sacramental of the Church, blessed and distributed to the faithful on Palm Sunday, to bring to mind the triumphal entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem, when He was met by a multi- tude bearing palms. Their use originated in the "miracle plays" of the early Middle Ages, and they are mentioned by the Venerable Bede, c700 The most suitable palm is the Oriental date-palm, when procurable. In the United States the southern palmetto is largely used, but any other kind of branches may be used if some species of palm cannot be obtained. The palms are blessed before the principal Mass on Palm Sunday, with a long blessing which includes a beautiful Preface. They are then distributed to the people, who should hold them during the reading of the Passion of Our Lord, and they should be preserved reverently at home.