Sarah Mitchell
Many Christian churches commemorate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem before his crucifixion by distributing palm fronds to their congregations on Palm Sunday. These palms can be folded into crosses, which some families display in their homes throughout the year. If you attend a Catholic church, you may want to keep your palm cross after the service and return it to the church to be burned and turned into ashes for the next Ash Wednesday service. If you're interested in making your own palm cross, you can find palm fronds for sale online, and there are many guides with written and video instructions to help you get started.
Characteristics and Values of 'How to make a palm cross catholic'
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy and fun |
| Materials | Palm fronds, refrigerator, damp paper towel |
| Storage | Keep in the refrigerator, not the freezer |
| Maintenance | If dry, use a damp paper towel; store finished crosses in the same way |
| Disposal | Cannot be thrown away if blessed by a Catholic church; return to the church to be turned into ashes for Ash Wednesday |
| Folding technique | Bend the thick end of the palm frond over itself without squishing it; aim for between one-quarter to one-third of the way down |
| Additional tips | Remove extra strings, tear the palm frond in half to make two crosses, cut off a little from the bottom at an angle for a tidier finish |
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What You'll Learn
Palm crosses are a fun way to remember Jesus's sacrifice
If your church passes out palm fronds, you can take them home and turn them into cute little crosses. It's a fun craft that even kids can do. You can display the crosses in your home all year long, or you can return them to the church, which will burn them to create the ashes used during the Ash Wednesday service the following year.
To make a palm cross, start by gently tearing a palm frond in half and removing any extra strings. This will make the palm frond easier to fold. Then, bend the thick end of the palm frond over itself, being careful to keep the fold loose and rounded. Aim for between one-quarter to one-third of the way down the thick end of the palm frond. This folded area will be the front, vertical section of your finished cross.
Next, fold the front section to the right, making an angled crease at the point where you want the crossbar to be. Take the section pointing to the right and bend it around the back of the cross so that it now points to the left. Then, take the section pointing to the left and bend it around the front of the cross so that it now points to the right. Now, flip the cross over so that the section pointing to the right now points to the left. This will ensure that the angled crease is in the back of the cross. Finally, bend the section pointing to the left around the front of the cross so that it now points to the right, forming the arms of the cross.
With just a few simple steps, you can create a meaningful reminder of Jesus's sacrifice and add a unique touch to your Palm Sunday celebration.
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Preparing palm fronds for folding
Begin by bending the thick end of the palm frond over on itself, being careful not to flatten or squish it. Aim for a fold between one-quarter and one-third of the way down the thick end. This folded area will be the front, vertical section of your finished cross. The next step is to fold the front section to the right, creating an angled crease where you want the crossbar to be. Take the section pointing to the right and bend it around the back of the cross so that it now points to the left. Then, take the section pointing to the left and bend it around to the front, so it now points to the right.
Here comes the tricky part: don't bend the next section, but flip it. Turn the cross around so that the section pointing to the right now points to the left. Ensure the angled crease you made earlier is at the back of the cross, otherwise, it will get in the way. Now you're ready to create the arms of the cross. Take the section pointing left and bend it around the front so that it now points to the right. And there you have it—your palm fronds are now folded into a beautiful cross!
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Step-by-step instructions for folding
If your palm frond is folded over on itself, gently tear it into two halves and remove any extra strings. This makes it easier to fold. You can also use the two halves to make two palm crosses or other crafts.
Next, bend the thick end of the palm frond over on itself, being careful to keep the fold "loose" or "rounded". Aim for between one-quarter to one-third of the way down the thick end of your palm frond. This folded area will be the front, vertical section of your finished cross.
Now, cut off a little at an angle from the bottom of the strip, and cut a bit off the top to make weaving easier. Your first bend will be towards you. The piece at the back will determine the length of the finished cross.
Fold the front section to the right, making an angled crease where you want the crossbar to be. Take the section pointing to the right and bend it around the back of the cross so that it now points to the left. Take the section pointing to the left and bend it around the front of the cross so that it now points to the right.
Here's where many people get confused: don't bend this time. Flip the cross so that the section pointing to the right now points to the left. You need to get the angled crease you made earlier to the back of the cross; otherwise, it will get in the way later. Take the section pointing to the left and bend it around the front of the cross so that it now points to the right.
You now have the basic structure of a palm cross! You can make further adjustments to ensure it looks neat and tidy.
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How to store palm crosses
If you have leftover palm crosses, you can save them until the next year when they can be burned to create the ashes for Ash Wednesday services. If you attend a Catholic church that blesses its palms for Palm Sunday mass, you cannot dispose of the palms in the trash once they have been blessed. According to the Code of Canon Law, blessed items are to be treated with respect and reverence and not discarded. Instead, they should be burned or buried. You can also keep them in your home as a witness to faith in Jesus Christ.
If you are storing palm crosses or fronds to make crosses later, they dry out fast, so keep them in the refrigerator (not the freezer). If they start to look dry, put a wrung-out damp paper towel in with the fronds.
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Proper disposal of old palm crosses
According to the Code of Canon Law, blessed items, including palm branches, are not to be discarded in a trash can but treated with respect. Throwing them in the trash ignores their sacred purpose and treats them like any other object we no longer need. So, what is the proper way to dispose of old palm crosses?
One option is to use the palm branches to decorate your home. This way, the palm branches will serve as a constant reminder of Palm Sunday and bring to mind the Passion narrative that was read at Mass. You can tuck them behind a religious painting or crucifix, or make them into decorative pieces such as a palm rose.
If you no longer wish to keep the palm branches, you can burn or bury them to properly dispose of them. This type of disposal honors their sacred purpose and returns them to the earth in a dignified way. If you don’t have the ability to burn or bury them, you can simply drop them off at the parish office.
It is important to remember that palm branches used for Catholic Church services, especially on Palm Sunday, are considered holy objects and should not be disposed of in the regular fashion. Once blessed by a priest, an object is considered to be in the service of God and should be treated with respect. Therefore, it is considered sacrilegious to throw a holy item in the garbage.
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Frequently asked questions
Making palm crosses is a way to commemorate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his crucifixion. Many Christian churches distribute palm fronds to their congregation during Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday immediately before Easter Sunday.
If your palm frond is folded, gently separate it into two halves and remove any extra strings. This makes it easier to fold. You can also cut off a little from the bottom and top to make the finished cross look neater and facilitate easier weaving. Remember that palm fronds dry out quickly, so keep them in the refrigerator to maintain freshness.
First, bend the thick end of the palm frond over itself without squishing it. Then, fold the front section to the right, creating an angled crease where you want the crossbar to be. Next, take the section pointing to the right and bend it around the back of the cross so that it now points to the left. After that, flip the cross so that the section pointing to the left now points to the right. Finally, bend the left section around the front of the cross so that it points to the right, forming the arms of the cross.
