Q: Tomorrow we are starting the Lenten season. I am puzzled by what I have seen today in different parishes on their respective social medias and I am wondering if this is new in the Catholic Church. Is there any RITE FOR THE BURNING OF PALMS in the Catholic Church? Our Archdiocese has just sent us a text, which is supposed to be used today Tuesday for the burning of the palms, with a prayer, a scripture reading from Isaiah 58:5-11, psalm 51 being sung antiphonally and responsively as the palms are burned, and when the palms are completely burned, the ashes are sieved to a fine powder and blessed. I have noticed that it is the archaic English like “Thou didst…to follow Thy Gospel…”

I am wondering if this is not coming from pre-vatican rituals. If we have to bless the ashes today, are we going to call it Ash Tuesday? And then, what are we going to do tomorrow at the place of blessing the ashes?

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A: The Catholic Church does not have an official rite for burning palm branches in anticipation of Ash Wednesday. Some parishes and dioceses have conducted something on their own. Customarily, ashes are indeed burned palm branches. And parishes may make their own. But there’s no requirement for this.

I was able to find a version of ritual you’ve been given. It was shared by a Lutheran pastor.

It is fine to burn branches to make ashes, but there is no need for a prayer service to accompany it. As you point out, the blessing of ashes on Ash Wednesday is proper.

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