Hundreds Brave Snow and Winds for Palm Sunday in Central Andorra

Palm Sunday celebrations across central Andorra parishes drew hundreds of faithful despite strong winds, low temperatures, and a recent overnight snowfall, with events in Andorra la Vella and Escaldes-Engordany adapting to harsh weather.

In Andorra la Vella, between 300 and 400 people gathered at Plaça Príncep Benlloch after organizers moved the blessing of palms, palm branches, and olive and laurel leaves from the originally planned Plaça del Poble. The shift followed recommendations from the local council and Civil Protection for safety in the gusty conditions. At noon, priests processed from Sant Esteve church to the town hall porch, where Mossèn Antò read the Gospel and Mossèn Ramon Sàrries, Archpriest of the Andorran Valleys, performed the blessings. Traffic was briefly halted amid a festive atmosphere, with families and children prominent, raising branches while chanting "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Participants then processed back to the church; some stayed for the Eucharist led by Sàrries, while most departed.

Sàrries framed the day as Holy Week's start and Lent's end, describing Jesus as a humble king entering Jerusalem. He warned of human frailty—the same crowd acclaiming him could later turn—and called on the faithful to approach Holy Thursday through Easter with conscious depth, treating it as a living experience of faith, renewal, and hope rather than mere commemoration.

In Escaldes-Engordany, around 250 attendees braved intense cold and winds at Plaça de l'Església for a brisk 15-minute ceremony led by Mossèn Toni Elvira, assisted by helpers and local pubillatge members. "It probably wasn't as cold that day as today," Elvira remarked of Christ's entry into the Hebrew capital before the Gospel reading. Families, children, and elderly raised laurel leaves for blessing; most returned home afterward, with the devout entering Sant Pere Màrtir church for Mass.

The events marked the Bishopric of Urgell's launch of Holy Week in Andorra, evoking Jesus's entry into Jerusalem.