Like a fortress, the palm tree stands tall, defying the skies, winds and storms. Nothing seems capable of holding it back in its ascension, and no natural factor can easily bring it down to the ground. A symbol of triumph, of bounteousness, of the upright, constant, humble, strong and vigilant soul, it is a true monument, erected not by human ingenuity, but by the Divine Craftsman.
Unlike other trees, its trunk rises undivided, usually erect and smooth, topped by leaves whose downward sloping calls to mind the generously gushing waters of a fountain. It is simple, with no ornament save the scars that old leaves leave on its trunk once they have fallen, like charming rings to adorn it. The palm tree thus presents itself as a noble lady, slender, pure and graceful. It is a true crowned princess. Her large family and her exceptional properties give rise to some reflections.
“Hic victor meruit palmam”
Since time immemorial, palm trees have grown in abundance in the fertile regions of Mesopotamia, producing the delicious and famous dates of the East, which became one of its fundamental agricultural products, used in cuisine and for trade. Such palm trees were also cultivated in Egypt, as well as on the coastal plain of Palestine and in the Jordan Valley. The various cultures of antiquity adopted them as symbols of transcendent values, such as fecundity, peace, prosperity, Paradise, and eternal life.
In the Roman tradition, victorious gladiators, athletes and warriors were decorated with laurels and palm branches. Gradually, classical iconography chose the palm tree as a symbol of triumph, frequently featuring it on objects such as clay lamps, coats of arms, flags, seals, allegories, tombs and medals.
Pope St. Damasus, for example, praised the martyrs Protus and Hyacinth with the following words: “Hic victor meruit palmam prior ille coronam – Here is the victor who deserved the palm before the crown.”1 In fact, the martyrs are first champions in the fight against the flesh and the powers of this world, and subsequently they earn the reward from Christ and reign with Him eternally. Thus, their numerous army came to be represented holding palm branches, hence the expression that has prevailed in the Church since ancient times: “He attained the palm of martyrdom.”
From Baptism to Palm Sunday
The symbolism of the palm tree goes far beyond coincidences and traditions when considered in the light of the most sublime creature, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Interestingly, it marked two important episodes in the life of the Redeemer.
With great detail, Anne Catherine Emmerich2 describes the setting in which Jesus was baptized. When He went down to the River Jordan, His left hand held on to a slender palm tree laden with fruit that was on the bank, while His right hand rested on His most sacred breast. It was then that the Innocent and Immaculate Lamb destroyed the guilt of the old Adam, submerging it in the baptismal waters.
He would achieve His definitive victory over the devil, the author of sin, on the Cross. Before being put to death, Jesus entered Jerusalem, where He was acclaimed by the large crowd; some spread their cloaks, others cut palm branches and spread them along the road (cf. Mt 21:8-11). Despite the abyss of humiliation into which He would soon be plunged, the Redeemer wanted to mark the beginning of His Passion with a tone of triumph, to assure His disciples of the certainty of the Resurrection.
Our Lord is, therefore, the victor Rex against the devil, sin and death. This is why the faithful sing in unison with the Church, following the Easter Mass: “The King of life, dead, reigns alive.” And Blessed Fra Angelico skilfully wielded his brush over the canvas, depicting the resurrected Christ carrying the banner and the branch of victory.
A profound lesson in constancy
On the other hand, the palm tree seems to be a plant designed to withstand storms. Its sparse foliage does not retain rainwater and allows the wind to pass through, which makes it light and at the same time resistant. That is why St. Francis de Sales3 sees constancy as one of the properties of this plant: it does not give in, does not fall or collapse, no matter how great the load placed on it; its trunk does not creep along the ground, but rises fearlessly, attracted to the heights. And even when whipped by the wind – Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira once pondered – palm trees do not lose their proud appearance: “They bend with elegance, as a great lady would bow. They offer resistance to the wind, as if to say: ‘Do you want to knock me down? I will only be more graceful!’”4
Surprisingly, their roots are not deep, but spread out in rays all around them. It is as if they seek support from the earth only for the sake of climbing to higher regions, teaching us that in this world there is no permanent dwelling place for us; we walk as strangers and pilgrims far from the Lord, heading towards the heavenly homeland (cf. Heb 11:13, 16), a reward that awaits those who persevere to the end: “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Lk 21:19).
Endurance: this is a virtue practised to the highest degree by Mary Most Holy! Catholic piety honours her as “the palm of patience” or the “steadfast palm” in the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception. To her, more than to any other creature, belongs the praise of the Holy Book: “I was exalted like a palm tree in Cades” (Sir 24:18). St. John Eudes5 explains that such praise designates the strength and patience that Our Lady demonstrated when shaken by the winds of misfortune, as well as the notable victories She won against the enemies of our salvation.
Like warriors of the Almighty
The branches of the palm tree sprout from its interior like spears that, in time, put forth thousands of small swords… such is its foliage! This plant “shows its value in its leaves being made like swords.”6 Indeed, in as vast a kingdom as that of palm trees, the representation of war could not be absent. The Imperial Palm tree, in particular, has a warlike grandeur that has almost compelled some to weave praises to its towering figure: “With splendid beauty that terrifies, / displaying a warlike air, you rise.”7
There are palm trees that resemble warriors always at their guard post, vigilant against the adversary, with swords drawn, in the unalterable position of presenting arms to their Creator, the Lord God of Hosts. Paradoxically, these same branches bend gracefully, combining combativeness with gentleness, radicalism with compassion.
This is a symbol of the greatness that should characterize the virtuous soul, whether of a prelate, a king, a father of a family or a religious, because the high dignity that their status confers upon them does not repel the lowly, but rather invites them: “Come and live in these heights too! Here the air is purer, the vision more complete and magnificent. I was once just like you; rise higher, come and be equal or superior to me. Let us praise God together!”
It is with this loving greatness that Divine Providence adorns its creatures.
Detail of “Resurrection of Christ”, by Fra Angelico – San Marco Museum, Florence (Italy)
Bearing fruit under the veil of humility
“Although the palm tree is the crowning glory of trees, it is nevertheless the humblest of all, and it shows this by hiding its flowers”8 in large coverings called spathes. These offer an interesting strategy: they keep the fruits protected from the elements, exposing them only when they are ripe.
In a similar way, “only humility knows how to do with simplicity in public what should be seen, and in secret what should remain hidden.”9 Those who are truly humble recognize their own talents, the natural and supernatural gifts they have received, but they do not boast in the hope of being seen and praised by men; they know that they have nothing that they have not received (cf. 1 Cor 4:7).
“The palm tree does not reveal its flowers until the vehement heat of the sun makes them open the pods, cases or pockets in which they are enclosed, after which the fruit will suddenly appear. The just soul does the same: it keeps its flowers, that is, its virtues, hidden under the veil of most holy humility until death, the hour at which Our Lord makes them blossom and reveals them, for the fruits are not long in appearing.”10
It is interesting to note that palm trees are fertile wherever they are planted, adapting easily to the climate and soil. They are found all across the globe, with an admirable wealth of over 2,600 species. They are one of the most valuable plants to man, since almost every part of them can be used: roots, trunk, hearts of palm, leaves, fruit clusters…
Consider, for example, the nutritious and therapeutic coconut water, used in folk medicine with proven efficacy, and the pulp, with which sweets, ice creams, creams, jellies, juices, wines, liqueurs are made… Other palm trees are valuable for the seeds of their fruits, from which oils rich in vitamins and useful even for industry are extracted. The leaves are used to make thatched roofs; the fibres are used in the art of weaving hats, bags, baskets, ropes, nets – an infinity of artifacts. From its wood, light and easy to work with, thousands of objects and utensils are produced.
They will flourish and multiply like the palm tree
It seems very appropriate that in the formulary of the Mass of the Common of Saints, one of the options for the entrance antiphon is taken from the Psalm: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree, […] planted in the house of the Lord, they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bring forth fruit in old age, they are ever full of sap and green” (92:12-14).
Detail of the “Adoration of the Mystical Lamb”, by Hubert van Eyck – St. Bavo’s Cathedral, Ghent (Belgium)
What would humanity be without the existence of the saints, who elevate it? There was a time when no corner was found devoid of the blessing of an upright man or a virtuous lady; they filled the cloisters, the presbyteries, the castles, palaces and homes, the cities, the countries.
Now, the saints did not only mark the pages of a past and remote history. They will emerge with all the greater splendour the needier the world is, and perhaps, in praise of those who will come in the end times, a poet of the future will be able to sing: “The righteous have flourished and multiplied throughout all the earth; they have far outnumbered the palm trees, and have surpassed them in all their properties!”
Then the words of St. John the Evangelist in the Book of Revelation will be fulfilled: “behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (7:9). Carrying branches of victory, they themselves will be the trophy of the victorious God! ◊
Notes
1 JOSI, Enrico. Palma. In: PASCHINI, Pio (Dir.). Enciclopedia Cattolica. Firenze: Sansoni, 1952, v.IX, p.650.
2 BLESSED ANNE CATHERINE EMMERICH. Visiones y Revelaciones Completas. Buenos Aires: Guadalupe, 1952, t.II, p.408, 412-413.
3 Cf. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES. Palestras íntimas. Campinas: Ecclesiæ, 2018, p.310.
4 CORRÊA DE OLIVEIRA, Plinio. Conference. São Paulo, 12/10/1990.
5 Cf. ST. JOHN EUDES. L’enfance admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu. In: Œuvres Complètes. Vannes: Lafolye Frères, 1907, t.V, p.165.
6 ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, op. cit., p.310.
7 BILAC, Olavo. Palmeira imperial. In: Obra reunida. São Paulo: Nova Aguilar, 1996, p.279.
8 ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, op. cit., p.305.
9 TISSOT, Joseph. La vida interior. 19.ed. Barcelona: Herder, 2003, p.425-426.
10 ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, op. cit., p.306.
