How we got the red color for Palm Sunday

Did you know that before the 1955 liturgical reforms the colour for the entire Palm Sunday liturgy was purple? Purple vestments were used for both the Procession and the Mass. This was because, and as it still is, Palm Sunday and Holy Week are seen as part of the Lenten penitential period. Thus, the purple colour was used just like the rest of the days of the Lenten Season.

In 1955 this was changed to red for the Procession whilst the purple colour was maintained for the Mass. Here, the Procession was understood as linked to the Passion of our Lord hence the change to red. In 1969, following the Second Vatican Council reforms, red became the colour for both the Procession and the Mass. The focus of the entire Palm Sunday service was shifted to the Passion of our Lord so the red colour now became the only colour used for the day. It was also at this time that the official name of the day was changed to Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord. Before, it was simply called Palm Sunday, a title which is still popular even till today.