On 29 March 2026, Palm Sunday, everyone is warmly invited to a joint church and city celebration in Debrecen, including the blessing of willow branches, a Stations of the Cross procession, and Palm Sunday concerts.

Full Programme

3.00 p.m. – BLESSING OF WILLOW BRANCHES AND COMMEMORATION OF JESUS’ ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM in front of the Reformed Great Church
Palm Sunday celebrations will feature contributions from the Debrecen Garrison Band, Kuckó Művésztanya, Főnix Children’s and Youth Folk Dance Ensemble, Debrecen Hajdú Dance Ensemble, Hortobágy Folk Dance Ensemble, Debrecen Folk Ensemble, the Dalárda Ensemble, and the Ecumenical United Youth Choir.

3.30 p.m. – STATIONS OF THE CROSS PROCESSION
The city procession will set off from the Great Church to Saint Anne’s Cathedral under the leadership of the bishops of the historic churches, passing the following stations:
Kossuth Square (in front of Hotel Aranybika) – Saint Stephen statue (Dósa Nádor Square) – Old City Hall – Small Reformed Church – Csokonai National Theatre – Saint Anne’s Cathedral

Artistic contributions will be provided by actors of the Csokonai National Theatre, Katalin Benedekffy, Hunor Pál, Kinga Újhelyi (Jászai Mari Prize winner), the Dalárda Ensemble, the Galilea Praise Team, and the Martin Brass Ensemble.

At the end of the procession, representatives of the Debrecen Charitable Board will present participants with flower seeds as gifts.

The Stations of the Cross will be hosted by the following churches: Debrecen Baptist Congregation – Debrecen Lutheran Parish – Diocese of Debrecen–Nyíregyháza – Debrecen Holy Trinity Hungarian Orthodox Parish – Archdiocese of Hajdúdorog – Transtibiscan Reformed Church District.

Participants the Palm Sunday Stations of the Cross:
• Archbishop-Metropolitan Fülöp Kocsis, Archdiocese of Hajdúdorog
• Diocesan Bishop Ferenc Palánki, Diocese of Debrecen–Nyíregyháza
• Bishop Károly Fekete, Transtibiscan Reformed Church District
• Senior Pastor Richárd Asztalos, Debrecen Lutheran Parish
• Pastor János Kiss, Debrecen Baptist Congregation
• Vicar General Zoltán Krakomperger, Diocese of Debrecen–Nyíregyháza
• Parish Priest Barnabás Sipos, Debrecen Holy Trinity Hungarian Orthodox Parish
• Parish Priest Miklós Sivadó, Debrecen Greek Catholic Parish
• Pastor András Porkoláb, Debrecen Small Church–Ispotály Reformed Parish
• Actors of the Csokonai National Theatre: Katalin Benedekffy, Boldizsár Kulcsár, Hunor Pál, Kinga Újhelyi
• Martin Brass Ensemble
• Lautitia Choir Family
• Galilea Praise Team
• Dalárda Ensemble
• Ecumenical United Youth Choir

5.00 p.m. – THE WAY OF THE RESURRECTION IN THE ORGAN MUSIC OF ZOLTÁN GÁRDONYI
The Smal Reformed Churh 300 Jubilee Concert Series continues with a very special organ recital.
The performer of the evening is Dr Ádám Tabajdi, a Junior Prima Prize-winning organist and recipient of scholarships from the Fischer Annie Programme and the Hungarian Academy of Arts.
The musical pieces will be performed following introductions by Dr Dezső Karasszon.

Programme:
J. S. Bach: Fantasy in C minor, BWV 562
J. S. Bach: Erbarme dich mein, O Herre Gott, BWV 721
Zoltán Gárdonyi: Fantasy on “Victimae Paschali Laudes”
Zoltán Gárdonyi: Partita on “Jesu, der du meine Seele”
Zoltán Gárdonyi: Easter Fantasy

Admission is free; by purchasing support tickets, attendees contribute to the realisation of the Jubilee Concert Series programmes.

6.00 p.m. – MUSICAL SERVICE – DOMINICA PALMARUM
with the participation of the Debrecen Garrison Band at the Debrecen Reformed Great Church.
The sermon will be delivered by Lieutenant Colonel Szilárd Sajtos, senior Reformed military chaplain of the Protestant Military Chaplaincy Service of the Ministry of Defence.
Conducted by Captain Róbert Kovács.

Source: facebook.com | Photo credit: Debrecen városa (Facebook)