Christians across the Kurdistan Region gathered at local churches on Saturday night to usher in Palm Sunday.

Palm leaves are traditionally waived to commemorate Jesus of Nazareth's entry into Jerusalem during the holy week, as Christ's followers laid palm leaves before him as he returned the city prior to his crucifixion. 

April 14 is Palm Sunday in 2018 for Kurdistan's Chaldean, Assyrian, and Syriac Christians who follow the calendar of the Roman Catholic Church.

Crowds gathered at Saint Joseph's Church in Erbil's Christian neighborhood of Ainkawa in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

The Kurdistan Region is predominately Sunni Muslim; however minority ethno-religious groups like Christians, Yezidis, Yarsanis, Zoroastrians, and other populations are free to publicly practice their faith.

Photos: Safin Hamed | AFP