The catalytic behaviour of palladium supported on oligomeric aramides has been investigated in the liquid phase selective hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene, by comparison with conventional Pd-supported systems, such as Pd/carbon, Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/SiO2. The influences of the reduction temperature and metal loading on the activity/selectivity behaviour of the title reaction are explained in terms of different reducibility patterns of the catalysts, as well as in the light of a peculiar support effect of the organic matrix on Pd particles.