For this week - Great Day! Palm Sunday: what should be done on this day and what is not advisable. Signs and traditions for Palm Sunday Why willow on Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is a Christian holiday celebrated in honor of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. This event happened exactly one week before the resurrection of Christ, therefore, today the date of the holiday is changing. Each time it depends on the arrival of Easter. In 2017, Palm Sunday is celebrated on April 9. People often ask the question: “Palm Sunday - what to do?” Traditions come to their aid. From them, believers will learn why the willow tree is a symbol of the holiday, what they do on Palm Sunday, and what they should not do on this day under any circumstances. The information contained on this page will also add to your knowledge base. You will learn what to do with fresh and last year's willow and how the day of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is celebrated in other countries.
Palm Sunday - What to do with willow on the holiday?
People greeted Christ riding a donkey into Jerusalem with palm branches. Since then, Christians living in warm latitudes have been decorating their homes with palm branches. Palm trees, of course, do not grow in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. That is why the palm tree as a symbol of welcoming Christ and faith in him in these countries is replaced by willow. Believers go to the forest, to a lake or river and pick its branches with fluffy cute buds. Later, the plucked branches are blessed in the church.
There are no green palm trees in Russia...
There are no green palm trees in Russia,
Only birch trees and maples,
Let it fluff over the water
Young willow branch!
The willow gives us branches -
Let's take them to God's temple,
And to the sound of the bell
Let's put them near the icons!
How does a willow blessed on Palm Sunday help?
It is believed that the willow consecrated on Palm Sunday helps the sick to recover and adds strength and endurance to a person. If there is a sick person in the house, branches of this plant are placed next to his bed. Traditional healers crush willow buds and add them to creams and ointments. They rub on sore spots, treat wounds and skin infections. They say that travelers who eat a couple of willow buds before setting off will avoid troubles on the road. Housewives who prepare delicious homemade bread add buds of this plant to the dough.
I’ll put a willow branch in a vase...
I’ll put a willow branch in a vase,
I will light a candle at the icon.
I will glorify Palm Sunday
And I’ll quietly whisper a prayer.
It is impossible to learn to believe.
Believing constantly is hard work.
I pray for those who are in difficult life
They believe sincerely and live by faith.
Tomorrow begins Passion Day.
Let me, Lord, pray through this.
By death on the cross he opened the gates of Heaven for us,
So, God forbid, I sin!
Palm Sunday - What to do with last year's blessed willows?
Every time before the onset of Palm Sunday and Easter, many ask: “What to do with last year’s willows?” Indeed, one cannot raise one’s hand to throw away a plant consecrated in the church. The willow stood in the house all year, protecting it from quarrels and other misfortunes. However, the time is already coming to break new branches, and many are at a loss as to what to do with the old willow.
How to properly get rid of last year's willow before Palm Sunday?
Of course, you cannot throw away a consecrated plant that protects your home from misfortunes all year round. You can proceed as follows. The branches of the old plant need to be burned, and the ashes from it should be thrown into a body of water - a river, sea, lake. Under no circumstances should willow ashes be thrown onto the street or in the trash.
What should you never do on Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is a major Christian holiday. As on other major church holidays, you cannot work on this Sunday a week before Easter, especially in the garden. Planting willow is also prohibited. On this day you should completely forget about sewing, washing and cleaning, knitting, embroidery and any handicrafts.
What is a sin to do on Palm Sunday?
It is a sin to neglect church holidays and customs that have developed over centuries. The church prohibits working on Palm Sunday. Of course, this does not mean that the housewife must necessarily leave the entire family without dinner, and the owner, in the event of an unexpected breakdown of equipment in the house, must not repair it. The biggest sin on Palm Sunday is wasting time: gambling, drinking and similar activities.
What do Christians do on Palm Sunday?
Already on the morning of every Palm Sunday, you can see passers-by on the streets with “bouquets” of willow branches in their hands. Early in the morning they went to the reservoirs where this species of plant of the willow family grows and picked its branches. The plucked branches must be consecrated in the temple. After you have brought the willow into the house, its branches need to be placed in water. The water in a jar or vase with willow needs to be changed regularly - then the plant will live in your house until the next holiday of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
A. Fet. The willow is all fluffy
The willow is all fluffy
Spread out all around;
It's fragrant spring again
She blew her wing.
The clouds are rushing around the village,
Warmly illuminated
And they ask for your soul again
Captivating dreams.
Diverse everywhere
The gaze is occupied by the picture,
The idle crowd makes noise
People are happy about something...
Some secret thirst
The dream is inflamed -
And over every soul
Spring is flying by.
How to celebrate Palm Sunday and signs of the day
In the morning, after attending the liturgy and consecrating the plant, you need to return home and celebrate the holiday with your family. Lent is not over yet, but on this day it is not forbidden to eat fish. It will be interesting to watch the weather. According to the signs of Palm Sunday, the rain that begins on this day brings a good harvest. The drought on Palm Sunday, on the other hand, suggests otherwise. People believe that a house where there is a blessed lightning bolt will not be struck by lightning. The ashes of last year's willow branches can hold back floods.
A. Blok. Willows
Boys and girls
Candles and willows
They took it home.
The lights are warm,
Passers-by cross themselves
And it smells like spring.
The breeze is distant,
Rain, little rain,
Don't blow out the fire.
Palm Sunday
Tomorrow I'll be the first to get up
For the holy day.
Now that you have learned everything about Palm Sunday - what to do on the holiday, how to deal with last year's willows, what to avoid during the celebration of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, you will be able to celebrate the solemn day of April 9, 2017 correctly. Don’t forget to remember or write down everything about the weather on this day, and then check whether the signs relating to Palm Sunday actually come true.
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is one of the main holidays of the Orthodox Church. In Russia, this holiday has another name - Palm Sunday. It is celebrated a week before Easter. On this day there are many restrictions and prohibitions. We tell you what the essence of the holiday is, and why on this day you can’t have fun, comb your hair and drink.
Oleg Bogdanov
1 When is Palm Sunday in 2018?
2 What is the essence of Palm Sunday?
The church name of the holiday is the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. On this day, Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people welcomed and honored him for the miracle that had happened the day before - the resurrection of Christ’s friend named Lazarus (the event is known as Lazarus Saturday).
Another name for Palm Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm leaves were laid under the feet of the donkey on which Christ rode, as if before the winner and savior.
3 What should you not do on Palm Sunday?
- On Palm Sunday you cannot do heavy physical labor, clean your apartment or sew. It is believed that on April 1 you need to devote time to prayer.
- On this day you cannot visit clubs, go to concerts and other entertainment events.
- It is forbidden to drink alcohol (except wine).
- According to old traditions, you cannot comb your hair on Palm Sunday.
- On this day you should not quarrel and argue with loved ones, and also refuse requests.
- A funeral dinner cannot be held on Palm Sunday.
- On this day it is forbidden to cut branches from trees that grow near the cemetery. Visiting cemeteries brings sad emotions that can overshadow this holiday. It’s better to go to church in advance and pray for the repose of the soul of the person whose grave you are going to.
Oleg Bogdanov
4 What should you do on Palm Sunday 2018?
On Palm Sunday, believers go to church services, confess and receive communion. They take bouquets of willow branches with them. They are usually sold near temples or in markets. During the service, the branches are blessed.
Then the consecrated willow is brought into the house and placed near the icons. It is believed that they protect the family from misfortunes, illnesses, damage, and the house from fires and floods. According to tradition, the willow should remain in the house for a year.
According to customs, in order to be healthy, people lightly beat each other with willow branches and wished for health and well-being in the family.
There is an opinion that on Palm Sunday you need to start replanting indoor plants. If you do this, they will grow well and attract wealth into your home.
The Christian Church introduced the holiday of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem in the 4th century, and in Rus' it appeared in the 10th century and began to be called Palm Sunday, since the willow had the same meaning as palm branches.
According to the traditions of the holiday on the eve of Palm Sunday, in ancient times, Russian people went to the banks of the river to break willow, and this was a real rite. The willow was always blessed in the church with holy water, however, this tradition has survived to this day.
In warm countries, this day is celebrated with palm branches, but in our country at this time of year the leaves on the trees have not yet bloomed. Branches of evergreen conifers have traditionally been used in burial ceremonies, so they cannot be used.
According to signs and beliefs, it was believed that the blessed willow had healing properties, so they touched people with branches, wishing them health, placed them at the head of the sick, applied them to sore spots, and whipped children so that they would not get sick during the year and grow up healthy. Crushed dried willow buds were added to various medicinal decoctions, which were used to treat wounds and skin diseases. Sometimes the buds were added to bread and other baked goods, and some baked bread in the shape of a willow twig. Palm porridge was made from the opening buds. But willow not only heals, it gives physical strength, courage and courage, so many young men made amulets and talismans for themselves from willow buds.
It was believed that if you eat a few willow buds before a long journey or some serious undertaking, then only success will await a person on his path and in his business. Icons were decorated with branches and hung in the corners of rooms, which many still do to this day. Also, amulets made from willow buds were worn by women who did not have children. According to legend, you had to eat ten kidneys five days after the end of your period, this was supposed to help in conceiving a child. To ensure that the offspring were healthy, a willow twig was placed under the feather bed, and the newlyweds were showered with buds.
Our ancestors believed that willow could impart sexual power not only to humans, but also to livestock. That is why domestic animals were lashed with a blessed willow branch, branches were hung in barns, and before the first pasture in the field, these branches were fed to the animals so that they would not be poisoned by poisonous herbs, or become victims of diseases, thieves and predatory animals. Not a single day goes by without weather-related signs. And Palm Sunday is no exception.
If it rains on Palm Sunday, expect a good harvest. This sign is based on many years of observations of our ancestors. They noticed that if it rains on a given day, the harvest will be simply wonderful. If, on the contrary, the weather is dry, then you may not expect a harvest. And, if the sky is cloudy, cloudy, but there is no rain, then the harvest will be quite good, but not as much as we would like. It was also believed that the willow could protect the house from natural elements. A house in which there is a consecrated willow branch will not be struck by lightning. If during a fire you throw a willow into the fire, it will go out faster and the flame will not spread to another building. And twigs thrown into the water during ice drift will help avoid large floods.
If by the next Palm Sunday there were still unused branches in the house, then under no circumstances should they be thrown away. They must be burned and thrown into a stream or river, and the water should not be stagnant. When choosing new branches, they gave preference to young trees growing near rivers. It was forbidden to take branches from trees growing near the cemetery, or on which there were nests and hollows.
Many people, believers and not, even today, on the eve of Palm Sunday, decorate their home with willow branches, because this plant gives joy and awakens spring in the heart.
Signs for Palm Sunday
Tap your body with a willow twig- you will be healthy for a whole year. Perhaps this is the only sign that people know about today. First, a willow twig is blessed on this day in the church, and after that the twig is tapped on the body and the sentence is said: “Be as strong as the willow, as healthy as its roots and as rich as the earth.” This preference is given to the willow because it is, perhaps, the most tenacious tree that exists in nature. It is believed that even if a willow stick is stuck into the ground upside down, it will still take root and grow. It is for this reason that willow can give health to a person, because it itself is very strong.
Eat a willow bud- an important matter will be decided. It was customary to keep consecrated willow branches for a whole year near the icon. If you have to go to important negotiations, or you are about to start a very important business for you, and you are not sure of the result, then willow will help you here too. But only the willow that was consecrated in the church on Palm Sunday will help. When going on an important task, you need to tear off three buds from a branch and eat them, washing them down with holy water, while thinking about your business. True, this property of a twig can only be used as a last resort. Constantly, don’t, it’s better not to disturb the willow, it can go sideways.
On Palm Sunday, think about your loved one., he will come. Superstition? More likely. But before, a young girl, if she liked some guy and he didn’t pay any attention to her, would wait for this very day. Starting in the morning, she began to think about who was dear to her heart. Her thoughts were somehow incomprehensibly transmitted to this guy. And in the evening he came to her to invite her for a walk. In principle, it has long been proven that human thought is material. Everything we think about inevitably happens in real life sooner or later. Perhaps Palm Sunday has such an energy that allows us to bring our thoughts to life much faster than on any other day.
Plant a houseplant for Palm Sunday- you will be rich. Previously, it was believed that if you plant an indoor flower on this day, it would attract money into your life. In cities, of course, they kept indoor plants, but in villages there was no time for that. But those who knew about this sign and planted indoor plants quickly got back on their feet. But this sign has several features that few people know about. Firstly, if the flower withers within a month, then you will have to live your whole life in poverty. And secondly, you only need to plant plants with large and fleshy leaves. By the way, one of these plants is now called the money tree. In order for it not to wither and grow well, you need to know the special rules for planting and caring for it. By the way, it has been noticed that in the house where the money tree grows well, there is always prosperity and there is no shortage of money.
Poultry is not allowed outside- the witch will ruin it. Perhaps earlier they were confident in this sign, but not now. It was believed that a week before Easter, witches began to go on a rampage. After all, starting from Easter and all the holidays, their power temporarily decreased. So they tried to cause mischief, so to speak, for the future. It was believed that it was on poultry that witches took revenge. But it’s not known whether to believe this sign or not. But in villages to this day, those who keep the bird try not to let it out into the street on Palm Sunday.
There are holidays that we have heard about and know about, but we do not know about the signs associated with this day. We don't worry too much because we don't know what customs to follow. But when troubles happen in our lives, problems appear, then we begin to think where all this comes from, and why all this is on our heads.
Beliefs on Palm Sunday
Headaches are spoken of on Palm Sunday.
To do this, after combing your hair, remove the hairs from the comb and put them in water.
Pour this water over the willow tree on Palm Sunday and say:
“Water, go to the ground along with your headache.”
On Palm Sunday they cast a love spell on a willow tree.
To do this, break a twig and say:
“As long as the willow lies behind the icon,
Until then, my husband will not stop loving me, he will not forget me. Amen".
Place the willow behind the icon.
Just don’t throw away the enchanted twig under any circumstances!
Remember that the branches from Palm Sunday must be preserved.
They help in the treatment of many diseases!
It is believed that on Palm Sunday it is customary to hit the back of the person you wish good health with a willow.
But know that the one who slapped you on the backside wishes you harm.
Since, having lashed with willow on this great holiday, they may wish you harm, and it will come true.
They consecrate the willow. And then they keep it in the house all year in a vase or behind icons.
With old willow that has stood for a year, they sweep all the corners, windows, thresholds,
they thank her for her service and burn her.
It is necessary to lash all domestic animals and animals on the back with the new holy willow,
Saying out loud: “Whip willow, beat me to tears,” this adds health.
Buds, fluffy leaves from holy willow
help with female infertility and enuresis.
Today you can bake holy willow fluffs into bread
and give to sick pets - they will be healed.
To everyone who helps their loved ones with castings
or another method to remove damage or treat,
this amulet against interception will come in handy: today you need to eat on an empty stomach
3 willow buds and wash down with holy water.
Then say:
“St. Paul waved the willow and drove away other people’s illnesses from me.
Just as it is true that Palm Sunday is celebrated, so it is true that
that other people’s illnesses don’t bother me. Amen".
If you are an Orthodox person, then before this you need to take communion.
Rituals. Willow and its strength
Willow is still a significant plant in the folk Orthodox culture of Russians. It gave the name “Palm Sunday” to the church’s twelfth feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter. According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ went with his disciples from Bethany, where he raised Lazarus, to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter there. On the way to the city, Christ saw a donkey tied to a tree, on which he rode into the city. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, having learned about the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, enthusiastically greeted the Savior with palm branches called “vaii” and a song of praise. On the road along which Jesus was traveling, people threw palm branches and spread out their clothes. In memory of this event, in Christian churches on the day of the holiday it is customary to consecrate decorated tree branches. Among the Russians, the place of the palm branch was taken by the willow, and the week before the holiday began to be called “Verbna”, “Verbnitsa”.
Ideas about the unusual properties of willow, however, go back to pre-Christian, pagan times. This plant, like birch, in folk culture was associated with the idea of rapid growth, health, vitality, and fertility. These ideas are based on the fact that willow blooms its buds earlier than other plants. A blossoming tree symbolized the coming spring and, according to mythological consciousness, could convey health, strength and beauty to humans and domestic animals.
Willow was quite widely used in calendar rituals of Russian peasants. Despite the fact that Palm Sunday was a church holiday, numerous rituals with willow were performed on this day, based on archaic beliefs. It was customary to go to the forest to pick willows before sunrise on Lazarus Saturday, on the eve of Palm Sunday. The brought branches were often immediately decorated with paper flowers and ribbons, but sometimes this was done only after their consecration or on the eve of Easter. They went to church to bless the willow on the same day for the evening service or on Sunday morning. The consecrated branches were placed in the front corner of the shrine or placed behind the icons, where they were kept until St. Yegoryev's day or all year. In Siberia, a “teremok” was made of straw for the willow tree, decorated with rags, ribbons and hung in front of the icon.
Upon arrival home after the consecration of the willow, and sometimes right next to the church, each member of the household, and most often children, was hit with it, as it was believed, “for health.” At the same time they said: “The willow is red, hit until you cry, be healthy!”, or: “I don’t hit - the willow hits, the willow hits until you cry.” In many areas, for the same purpose, cattle were whipped with willow or given a twig or buds of the plant to eat.
In the Central Russian zone, in order for sheep to be “fed”, they were fed with a special loaf or bread in which willow buds were baked. In some places, the shape of kidneys was given to ritual cookies, which on Lazarus Saturday were brought to church for blessing along with willow cookies. In the Kostroma province it was called “lamb”, in Moscow - “lamb”, “granny” or “akatushki”, in Ryazan - “nuts”, “kytka”. Cookies were baked according to the number of livestock and poultry, and in some local traditions - for all household members. In the Ryazan region, when feeding sheep with cookies on Palm Sunday, it was believed that they would each bring a pair of lambs, and the holiday itself was called “lamb holiday.”
The Russians everywhere placed and still place blessed branches in the red corner next to the icons. Previously, willow was stored until St. Yegoriev's day or all year. Throwing it away after whipping cattle was considered a sin. Usually these branches were stuck in the barn under the roof, “so that the cattle would not wander,” or thrown into the river, “let them float on the water”; sometimes they burned it in a furnace. Belarusians kept willow all year behind icons until the new Holy Monday. On the same day they burned it and placed a new consecrated willow near the images. When moving to a new house, some of the willow branches were left in the old house, and half were transferred to the new one.
On Yegoryev Day, in many localities, each cattle was hit with a willow during the ritual of the first pasture for grazing, and after pasture they fed it, believing that these actions would ensure a good offspring and protect them from wild animals throughout the grazing season. They did the same on the day of St. Nicholas the Great: on this day, and especially when driving the horses out at night, the first of the season, they were lashed with willow branches.
On Ivan Kupala in Volyn and Podolia, a willow tree or branch was used as a festive attribute: girls decorated the plant with flowers and danced around it, and after a while the boys burst into the girls’ circle, grabbed the willow and tore it apart. This ritual is close in meaning to numerous agricultural rituals of the East Slavic tradition using stuffed animals made of plant material, and its purpose is to influence the forces of nature so that the harvest is successful.
As can be understood from the examples given, magical functions were attributed to willow in the popular consciousness. Willow branches blessed on Palm Sunday were endowed with special powers. The productive properties of the plant are obvious from the magically significant sentences that were pronounced when children were whipped with willow: “Grow like a willow!”, “As the willow grows, so do you grow!” In some areas, barren women ate the buds of the blessed willow in the hope that it would help them give birth to a child. The beekeepers stuck willow branches around the apiary so that the bees would swarm well, more bee colonies would be born, and they would bring the owner honey and wax in abundance.
In the Penza province there was a ritual of calling out to young women, in which it is obvious that a positive meaning was attributed to the willow. At midnight on the eve of Palm Sunday, young people went around the houses where the newlyweds lived and shouted near the gate:
“Open it, open it, young one, hit it with a camel, give it more health than before.” The young woman unlocked the gate, and the crowd entered singing: “If only there would be a harvest of grain, multiplying livestock.” Everyone sleeping in the hut was lightly hit with a willow, saying: “We hit to be healthy,” and also: “Get up early, hit the ram.” The last to be whipped was the young one as she bowed, escorting the singing youth out of the gate.
The productive power of the willow was also used directly in agricultural rituals. So, after the first pasture of livestock, the twigs could be broken and scattered across the field, and the buds could be crushed into grain intended for sowing. In the Smolensk region, part of the willow brought after cattle pasture was stuck into the ground in a grain field - “so that the earth would come to life faster”, “so that the rye would grow well and grow fluffy, like a willow”; the other part was hidden behind the icon - “so that the cattle would return home.” Here the housewife threw the rod, which she used to drive out the cattle, into the manure in the barn; at the same time, she jumped as high as possible “so that flax would be born.” In some places, willow branches were stuck in the four corners of the field to protect the crops. In the Tambov province, willow was generally planted in the field for this purpose. In Belarus, with the consecrated willow they went out for the first plowing of the spring field and to plow up the virgin lands.
In addition to producing, willow was endowed with healing properties, which were used both for preventive purposes and directly in folk medical practice. In the Yenisei province, consecrated willow was fed to cows and sheep on Maundy Thursday - Thursday in Holy Week, and they said: “It’s not I who give, but the talnik. Just as the talnik does not dry, so you, my God-given cattle, do not dry.” Willow, even unconsecrated, was also widely used to treat people.
In Kuban, willow was used in the treatment of childhood diseases. To do this, early in the morning, before sunrise, they went to the river and there they cut the willow three times, nine branches each. At the same time, they counted from nine to one three times. Arriving home, they dipped one bunch of nine branches into hot water and bathed the child near the window from which the sunrise could be seen. At noon, they put a second bunch of willow in hot water and bathed the child near the window, opposite which the sun stood at that moment. In the evening, when the sun was setting, the same actions were performed with the last bunch of branches in front of the window looking west. At the end, all the willow branches with water were taken to the river and poured out with prayer so that they would float on the water. It was believed that the disease would recede. In the Vitebsk region, sick cattle were fumigated with willow, they ground it into powder and covered wounds with it, they made a decoction from it and drank it for various diseases, and also used it as a lotion for tumors and bruises.
Willow in folk culture was attributed protective qualities. All Eastern Slavs widely believed that a consecrated branch could protect from thunderstorms, storms, other natural disasters, from evil spirits and diseases. The Russians in the Tambov province believed that a willow thrown against the wind could drive away a storm, and thrown into a fire could pacify it. People everywhere believed that the willow stored in the red corner would protect the house and the entire household from thunder and lightning. During hail, Belarusians placed a bunch of consecrated willow on the windowsill to pacify the elements and avoid hail in the grain fields.
Along with the fact that the willow is widely used in rituals and is an attribute of one of the biggest Christian holidays, in popular beliefs it belongs to the trees cursed by God. According to legend, Christ’s tormentors made pins from it to hold the cross together. For this, willow, according to popular belief, is subject to turning by worms, and devils sit in dry willow. In this regard, the famous Ukrainian proverb is indicative: “I fell in love like the devil with a dry willow.” According to the beliefs of Belarusians, the devil sits on a willow, especially an old one - dry and hollow, from Epiphany to Palm Sunday. In the spring, the devils warm themselves on the willow tree, and after it is blessed on the holiday, they fall into the water, and therefore from Palm Sunday until Easter you cannot drink water drawn under the willow tree.
Why do Orthodox believers rush to a church with bunches of fluffy willows on this day, says Archimandrite Spiridon (Khodanich).
– Father, what is the history of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem?
– The Great Twelfth Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is experienced in a special way in our soul, filling it with a feeling of great reverence and awe. It is impossible to talk about it without a complete inner heartfelt experience, because this is a holiday of special sorrow, special joy, hope and consolation! He is a great lesson from the Great Teacher.
Mention of the holiday is found in Ambrose of Milan (c. 340) and Epiphanius of Cyprus (late 3rd - early 4th century), and its images are found on sarcophagi of the 4th century.
As the Gospel reading on the day of the holiday tells us: “Six days before Easter Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was dead, whom He raised from the dead. There they prepared a supper for Him, and Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those who sat with Him... Many of the Jews knew that He was there, and came not only for Jesus, but to see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. The high priests decided to kill Lazarus too, because for his sake many of the Jews came and believed in Jesus. The next day, the multitude of people who had come to the festival, hearing that Jesus was going to Jerusalem, took palm branches, came out to meet Him and exclaimed: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!..” (John 12:1-18). These Bible verses are symbolic. Each time, mysteriously participating in this great holiday, and not just remembering the events that took place two thousand years ago, again and again, to the depths of your soul, you are imbued with love for us sinners, which moves the Lord to free passion. When the Savior approached Jerusalem and the entire panorama of the city opened before His gaze, He stopped the procession and cried: “Oh, if only you, even on this day, knew what serves for your peace! But this is now hidden from your eyes, for the days will come upon you when your enemies will surround you with trenches and surround you, and press you in from everywhere, and ruin you, and beat your children within you, and will not leave in you one stone upon another for that reason. because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:42–44). What sorrow in these words! Around Christ there is joy and rejoicing of the people, even infants, but what is in His soul? The heart of the Omniscient Savior suffers because they did not understand His mission, did not accept His Kingdom, did not respond to His love. The false joy of the Jewish people, meeting the Savior as an earthly King and Deliverer from the Roman yoke, will very soon turn into a completely different “rejoicing”: “Crucify Him!” By earthly standards, the moment of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem is the pinnacle of the Savior’s success. Very soon this peak will begin to rapidly fall down, reaching Holy Week, Golgotha. How does the Savior behave on this peak? It would seem that you need to enter the city, as befits a king: on a white horse. But the Lord enters meekly and humbly on a donkey (in the East, entering a city on a donkey is a symbol of peace, riding on a horse is a symbol of war), giving a lesson to all of us: how to behave at the top of our career growth, because from those ancient times there are two concepts , constantly neighboring, accompany us, crying: “Hosanna to God in the highest! " and "Crucify Him!" It is very important that our hearts are not mistaken...
– How to celebrate Palm Sunday and why bless willow branches?
– Like all holidays, and especially the great twelve, we celebrate and spend with the Lord in His House - the temple. You can experience maximum grace and joy and participation by partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and uniting with Christ in the most intimate way.
During the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, people greeted the Savior with palm branches and spread their clothes along the road. Since we do not have a palm tree, like in the East, we use frond, i.e. willow. The willow is the first to wake up from winter sleep, as if, according to the word of Divine Scripture, it preaches about the resurrection of the dead, that the spring of life is ahead, and everything bound by frost will come to life and be covered with leaves and decorated with flowers.
According to the Church Charter, the blessing of the tree is performed through incense and reading a prayer. But for a long time we have had the custom of sprinkling the branches with holy water (see: Handbook of a Clergyman. M., 1983. T. 4. P. 550).
– Should consecrated willow be kept all year?
– There is such a pious tradition of keeping a consecrated twig for a year (until the next consecration) at home in a holy corner as a sign of remembrance of the events of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. We must remember that the willow is consecrated and cannot be thrown anywhere. You should burn a dry twig and bury the ashes in a place that is not trampled underfoot, or throw it into a flowing river. If we want to preserve the willow, then, after bringing it from the temple, we put it in a vase with water and then plant it.
– Is it necessary to bake special bread with consecrated willow buds?
– Such an action comes from the realm of folk tradition and is a superstition with pagan roots. For example, in Rus' there was a custom on Palm Sunday to bake special bread according to the number of family members, in one of which a coin was placed. Whoever received this loaf of bread, according to legend, should be happy and lucky for a whole year. I think that for a believer, comments are unnecessary. Unfortunately, there are a lot of such superstitions; people eat willow, beat each other with it, etc., but do not know the essence of the holiday itself. Very often they go to church not for the sake of Christ, but for the sake of the willow tree. All these are relics of the godless past.
Let us remind you once again for those: willow has no spiritual healing properties and is not a talisman! This is a symbol of resurrection and a reminder of the holiday!
– What is allowed to eat at meals on this day?
– The Church Charter tells us: “At the meal there is consolation, we eat fish and drink wine, thanking God” (Typikon, chapter 49, “On Saturday evenings”).
– Do you need to decorate your home in a special way on this holiday?
– There are no church decrees or instructions on this matter.
Archimandrite Spiridon (Khodanich)
Interviewed by Natalya Goroshkova
Orthodox Life
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On this day it is customary to consecrate willow branches.
What can and cannot be done on Palm Sunday, said a participant in the “Battle of Psychics” in Ukraine, an expert in the project “The Investigation is Conducted by Psychics,” clairvoyant Larisa Gutanu.
It is customary to prepare willow for consecration in advance, the clairvoyant advises. If the spring is cold or Easter is early, when the willow does not have time to bloom, you should cut off the branches several days in advance and place them in water indoors.
“Parishioners attend church on the morning of Palm Sunday, attend the service, and light a candle, which symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ. After the service, the willow is blessed. The blessed branches are carried home,” says Larisa Gutanu.
HOW TO USE CONCEDED WILLOW?
“At home they pat the household, especially children, with the blessed willow. At the same time they repeat: “Willow-whip, hit until you cry.” I don’t hit, the willow hits! Be healthy like water, strong like a willow, rich like the earth - said the clairvoyant. – If you want to protect your home from misfortunes, plant the willow you brought near the entrance. A bunch of consecrated willow is kept behind the icons.”
Since ancient times, people have attributed magical and healing properties to the buds and branches of the holy willow. Willow branches were thrown into the water to bathe small or sick children. Twigs were also applied to sore spots. Before starting an important task, it was considered useful to eat one kidney and drink it with holy water. During a thunderstorm, flood, or strong hurricane, a branch of willow, blessed on Palm Sunday, was thrown into the street so that the house remained untouched.
“If there are willow branches left from last year, they are burned or thrown into flowing water. But my grandmother taught me to collect such branches for many years, and when someone close to me dies, they chop them up and sew a pillow into the coffin of the deceased,” said Gutanu.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO ON PALM SUNDAY?
If you start replanting indoor plants on Palm Sunday, they will grow well and attract wealth into the house.
If you drive a willow peg into the wall on Sunday morning, it will relieve a person of fears and give him determination.
It is believed that if you remember your loved one on Palm Sunday, they will appear on that day.
But this day, the harbinger of Easter, should be bright and joyful. This day should be spent with your family in order for the whole year to be calm and fruitful.
PALM SUNDAY: WHAT NOT TO DO
The Church and folk traditions do not recommend work on Palm Sunday, especially hard and dirty work. There is also a ban on washing, sewing and knitting. True, most priests insist that the ban on work cannot be taken literally, it’s just that on major church holidays you need to think more about God, and not about everyday matters.
Since Palm Sunday falls during Lent, you should not have too much fun, eat food of animal origin (meat, eggs, milk and dairy products) and drink strong alcohol.
There is another specific prohibition on Palm Sunday - you cannot cook hot dishes. Therefore, housewives make basic preparations the day before, on Saturday evening. Those believers who go to the night service in church adhere especially diligently to this rule.
There is also a popular belief that on Palm Sunday you can’t do anything with your hair—cut it, dye it, or even comb it.
Willow branches consecrated in the church should not be thrown into the trash, since, as many believe, they have special powers - to ward off evil forces, serve as a talisman for the home, and even protect against the evil eye.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
