Palm Sunday: the essence of the holiday. Palm Sunday. All about the holiday
Palm Sunday is celebrated by Orthodox Christians the week before Easter. This is an extremely important holiday, filled with deep meaning.
The essence of Palm Sunday
The holiday also has a second name - the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This significant event for the entire Orthodox world meant the coming of the Messiah and Savior of the entire human race. Jesus arrived in the holy city on a donkey, which acted as a symbol of peace. The believers rejoiced when they met the Son of God, and knew that he miraculously raised the righteous Lazarus. Palm branches were thrown at his feet as a sign of reverence and respect, but literally 5 days later this jubilant crowd was ready to tear the Messiah to pieces. He did not justify people's hopes of overthrowing the government and did not commit atrocities.
How to celebrate Palm Sunday in 2017
In 2017, Orthodox Christians will celebrate Palm Sunday on April 9. It became a palm tree in Rus' because palm trees do not grow in harsh climates, and the willow is the first spring tree, a symbol of life and rebirth. The symbolic tree has been popular with our ancestors since ancient times: there is even a tradition of whipping each other with its branches in order to expel negativity, illness and sadness from the body.
Jesus bequeathed to the Orthodox to live, love their neighbor and not encroach on the property of others. The righteous lives of those who followed the Son of God are crowned with glory throughout the ages, and their great deeds are recorded in the New Testament. In order to cleanse the soul before the Bright Resurrection of Christ, it is very important to repent of your voluntary and involuntary sins.
On Palm Sunday, Orthodox Christians go to services in churches and temples, carrying bouquets of palm branches with them so that the priests can sprinkle them with holy water. These branches are taken home to serve as protection from any adversity. Also on this day, several willow bouquets are taken to the cemetery.
On April 9, work is prohibited, so it is best to devote the day to meetings with close relatives for a modest festive table. You should devote time to prayers: any words spoken with a pure soul and coming from the heart will be heard. They say that it is on this Sunday that Heaven is completely open and listens to every word spoken.
Prayers can change fate and heal any soul, and help a person begin spiritual growth. Time spent reflecting on your own life helps eliminate sinful actions and bad judgments. We wish you a bright holiday, happiness and health, and do not forget to press the buttons and
Services in the church for Palm Sunday 2018 will be held on April 1, the current date of the holiday. These are solemn liturgies, after which the ceremony of blessing willow bouquets takes place. On this holiday, a believer must go to church to pray, take part in the solemn liturgy and simply enjoy the beauty of this wonderful day.
Palm Sunday - this is how the holiday was called for a long time in Rus', although in southern countries or, for example, in catholic church, it's called Palm Sunday. An event was established in honor of the solemn entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, where he was greeted as a king after the events of Saturday - the resurrection of the righteous Lazarus from the dead.
Also read materials on this topic:
In honor of the reception of such an important and long-awaited person, the inhabitants of Jerusalem came out to greet him pompously - with palm branches, which were placed on both sides under the feet of the donkey on which Jesus was riding. This is how the day got the name Palm Sunday, but in Rus' palm leaves cannot be found either in summer or spring, so people collect willow and other branches of early trees into festive joyful bouquets, which have become a symbol of this solemn day.
So, the main material symbol of the holiday is a bouquet of willow. As for the symbolism of Palm Sunday, it is talked about during the sermon after the service. Every priest to this holiday prepares his sermon, but in general they say that you need to meet the Lord and let him into your life not only on major church holidays, but every day.
Willow twigs sprinkled with holy water during church services have healing powers. It is customary to keep bouquets at home all year round; without water they retain their original appearance. About what healing properties the willow brought from the church service on Palm Sunday has, it is written in the final part of this material, but for now I would like to talk about when to consecrate the willow.
In fact, already in the evening on Lazarus Saturday, the consecration of willows is carried out in churches, but this can be done after the morning service directly on Palm Sunday. So, here every believer decides when it is more convenient to calmly go to church to celebrate these wonderful events of the festive Saturday and Sunday on the eve of Lent before the onset of Lent.
Important! The first consecration of the willow occurs precisely after the evening service in. It is believed that when the service at night is over and the priest has blessed the willows, Palm Sunday has begun. You must stand with lit candles throughout the service.
Palm Sunday is celebrated quietly and peacefully at home in family circle. Still, it's coming Lent, when entertainment and large gatherings are still prohibited. In addition to Lenten dishes, you can put fish on the table this holiday.
What to do at home with blessed willow:
- If you lightly beat the bouquet on different parts body, this will ensure overall health next year. People have long believed that a person will become as strong as a willow.
- To finally find the right solution for an important matter, you need to eat a willow bud.
- The consecrated bouquet should be kept next to the icons at home throughout the year. If someone gets sick, they will need to tear off a bud from a branch and give it to the sick person to eat.
- If on this holiday you think about young man, then in Rus' there was a superstition that he would definitely come.
- On the day of the holiday, you can plant a houseplant to ensure wealth and attract money into life. But there is one nuance: if a flower withers in a week, then a person will live in modest conditions all his life. financial condition, so during this period, dedicate some care to your plant.
All these, of course, folk signs and superstitions, but here’s what you definitely need to do
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Week of Vai, Palm Sunday) is a holiday that takes place on the sixth Sunday and is established in remembrance of the solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This holiday passing, that is, its date changes every year and depends on. Palm Sunday begins Holy Week - the last and most important part of Lent.
Palm Sunday in 2018 April 1
Palm Sunday. Holiday event
Solemn the Lord's entry into Jerusalem preceded by the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus from Bethany. We find a touching account of this event in the Gospel of John. When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters Martha and Mary immediately sent to tell the Savior about this. Lazarus soon died and was buried, and only four days later the Lord came to Bethany. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!” said Martha. The Savior replied that Lazarus would rise again, and went to the cave where he was buried. When the stone was rolled away, the Lord prayed and then cried out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, get out!” And Lazarus, entangled in burial shrouds, came out of the tomb in which he had lain for four days.
The Lord has raised the dead before, soon after death. But this miracle especially shocked all those present, because the smell of decay was already emanating from the deceased, he was buried and lay in the coffin for several days. Many who saw and heard about this event believed in Christ.
When the next day the Savior entered Jerusalem, where many pilgrims had gathered before the Old Testament Passover, He was greeted as a winner. The scribes and high priests, who were looking for the slightest reason to kill Jesus Christ, wanted to kill the resurrected one. Lazarus went into hiding and subsequently became the first bishop of Cyprus. He lived another 30 years.
The entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and his solemn meeting are described by all four Evangelists. The disciples, at the command of the Lord, brought to him a donkey and a colt, on which they laid their clothes, and He sat on top of them. Many people, having learned about the great miracle, met the Savior: they spread their clothes on the road, others laid cut branches. Those accompanying and greeting them loudly exclaimed:
Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
The donkey and the colt, which had not yet walked under saddle, symbolized the Old Testament Israel and the pagans who also believed in Christ. Evangelists point out that Jesus Christ, as the Son of David, enters Jerusalem on a young donkey, just like David after his victory over Goliath.
The people greeted Christ as a winner and triumphant, but the Lord did not go to Jerusalem for earthly power, not to free the Jews from the power of the Roman invaders. He went to suffer and die on the cross. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. Only a few days will pass, and many people will gather again. But this time the crowd will shout: “Crucify, crucify Him!”
Palm Sunday. history of the holiday
Holiday Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem known since the first centuries of Christianity. Already in the 3rd century, Saint Methodius of Patara mentioned him in his teaching. The Holy Fathers Ambrose of Milan and Epiphanius of Cyprus, who lived in the 4th century, in their sermons say that the holiday is celebrated solemnly, many believers walk on this day in a solemn procession with branches in their hands. Therefore, the holiday received another name - Vaii or Flower Week. In Rus', just at this time, fluffy earrings bloom. Hence popular name holiday - Palm Sunday. On this day, food with fish is allowed. The day before, on Lazarus Saturday, it is customary to eat caviar.
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Festive service
In the stichera for the holiday, first of all, the humility of the Savior, modestly walking on a dumb foal, is pointed out, and the believers are called upon to greet the Coming One with jubilant singing: “ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest" The texts of the Orthodox service not only describe the events that took place in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, but also show us their significance, in particular, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The first proverb (Gen. XLIX, 1-2, 8-12) contains the prophecy of the patriarch Jacob to the son of Judah that kings will come from his family until the Reconciler appears (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ); in the second proverb (Zephaniah III, 14-19) the triumph of Zion and the rejoicing of Israel are prophesied, because the Lord, the King of Israel, is among them. The third proverb (Zechariah IX, 9-15) predicts the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a colt:
Your king is coming to you, righteous and saving; He is meek and sits on a colt and a young donkey.
The canon depicts the joy of true Israel, honored to witness the Royal Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, and the anger of the scribes and Pharisees and high priests of the Jews with which they looked at the triumph of the Son of David. All living things are called to glorify the Lord, who goes to free and saving suffering.
————————
Library of Russian Faith
→
The evening service has a feature that distinguishes this holiday from others: after the Gospel, the priest reads a prayer over the willow tree, in which he remembers the dove that brought Noah an olive branch, and the children who met Christ with the branches with the words: “ Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are those who come in the name of the Lord" Having venerated the Gospel, the worshipers receive from the priest several branches of consecrated willow and hold them in their hands along with burning candles for the rest of the service. Returning home, believers place the willow next to the icons. It is not customary to throw away last year’s “bouquets”; they are burned or thrown into the river.
In the Apostle (Phil. IV, 4,-9) believers are called to meekness, peacefulness, a prayerful mood and fidelity to the teachings of Christ. The Gospel tells of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem (John XII: 1-18) and of the supper in Bethany.
Troparion holiday explains to us the spiritual meaning of the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem:
Џ general resurrection before your passion ўwersz, and 3з8 dead waters є3сi2 lazarz хрте b9е. the same and3 we2 ћkw џtrots, victorious џimages of the nossche, to you the conqueror of death we cry, nsanna in 8 blissful lands in 2 and 3mz.
Russian text
Confirming the general resurrection before Your suffering, You raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ God. That is why we, like children, wearing symbols of victory, say to You, the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who walks in the name of the Lord!
Kontakion for the holiday. Church Slavonic text:
On the ground on the nb7si, on the lot on the earth2 carry1m xrte b9e, t ѓnGl praise, and3 t dеtє1st chanting of the reception, calling you, blessed є3si2 come ґdam to move.
Russian text
Christ God, carried on the throne, and on earth on a donkey, You received chanting from children and praise from Angels crying: “Blessed is the Lord, who comes to call (from hell) Adam.”
"Procession on a Donkey"
In the XVI–XVII centuries. in Rus' in Moscow, Veliky Novgorod and other large cities there was a custom to perform procession on the day of the holiday in a special way. In Moscow, a solemn procession of the cross went from the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin to the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral), one of the chapels of which was consecrated in the name of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem. The Patriarch rode on a young donkey, which was led by the king. Most often, the “donkey” was symbolic - a horse of a light color.
In Rus', this custom did not arise independently, but was borrowed from the Greeks. In the Church of Constantinople " donkey procession"was known back in the 9th–10th centuries. The earliest Russian evidence of such a custom is in the expense books of the St. Sophia Cathedral of Veliky Novgorod for 1548. The Novgorod governor drove a donkey on which the archbishop sat. The procession went from St. Sophia Cathedral to the Church of the Entrance to Jerusalem and back. It is known that such a ceremony was also held in the 17th century in Rostov the Great, Ryazan, Kazan, Astrakhan and Tobolsk. At the end of the 17th century, the custom was abolished.
Palm Sunday in folk traditions
Some were dedicated to Palm Sunday folk rituals and customs. During Matins, the peasants prayed with blessed willow and, upon coming home, swallowed willow buds in order to protect themselves from illness and drive away any illness. On the same day, women baked nuts from dough and gave them to all household members, including animals, for health. The consecrated willow was preserved until the first pasture of livestock (April 23), and every pious housewife drove the cattle out of the yard with the willow, and then the willow itself was either “put into the water” or stuck under the roof of the house. This was done with the aim that the cattle would not only be preserved intact, but also return home in good order, and would not wander in the forest for several days.
Russian historian and ethnographer second half of the 19th century century M. Zabylin in the book “Russian people. Its customs, rituals, legends, superstitions and poetry” describes the traditions of Palm Week.
« Palm Week, or Vai week, is enlivened for us purely by the holiday of the beginning of spring; a willow or willow, which has not yet given leaves, blooms and thus, as it were, declares that our northern nature will soon reward us and everything living on earth with new blessings. The holiday itself, the Resurrection of Lazarus, serves as a symbol of the renewal and revitalization of powerful nature. During Palm Week, children's bazaars have been established in the capitals, where they sell mainly children's toys, willows, flowers and sweets, as if to commemorate the fact that small children have met the spring of their lives and should rejoice in this life, and looking at the toy, study the essence of it. of his future, since each toy is a visual literacy, a visual teaching that develops further understanding in the child, bringing him closer to life and developing his thinking through visualization, comparison of actions and images. On Lazarus Saturday, everyone is allowed to eat caviar, Lenten pancakes and various kitchen cookies.
On Palm Sunday, returning from church with blessed willow twigs, the village women whip their children with them, saying: “ Willow whip, beat me to tears!“In Nerekhta, peasant women bake lambs on Palm Sunday, and when they come from church, they feed the cattle with these lambs, and stick willows in the village house at St. icons and take care of it all year round until St. George's day. This custom is preserved in many provinces. It is known that in our country the first spring pasture of livestock begins on St. George's Day. On this day, the peasants take a one-year-old willow, soak it in holy water, sprinkle it on the cattle in the yard, and then whip the cattle with this willow, saying: “ Lord, bless and reward with health!"And sometimes just: " God bless you and be healthy"... and with the willow in their hands they lead them to the pasture area. The consecrated willow is highly respected and is usually preserved by the Russian pious people behind images for a whole year. In some provinces, willow, blessed on Palm Sunday, is used as a sympathetic remedy and placed in the swill of sick cows or calves.”
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Icons
Images of the Savior riding on a donkey are already known in early Christian art. Almost all images of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem have a common compositional scheme, but differ significantly in details. Christ blessing right hand, sits on a donkey, He is accompanied by two apostles talking with each other. One of them, according to a stable iconographic type, is identified as Peter, while the second apostle, quite young, may be Thomas, Philip or John. At the bottom of the compositions children are depicted rejoicing at the coming of the Savior. An indispensable element of the holiday’s iconography is the image of the Mount of Olives.
A significant change in the iconography of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem occurs in the 14th - early 15th centuries. Now the Savior is most often presented in a complex perspective - he turns back to the apostles. The pose of Christ in question is present on icons from the festive row of the iconostasis of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, tablet icons from Novgorod and many others.
In Pskov images of the 16th century, the Savior is represented sitting feet first, and left shoulder turned towards the viewer so that He enters Jerusalem almost backwards.
Temples in honor of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
In many ancient cities temples in honor of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem were built in the XIV–XV centuries. To this day, they have survived mainly in a reconstructed form. Thus, the temple in Veliky Novgorod, built in 1336 by Bishop Vasily, was dismantled “due to disrepair” in 1759. At the same time, construction began on a new cathedral designed by the architect Rastrelli. The building has survived to this day and houses a lecture hall.
Often the temple was not independent, but was considered a chapel of the main city cathedral, even if it stood separately. Perhaps this is connected with the rite of “procession on a donkey”? With the time of the emergence and spread of this custom in Rus', the construction of churches in honor of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem or chapels in Moscow (the western chapel of St. Basil's Cathedral), Ryazan, Kashin, Kazan, Suzdal and other cities coincides.
The rector of the Yuryevets Povolzhsky Cathedral (now Ivanovo region) was an archpriest. True, he served there for a short time, only eight weeks. The new archpriest was so strict with his flock, trying to correct people who were accustomed to a dissolute life, that they beat him almost to death! The governor posted guards around the house and did not allow the massacre to be completed. The rebellion did not subside, and Archpriest Avvakum was forced to flee to Kostroma, and then to Moscow, where he later served in the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square. A Cathedral in honor of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem in Yuryevets was rebuilt in the 18th century and has survived to this day.
There are no Old Believer churches consecrated in honor of this holiday.
03/31/2018 03/31/2018 by Mnogoto4ka
Palm Sunday or the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated at its own time every year. This is a moving holiday. When to celebrate Palm Sunday depends on when Easter is celebrated. Palm Sunday is always celebrated the week before Easter. Thus, Palm Sunday falls on April 24 in 2016, April 9 in 2017, April 1 in 2018, April 21 in 2019, and April 12 in 2020.
HISTORY OF PALM SUNDAY
Palm Sunday symbolizes the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The only difference is that in Russia we use willow branches instead of palm branches. Let's take a short digression and remember the eve of Palm Sunday - Lazarus Saturday. Four days have passed since Lazarus died. His sister Martha met Jesus Christ with the words: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” And Jesus answered her: “Your brother will rise again.” They came to Bethany, to the cave where the deceased was buried. Jesus Christ ordered the stone to be rolled away, then, having prayed to the Heavenly Father, he turned to Lazarus: “Lazarus, get out!” He immediately got up and left the cave.
Jesus Christ went to Jerusalem. Approaching the city, he mounted a donkey and rode through the gate. People already knew about the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus, and met Jesus Christ as the King of the liberator from earthly sin. The people greeted the Savior with the words: “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Many laid clothes on the ground and laid palm branches. The entry on a donkey itself symbolizes peace in the East, but if they entered on a horse, then this is a sign of war. Jesus Christ showed everyone that he came in peace. The Lord came to Jerusalem voluntarily, knowing what torment and suffering He would have to go through. Later, people approach Jesus Christ with various ailments, He heals them. In the evening the Savior goes back to Bethany.
We are with you, standing in the church in Palm Sunday, we hold in our hands lighted candles and willow branches, which unitely symbolize the victory of life over death. We, in prayer, greet Jesus Christ as the Conqueror of death and hell, the liberator of our sins. Willows blessed with holy water should be kept at home. We don't have palm trees in Russia, so they replaced them with willow.
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 healing infusions, 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, wait 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
If you tap a willow twig on your body, 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 and an important matter will be resolved. 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 sooner or later. real life. 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 on Palm Sunday and you will be rich. It used to be believed that if you plant on this day indoor flower, then he will attract money into your life. In the cities, of course, they kept houseplants, but in the 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 was noticed that in the house where Money Tree It grows well, there is always prosperity and there is no shortage of money.
Poultry is not allowed outside - the witch will spoil 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 the witches acted out. 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 FOR 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 willow into 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.
They sweep all the corners, windows, thresholds with an old willow that has stood for a year, thank it for its service and burn it.
You need to hit all your pets and animals on the back with a new sacred willow and say out loud: “Whip willow, beat me to tears,” - this will add health.
Buds and fluff from holy willow help with female infertility and enuresis.
Today you can bake the fuzz of the holy willow into bread and give it to sick pets - they will be healed.
To everyone who helps their loved ones with castings or other methods to remove damage or treat,
This amulet against interception will come in handy: today on an empty stomach you need to eat 3 willow buds and drink it 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.
RITES. WILLOW AND ITS POWER
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 unusual properties willows, however, go back to pre-Christian, pagan times. This plant, like the birch, in folk culture was associated with the idea rapid growth, health, vitality, 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 whips 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 going to 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 in Maundy Thursday- Thursday of 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 lowered them into hot water one bunch of nine branches 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 willow is widely used in the ritual sphere and is an attribute of one of the largest Christian holidays, in folk 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.
PRAYERS ON PALM SUNDAY
KONDAC 13
Oh, Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, formerly prepared for the slaughter, now coming to Jerusalem for free passion! Accept this little prayer that we bring to You with the branches and branches, so that in these most honorable days we will follow Your footsteps in silence and meekness of spirit and in tenderness and purity of heart, and so may we remain with You throughout the entire time of our earthly journey. And make us worthy to partake without condemnation of the Divine joy of Your Holy Pascha here on earth, so that when we come to Heavenly Jerusalem we will unite with You forever, with all the saints, singing the Angelic song: Alleluia.
IKOS 1
The faces of Archangels and Angels look with fear and trembling from the heavenly heights at Thy, Christ the Savior, in Jerusalem to the free passion of entry and from the Apostles invisibly accompanying Thy King, and with the Jewish children “Hosanna in the highest” I offer to Thee and sing the hymns of the blue: Blessed be You, O Lord our God, have visited and created deliverance for your people. Blessed are you, Lord Christ, for you came and granted salvation to your children through the Cross. Blessed art thou, who callest Adam from the depths of hell. Blessed are you, who came to Eve from ancient sorrow to grant freedom. Blessed are you, who preach peace to Israel and the salvation of the nations. Blessed are You, proclaiming the New Covenant by sprinkling Your blood. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
KONDAC 1
Chosen to the King of Mountain Zion, Meek, Saving and Righteous to our Savior, to You, carried and sung by the Seraphim on the Cherubim on high, we now behold the lot that has ascended and to Jerusalem for the free passion of the future. For this reason, we worship Your ineffable condescension, and with the branches and branches we tenderly gather You, and with the Jewish children we cry to You: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ our God, seated in the highest with the Father on the Throne, carried on the wings of the Cherubim and sung by the Seraphim, in the days of His flesh He deigned to sit on the foal of a donkey for the sake of our salvation, and received hymns from the children and into the Holy City of Jerusalem first six days of Easter, come to the free passion, may you save the world by Your Cross, burial and Resurrection! And just as then the people who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, having accepted the branches of trees and the branches of dates, found Thee, the Son of David, confessing Thee, so also we now on this pre-feast day, in imitation of those branches and branches in the hands of those who bear them, have been observed and preserved. And as these people and children offer “hosanna” to You, grant us also, in psalms and spiritual songs with pure and undefiled lips, to glorify all Your greatness on this holiday and throughout the entire week of Your passion and to reach without condemnation and partake of the Divine joys of Holy Pascha on bright days Your Life-Giving Resurrection, may we sing and glorify Your Divinity together with Your Originless Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, always now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Palm Sunday is the last Sunday before Easter. returning to Bible stories we learn that on this day the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem took place. Jesus Christ rode into the city riding a donkey, at a time when the people of Israel were under the claims of the Romans, and the day before a significant event took place, the resurrection of the deceased Lazarus, Christ was greeted as a winner, as the Messiah, about whom the prophets spoke.
Icon of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
All events described in the Bible are parables, or symbolize something. The Lord's entry into Jerusalem symbolizes the entry of a righteous person into paradise. They greeted Jesus as the King of kings, not earthly, but heavenly. Those who met perceived this event as a holiday. At that time, it was customary to greet kings with palm branches and flowers in their hands, signifying respect and admiration for the ruler or winner. No one yet knew what fate was in store for the Savior in the next seven days, and how those who glorified Him would crucify Him in a few days...
In southern countries, where it is very hot almost all year round, palm trees are not rare plants; their leaves are wide fans, like royal fans. As in biblical times, this day of the week is called flowering Sunday.
.jpg)
Palm trees do not grow in our latitudes, but willow is the very first of the plants that comes to life in the spring, even if the snow has not yet melted. Even before the leaves and grass peck, the willow buds fluff up on the branches, meaning that the winter season is over. Therefore, it was the willow that became the symbol of the coming revival and the eve of Easter.
By the way, if you pay attention, the branches brought to the temple look different. This is because they belong to plants of the willow family, which have different names: willow, pussy willow, willow, broom, and different botanical classifications. But they are all the first to bloom fluffy silvery buds.
On the eve of the resurrection, at the all-night Saturday service, willow branches, which can be combined with flowers in bouquets, are blessed after reading the Gospel, censing and sprinkling with holy water. This Orthodox tradition echoes the meeting of Jesus in Jerusalem.
Sometimes parishioners in churches during the blessing of willow trees worry about whether their branches have been sprinkled with enough holy water. But believers should know that illumination occurs by the grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore, no matter how much water gets on the branches, what is important is true faith and a deep understanding of the significance of the coming days. Sprinkling can be repeated on the day of the holiday itself. In some churches, consecrated willow is also offered in church shops.
In Russian Orthodox traditions, Palm Sunday has long been familiar religious holiday, and in the handling of willow branches one can see a response of a pre-Orthodox pagan quality. It is customary to knock each other with a blessed willow branch, thereby driving out evil spirits and illnesses, giving vitality and health. It is also believed that a consecrated willow twig is capable of controlling even the most disobedient pets, and willows placed at the head of the bed protect the family hearth. Of course, these are superstitions, but for many centuries this tradition has been remembered among the people.
Artist Vladimir Sulkowski "Palm Week"
Blessed palm branches preserve all next year. According to old traditions, they are dried and left next to home icons.
If you need to dispose of branches that have lost their appearance, it is recommended to burn them separately from other branches and garbage; this can be done in some temples in specially designated areas.
But if you keep them in water, they can germinate and produce good roots; willows take root quite easily. Then take them to the dacha or find a place in the yard where you can plant a willow, which will bloom with delicate fluffy buds every spring.