What is customary on Palm Sunday? Palm Sunday is coming soon! Here are the signs and customs associated with it. Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

Why do Christians consider Palm Sunday to be the beginning of real spring and what signs do they believe in? What is confirmed by popular experience

A week before Easter, also on Sunday, believers go to church to bless willow branches and bring them home to protect their home, family well-being and the health of their loved ones. This day is called the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Palm Sunday, “joke” or “even” and is considered one of the twelve main Christian holidays.

Palm Sunday is the first big spring holiday, which declares the awakening of nature, kicks off the last week before Easter - Passionate, Great or White, the last week of Lent, and most importantly - inspires hope for the victory of life over death, the triumph of spring, goodness and peace. This is a transitional church holiday associated with Easter.

This year we celebrate Palm Sunday on April 1, and the Resurrection of Christ on April 8, which is considered early Easter.

The bright history of palm and willow

The custom of greeting victors or kings with ovations and shouts of joy, holding palm branches in their hands, originated a long time ago in Jerusalem.

According to the Bible, it was on this day, in the 30th year of our era, that the Savior entered Jerusalem, and the entire local population greeted Him with the hope of speedy liberation from the Roman yoke. Christ came to the city riding a donkey, which in the East meant peace (the conquerors rode in on horseback). He was accompanied by cries of “Hosanna to the son of David!” and were welcomed as the Messiah, covering the path of the Savior with palm branches.

Consequently, Palm Sunday has been celebrated by Orthodox Christians for 11 centuries. The history of this bright holiday is described in the Holy Scriptures.

In our country, palm branches replace willow branches - like the first greenery of spring, a symbol of the awakening of nature and the arrival of spring. Many peoples believed that this plant could contribute to a good harvest, as it grows near water.

How we celebrate the appearance of the Lord

On Palm Sunday, willow branches are blessed in church during the all-night service. According to tradition, willows need to be cut the day before, on Lazarus Saturday, before dawn. Those who did not have time to do this can buy from those who took care of this, or receive it as a gift. Willow twigs acquire truly miraculous properties not during their acquisition, but after consecration.

Not far away - a red egg!

After the festive service, believers return home, full of spring hopes and with a spring bouquet. On the way, meeting those who were not at the service, they playfully beat the blessed willow, saying:

Willow b’e, not I b’e,

For this week - Great Day!

It's not far

Red egg.

Vine b’e, not I b’e,

For this week - Great Day!

Be healthy, like water,

And rich, like the earth!

According to folk custom, after the Divine service, before even entering the house, you need to plant several branches of willow, “so that it grows for God’s glory, and for us, people, for our needs.” The remaining consecrated fluffy branches are carried into the house and placed near the icons. In the most visible place, near the iconostasis, the bouquet should stand all year as a family amulet. People believed that the consecrated willow had miraculous healing powers, capable of saving people and animals from illness, exhaustion, and the house from fires and floods, and other disasters.

Under no circumstances should a consecrated willow be trampled underfoot - this is a great sin. And you can’t throw it away either.

What is welcomed on Palm Sunday

Since Lent is still ongoing, the great feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated sublimely, but modestly, without wild entertainment. The family gathers at a common table, on which there are Lenten dishes. On this day, fish and a little red wine are allowed. Any Lenten dishes: dumplings, pancakes, vegetable and mushroom dishes, casseroles and babkas, other dishes and drinks (compotes, jelly, kvass, compotes, etc.) must be prepared in advance; this cannot be done on a holiday. You need to try to move away from the bustle, engage in your spiritual development, devote time to prayers and saving conversations, cleanse yourself spiritually, pray and prepare for Holy Week.

Willow markets

The tradition of such bazaars dates back to pagan times. They provide lush fairs where you can purchase various themed souvenirs, baked goods, and handicrafts. The main product on the day of the holiday is a bouquet of willow branches consecrated in the temple, to which beautiful paper angels are tied, which have long been called willow cherubs.

The magic of Palm Day

The people have preserved the strange, but at the same time bright traditions of Palm Sunday. They say that it is so filled with good energy that on this day all your secret dreams and desires come true. So, for example, if you think of a loved one on Palm Sunday, then he (she) will appear on that day.

And if on Sunday morning you drive a willow peg into the wall, it will relieve a person of fears.

What not to do on Palm Sunday

As on any major holiday, you cannot work on this day. Even handicrafts are not welcome - you cannot sew, embroider, or knit.

However, on this day it is good to plant or replant indoor flowers. Our ancestors were sure that these plants would bring wealth and prosperity. They were carefully looked after, because if a flower withers within a month after Palm Sunday, you will live in poverty. Particular attention was paid to thick-leaved plants, for example, the money tree.

As they say: accept, believe, but check. Just had the opportunity to check it out.

According to some beliefs, you should not comb your hair on Palm Sunday so that your health does not slip through the teeth of the comb.

There is a willow in the city!

Since ancient times, willow has been treated with respect in Ukraine. Together with viburnum, this is our symbol: “Without willow and viburnum there is no Ukraine!”

Ancient beliefs endowed it with miraculous powers. Willow was planted near wells: it was believed that it purified the water. The willow symbolized fertility and the feminine principle: “If the willow in the garden is bright, then in the yard the girl is red.”

Willow secrets:

• They beat with willow so that they are healthy, cheerful and rich; children - so that they are strong, grow well and perceive the vitality of spring.
• The willow is planted in the garden when it is brought from the church, to the happiness of the youth: if the willow is accepted, the girl will get married, and the guy will get married.
• With willow on the Jura, they drive the cattle into the field, for the first time to pasture, lightly touching the cattle with it, so that it is healthy, fruitful, so that it is in the body.
• In ancient times, willow was used to ward off thunderclouds - they waved the sacred willow towards the clouds and warded off thunder and hail.
• Blessed willow seals were thrown into porridge to gain spring energy for the whole year.
• With the consecrated willow, after returning from church, the owners walked around the bee hives so that the bees swarmed; they went around the barnyard and stables and pens for cattle, so that the cattle were healthy, fruitful, so that the cows gave a lot of milk.
• The cats swallowed it on the way from church, so that there would be no fever, so that the throat would not hurt.

What signs does nature have on Palm Sunday?

• The absence of frost on Palm Sunday means a rich fruit harvest.
• Sunny and calm weather on this special day promises a warm summer.
• The wind that blows on such a day will accompany you all summer.
• If it rains, expect a rich harvest.

These beliefs, customs and signs originated many centuries ago; they added faith and strength to our ancestors. Whether to believe in them or not is up to everyone to decide, as is how to greet the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. The main thing on this day, as on others, is for a person who believes in the victory of life over death to give the world light and goodness, and to avoid bad deeds and thoughts. Peace and tranquility in the soul of every believer!

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was His entry into the path of suffering on the cross. All four evangelists - Mark, Matthew, Luke and John - tell about this event in their Gospels.

The Jews had a custom: kings and victors rode into Jerusalem on horses or donkeys, and the people greeted them with solemn cries and palm branches in their hands. Fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament (Zech. 9:9), Christ entered Jerusalem in just such a solemn manner, but not as the King of the earth or the winner in war, but as a King whose Kingdom is not of this world, as the Conqueror of sin and death. The Church remembers this royal glorification of Christ before His death to show that the Savior’s suffering was voluntary.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

In Rus', this holiday has long been called Palm Sunday. The name comes from the fact that on this holiday believers come with branches, usually of willow plants - willow, willow, willow or other trees that are the first to bloom in the spring, in commemoration of those branches that were cut by the Jews who met Jesus in Jerusalem.

Of course, in the south they use flowers and branches of other trees, usually palm trees. In Russia, where there are no such trees and where the willow is the first to bloom, its branches have been used since ancient times, which is why the holiday itself began to be called Palm Sunday. But its real name is the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Vai Week or Flowering Resurrection.

In books and oral conversations you can find a lot of advice on what to do with willow, where to put it, how many years to store it, even in what cases it is advisable to eat a willow bud. People hope to receive help from the willow, because the willow is consecrated. But if you parse the text of the prayer, it turns out that there is not a single word in it that the willow is sanctified; its meaning boils down to the phrase: "... and us, in imitation of them (that is, us, in imitation of the people who greeted the Lord with branches - V.S.), on this pre-festive day, observe and preserve the branches and branches of trees in the hands of those who carry them."

It turns out that, first of all, the Church did not see the willow as the object of sanctification, but the person himself. In the Trebnik - a collection of priestly prayers containing the sequence of Sacraments and rituals - there is not even an instruction to sprinkle the willow with holy water. This instruction is in the Service Book - a book containing the sequences of the Liturgy, Vespers, Matins, but it appeared there later, as a reflection of established practice.

Of course, no one now will violate the tradition of consecrating the willow, but we have no right to forget the inner meaning of this rite. You cannot focus all your attention only on the external, forgetting about the main thing: where the Lord is going and for what. The willow can (and should) bring blessings, but it is important not so much to expect a miracle from it, but to think about what the Lord expects from us. Let these thoughts come to us more often when our gaze falls on a branch of a dried willow.

Signs of the holiday

If you tap a willow twig on your body, you will be healthy for a whole year. 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 soil.”

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 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.

There are many signs, traditions and customs associated with Palm Sunday. This holiday, which is also called “The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem,” falls during the period of Lent. In 2019, Palm Sunday is celebrated on April 21.

In memory of the fact that Jesus Christ was greeted with palm branches when he entered Jerusalem, willow branches are blessed in Orthodox churches.

It is believed that if a lot of “earrings” appear on the willow tree before Palm Sunday, then the year will be fruitful and rich in good events.

Palm Sunday in 2019: signs, traditions and customs

On the eve of the holiday, on the evening of Lazarus Saturday (April 20, 2019), willow branches are carried to churches, where they are consecrated during the festive service (all-night vigil).

What should you do on Palm Sunday? This holiday is celebrated during Lent. On this day, it is allowed to include fish, vegetable oil and a little wine in the menu.

You can also prepare sweets and desserts from permitted products, that is, those that do not include ingredients of animal origin: milk, butter and eggs.

Let's tell you more about the traditions, signs and customs of Palm Sunday. Willow branches are kept as amulets, since it is believed that willow protects a house from lightning, stops fire, pacifies a storm, protects crops from destruction, and retains its magical properties throughout the year.

To make such a talisman, willow branches tied in bunches are decorated with paper angels - “willow cherubs”.

The willow and its earrings have long been attributed healing powers. In the old days, upon returning home from matins, adults would lightly hit the children with twigs, saying: “Whip the willow, hit them until they cry.” I don’t hit, the willow hits. Be as healthy as a willow." They also said: “Be healthy like a willow,” “Grow like a willow.”

It was believed that this would bring health to children (cattle were also whipped with branches for the same purpose). Sick children were bathed in water in which the willow was placed. In Ukraine, children ate willow buds, “so their throat didn’t hurt.”

There were many superstitions associated with Palm Sunday: “The willow is leading a muddy road, driving away the last ice from the river,” “In the palm frost, spring bread will be good,” etc.

What should and should not be done on Palm Sunday?

As on other church holidays, on this day you cannot sew, knit, embroider, work in the garden, as well as clean and do laundry. It is recommended to refrain from watching entertaining television programs, visiting theaters and cinema.

What else should you do on Palm Sunday? Last year's twigs cannot be thrown away: they must be burned or taken to the temple.

On this day, believers begin to prepare themselves for Holy Week - the most strict period of Lent.

As Palm Sunday approaches, signs become especially important and significant. At this time, it is customary to make forecasts almost a year in advance about the weather and the future harvest.

Lazarev Saturday

Another holiday celebrated on Saturday of Palm Week is the Resurrection of Lazarus.

They sent news to Jesus that his friend and associate Lazarus from Bethany was seriously ill, and they asked him to hurry. It was not clear why Christ was in no hurry. And only after the news that Lazarus had died did he set off.

When he arrived in Bethany, four days had already passed since his death. The relatives and friends of the deceased were in deep sorrow. Jesus prayed earnestly near the cave where Lazarus was buried.

He cried out to God to perform a miracle. After the prayer, the stone blocking the entrance was moved away, and those present saw the miracle of the resurrection. 4 days ago Lazarus turned out to be alive.

Christians have been celebrating Lazarus Saturday since the 4th century. Three and a half centuries later, a certain canon for holding services on this day was developed. Chants during the service do not indicate an accidental miracle, but an important symbol of strengthening faith.

After sunset, during the evening service, willow branches begin to be blessed. This is the beginning of the celebration of Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday holiday

As already written above, Palm Sunday, according to church canons, begins on Saturday evening. But the main services and the blessing of the willow are held on Sunday.

Among other things, in Rus' this holiday symbolizes the awakening of nature after a long winter. It is not for nothing that the northern Slavs chose the willow as a symbol of this day. The tree is a harbinger of spring. As soon as the sun warms the air, fluffy lumps hatch into the light. They are the ones who give faith in warm days to come.

Orthodox Christians joyfully celebrate Palm Sunday. How is this day celebrated in Russia? People of any age go to the nearest church on Sunday morning to bless willow branches. Churched parishioners stand at the service, performing prayers and participating in chants. Upon returning home, it is customary to lightly whip the household with willow with wishes of health and grace.

Blessed branches are placed next to icons, braided into braids, made into amulets, and nailed to outbuildings. A year later, on the eve of a new holiday, the willow is burned.

If you know the exact date of the celebration, you can prepare in advance. How to calculate what date Palm Sunday will be celebrated in a given year? To determine the date, you need to know what day Easter will be. Exactly one week before the Resurrection of the Lord, the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem is celebrated.

What not to do

Palm Sunday is a significant holiday for Christians. Any work on this day is undesirable. Some don't even recommend cooking. In the modern world, everything has become much simpler. There are services and professions that require daily work, regardless of calendar dates. But if there is no particular need for something, then it is better, of course, to postpone it.

In the old days, women were forbidden to comb their hair on this day, just like on the Annunciation. It is clear that this is hardly possible now. Although owners of long curls can observe the ban. Hair braided into a braid, covered with a scarf on top, can easily go a day without combing.

What other prohibitions exist on Palm Sunday? What is completely unacceptable is to indulge in gluttony. The end of the sixth week of fasting does not imply a rich feast. A little wine, Lenten dishes cooked with vegetable oil, fish - these are the basis of the festive table.

Holiday traditions

The main and main tradition of the holiday is the blessing of willow branches. It is believed that there should be exactly as many of them as there are people in the family. Some peoples use these branches to weave family amulets. Their strength is great. They protect the house from unkind people and fire, save from hurricanes and floods, from poverty, despondency and disease.

On Palm Sunday, signs for the weather and harvest are especially reliable. They are supported by families for generations. This is especially important for residents involved in agriculture.

The tradition of putting coins in bread comes from Belarus. In this way, you can determine who will have good luck and prosperity all year long.

In some areas, it is customary to place consecrated branches in the coffin of the deceased. This tradition goes back to the very beginning of Christianity. It is believed that thanks to the willow you can enter the gates of heaven and greet the Savior there. Among other things, the willow tree is a symbol of life and awakening.

Palm markets are traditional. Children especially love this entertainment, since the main product is sweets. In addition, pleasant little things for the household are offered and the same willow, collected in bouquets and decorated with ribbons and paper angels.

A tree grown from a blessed branch increases wealth in the house. Therefore, bouquets brought from church are placed in water and carefully monitored to see if roots appear.

Rituals and customs

Many folk signs on Palm Sunday have long grown into rites, customs and rituals.

If you live near a river, try lowering a willow branch into the water. If it floats away from you, then in the near future an increase in wealth in the house is expected.

Branches attached to the roof will protect the inhabitants of the house from illness and mental anguish.

Whipping children with branches on holiday is the most common ritual. With every blow, a wish for health is spoken.

Here is another custom for increasing wealth. Even if there is a complete ban on doing anything on this day, it is still recommended to plant a houseplant with thick round leaves. If the flower is accepted and grows rapidly, you can be sure that wealth will come to the house.

Rituals on Palm Sunday are traditions that go back centuries. Whether to believe them or comply with them is something everyone decides for themselves. For some, this is a principle of life, and for others, it is just a beautiful addition to a day off.

Use of consecrated willow in folk medicine

It has long been believed that willow contains enormous healing power. Sprinkling with holy water increases it several times. How can you use twigs brought from church on Palm Sunday? What to do with them to improve health? Here are some examples of the use of willow for medicinal purposes:

• By taking a decoction of the branches, you can get rid of headaches, fever, temperature, and insomnia.
• Rubbing the decoction into sore spots relieves rheumatic pain.
• Willow infusion with vodka will help cope with intestinal infections and disorders.
• The leaves are capable of healing wounds.
• Swallowing consecrated blossoming buds helps with infertility.
• Babies sleep more peacefully after bathing in water infused with willow branches.

Willow is used in folk medicine wherever it grows and enjoys well-deserved respect.

Folk signs

Folk signs for Palm Sunday have long come into use. They are passed down from elders to younger ones and become part of our lives.

Calm, sunny weather promises a warm, windless summer and a rich harvest. A strong wind promised cool weather.

A cold but clear day gave hope for spring crop yields.

A frost-free Palm Sunday increases the chance of an abundance of fruit.

The number of blossoming earrings also served as an indicator of the future harvest.

And on this day it is customary to mentally call on your loved one, and the meeting will definitely take place.

Every year for many centuries in a row, the church opens its doors to everyone who believes in salvation. Palm Sunday is a holiday symbolizing the power of faith and its revival. Willow branches and bouquets bring peace and protection to the house. Following the first rays of sunshine, hope for the best arises in our hearts. And even though this day is fraught with a lot of sadness, it is still a harbinger of the Bright Resurrection of Christ and the salvation of all mankind.

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 1 in 2018, April 21 in 2019, and April 12 in 2020.

• History of Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the twelfth holiday of the Orthodox calendar, the last Sunday before Easter. According to the Bible, on this day Jesus rode solemnly into the gates of Jerusalem on a young donkey. The gathered people welcomed him as the Messiah, the Savior, called to correct the world, to bring balance and prosperity to it. They waved palm branches, spread their clothes before him and sang chants. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, the willow was identified with palm branches and was considered a symbol of the victory of Christ.

How Palm Sunday is celebrated and why willow branches are blessed

The willow is consecrated in churches the day before, on Saturday evening (April 8, 2018) at the All-Night Vigil: after reading the Gospel, the 50th Psalm is read, then the branches are sprinkled with holy water. After this, the willow branches are distributed to the worshipers, and the parishioners stand until the end of the service with the willow and lighted candles. Usually the sprinkling is repeated on Palm Sunday itself at the Liturgy (the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served).

• Why are willow branches blessed?

• Tradition of Palm Sunday among Christians

Palm Sunday - traditions

Christianity in Rus' is closely intertwined with paganism. Therefore, each Orthodox holiday also has folk characteristics. Palm Sunday also has its own folk signs and rituals. The main attribute of rituals and traditions on Palm Sunday are willow branches with budding buds.

Orthodox Christians have custom of keeping blessed willows throughout the year, decorate icons in the house with them. In some areas there is a pious custom lay blessed willows into the hands of the dead as a sign that by faith in Christ they will conquer death, be resurrected and meet the Savior with consecrated branches.

On Palm Sunday there is an old custom - slightly hitting relatives and pets with a bunch of willow. It is believed that the consecrated willow has cleansing powers and eliminates diseases, the evil eye and evil spirits. Hitting each other with willow branches, our ancestors usually uttered spells: “Be healthy, like a willow,” “Grow like a willow,” “I don’t hit, it’s the willow,” “Whip the willow, hit until you cry.”

In addition to the popular practice among the Eastern and Southern Slavs of “beating” with willow branches to expel the disease, they also used treatment with pussy willows from infertility and other diseases, and also bathing children in a decoction of willow branches.

It is also believed that Blessed willow branches protect the house from lightning strikes, and the fields from fires.

On Palm Sunday, fish is allowed at meals.. Palm Sunday is a holiday on the eve of the most difficult passionate week of Lent, when believers face the most severe food restrictions, repentance and prayers. On this day, the church allows Orthodox Christians concessions - people can eat fish and drink wine. In Rus', on the eve of the holiday, it was customary to prepare mash, buckwheat pancakes, porridge, and fish chicken.

There was also Palm Sunday tradition bake special bread according to the number of family members, in one of which a coin was placed. Whoever gets this loaf will be happy and lucky for a whole year.

For the Slavs, the willow symbolized health, vitality, fertility and fruiting. Therefore, in some villages of Rus' on Palm Sunday they baked flour balls and cookies with blessed willow buds inside. They treated each other to these products; it was believed that such a treat would bring health and help women conceive a child.

Women who wanted to have healthy children had to swallow a few willow buds blessed in the church.

Also pussy willow buns were fed to domestic animals so that they are fertile and strong.

In addition, on Palm Sunday they noted the day and made fortunes about the weather and the future harvest.

Signs for Palm Sunday

Orthodox Christians have many signs for Palm Sunday. Of course, it is worth noting that most will accept on Faithful Sunday have to do with the weather and the future harvest, which was very important for the peasants. Some of the signs for Palm Sunday look like this:

• The wind that blows on such a day will accompany you all summer.
• If the weather is clear and warm, the fruit harvest will be good.
• When it's frosty on Verbnaya, spring bread will be good.

Also, “there is a belief that the willow can pacify fire, hail and drive away a storm. All you have to do is put the branches on the windowsill, or throw them against the wind, or throw them into the fire.” It is customary to keep blessed willow all year round., as it has miraculous healing powers.