Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday | |
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Also called | Sixth Sunday of Lent, Palm and Passion Sunday |
Observed by | Christians |
Significance | commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem; first day in Holy Week |
Observances | Church attendance, blessing and distribution of palms, church processions, weaving palm crosses, hanging palm branches obtained from church liturgies behind Christian artwork or placing palm branches in Bibles and daily devotional books |
Date | Moveable feast, Sunday before Easter |
2023 date |
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2024 date |
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2025 date |
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2026 date |
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Palm Sunday is the Christian
In most
Many churches of mainstream
Biblical basis and symbolism
canonical gospels |
Portals: Christianity Bible |
In the accounts of the four
The
The Gospel of Matthew states that this happened that the prophecy might be fulfilled of: Zechariah 9:9[19] "The Coming of Zion's King – See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey".[20] It suggests that Jesus was declaring he was the King of Israel.
According to the Gospels, Jesus Christ rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, and the celebrating people there laid down their cloaks and small branches of trees in front of him, singing part of Psalm 118: 25–26[21] – Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.[2][12][13][14]
The symbolism of the donkey may refer to the Eastern tradition that it is an animal of peace, unlike the horse which is the animal of war.[1] A king would have ridden a horse when he was bent on war and ridden a donkey to symbolize his arrival in peace. Christ's entry to Jerusalem would have thus symbolized his entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.[1][2] Thus there have been two different meanings (or more levels of biblical hermeneutics): an historical meaning, truly happening according to the Gospels, and a secondary meaning in the symbolism.
In Luke 19:41 as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he looks at the city and weeps over it (an event known as
In many lands in the ancient
In the
Although the
Observance in the liturgy
Year | Western | Eastern |
---|---|---|
2017 | April 9 | |
2018 | March 25 | April 1 |
2019 | April 14 | April 21 |
2020 | April 5 | April 12 |
2021 | March 28 | April 25 |
2022 | April 10 | April 17 |
2023 | April 2 | April 9 |
2024 | March 24 | April 28 |
2025 | April 13 | |
2026 | March 29 | April 5 |
2027 | March 21 | April 25 |
2028 | April 9 | |
2029 | March 25 | April 1 |
2030 | April 14 | April 21 |
2031 | April 6 |
Eastern and Oriental Christianity
Palm Sunday, or the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem as it may be called in
The Troparion of the Feast (a short hymn) indicates that the resurrection of Lazarus is a prefiguration of Christ's Resurrection:
O Christ our God
When Thou didst raise Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion,
Thou didst confirm the resurrection of the universe.
Wherefore, we, like children,
carry the banner of triumph and victory,
and we cry to Thee, O Conqueror of death,
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He that cometh
in the Name of the Lord.
In the
Whatever the kind, these branches are
In Russia,
In
-
Palm Sunday procession, Moscow, with Tsar Alexei Michaelovich (painting by Vyacheslav Schwarz, 1865)
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The Palm procession in Moscow, 1654, showing the original rite of the Russian church with a donkey walk
-
Orthodox congregation in India collects palm fronds for procession: men on left of sanctuary in the photo; women collecting fronds on right of sanctuary, outside photo.
-
Republic of North Macedonia
Western Christianity
In ancient times, palm branches symbolized goodness and victory. They were often depicted on coins and important buildings. Solomon had palm branches carved into the walls and doors of the temple.[33] Again at the end of the Bible, people from every nation raise palm branches to honor Jesus.[34]
Palm Sunday commemorates the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem,[35] during which palm branches were placed in his path, before his arrest on Holy Thursday and his crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent.
In churches of many Christian denominations, members of the congregation, oftentimes children, are given palms that they carry as they walk in a procession around the inside of the church.[36][37] In the Church of Pakistan, a united Protestant Church, the faithful on Palm Sunday carry palm branches into the church as they sing Psalm 24.[38]
In the
In the Catholic, Lutheran, and Episcopalian traditions, this feast now coincides with that of
In the Episcopal and many other Anglican churches and in Lutheran churches, as well, the day is officially called The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday; in practice, though, it is usually termed Palm Sunday as in the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer and in earlier Lutheran liturgies and calendars, to avoid undue confusion with the penultimate Sunday of Lent in the traditional calendar, which was Passion Sunday.
In traditional usage of the Methodist Church, The Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965) provides the following Collect for Palm Sunday:[39]
Almighty and everlasting God, who, of thy tender love toward mankind hast sent thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of his patience and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[39]
Customs
Part of a series on |
Death and Resurrection of Jesus |
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Portals: Christianity Bible |
This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2017) |
It is customary in many churches for worshippers to receive fresh palm leaves on Palm Sunday. In parts of the world where this has historically been impractical, substitute traditions have arisen.
Belgium
In Hoegaarden, one of the last remaining Palm Sunday processions takes place every year. A fellowship of Twelve Apostles carries a wooden statue of Christ around the town, while children go door to door offering the palms (box) for coins.[40]
Bulgaria
In
England
In the 15th through the 17th centuries in England, Palm Sunday was frequently marked by the burning of Jack o' Lent figures. This was a straw effigy which would be stoned and abused on Ash Wednesday, and kept in the parish for burning on Palm Sunday. The symbolism was believed to be a kind of revenge on Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Christ. The effigy could also have represented the hated figure of Winter, whose destruction prepares the way for Spring.[42]
Egypt and Ethiopia
In the Coptic Orthodox Church and Orthodox Ethiopia, this holiday is referred to as Hosanna. Palm leaves will be blessed and distributed, they are used to create crucifixes, rings and other ornaments.
Finland
In
It is customary for the children to chant, with some variation, "Virvon varvon tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks, vitsa sulle, palkka mulle!"[43] which very roughly translates as "I'm wishing you a fresh, healthy upcoming year, a branch for you, a prize for me!" The chant has been translated in Juha Vuorinen's novel Totally Smashed! as "Willow switch, I'm the Easter witch! I wish you health and a love that's rich! From me I bring some luck today, for this branch what will you pay?"[44]
Germany
In some regions of Germany, long stakes with pussy willow, box and other twigs are taken for the Palm procession rather than
India
In most of the Catholic churches in India the palms are blessed by the priest on Palm Sunday and then distributed among the people after the holy mass. There is a tradition of folding palm
In the
Indian Orthodoxy traces its roots to the arrival in India of Saint
Ireland
In
In the past in some areas, a palm stem was charred and a cross was marked on eggs set for hatching, while in parts of Counties Galway and Mayo, shredded palm was mixed through the seed grain. The coincidence of Palm Sunday and
Italy
In Italy, palm leaves are used along with small olive branches, readily available in the Mediterranean climate. These are placed at house entrances (for instance, hanging above the door) to last until the following year's Palm Sunday. For this reason, usually palm leaves are not used whole, due to their size; instead, leaf strips are braided into smaller shapes. Small olive branches are also often used to decorate traditional Easter cakes, along with other symbols of birth, like eggs.[citation needed]
Latvia
In Latvia, Palm Sunday is called "Pussy Willow Sunday", and pussy willows – symbolizing new life – are blessed and distributed to the faithful.[50] Children are often awakened that morning with ritualistic swats of a willow branch.[51]
Lithuania
When Christianity came to Lithuania, the plants which sprouted earliest were honored during spring feasts. The name "Palm Sunday" is a misnomer; the "verba" or "dwarfed spruce" is used instead. According to tradition, on the Saturday before Palm Sunday the Lithuanians take special care in choosing and cutting well-formed branches, which the women-folk decorate with flowers. The flowers are meticulously tied onto the branches, making the "Verba".[citation needed]
The Levant
In
Malta
All the parishes of
Netherlands
In the
Philippines
In the Philippines, a statue of Christ riding a donkey (the Humenta), or the presiding priest on horseback, is brought to the local church in a morning procession. Congregants line the route, waving palaspás (ornately woven palm branches) and spreading tapis (heirloom "aprons" made for this ritual) in imitation of the excited Jerusalemites. At the church parvise, a house, or the town plaza, children dressed as angels scatter flowers as they sing the day's antiphon Hosanna Filio David in the vernacular and to traditional tunes. The first Mass of the day then follows.
Once blessed, the palaspás are brought home and placed on altars, doorways, and windows. The Church teaches that this is a sign of welcoming Christ into the home, but folk belief holds that the blessed palaspás are
Poland
Many Polish towns and villages (the best known are Lipnica Murowana in Lesser Poland and Łyse in Mazovia) organize artificial palm competitions. The biggest of those reach above 30 meters (98 ft) in length; for example, the highest palm in 2008 was 33.39 meters (109.5 ft).[54]
Romania and Moldova
In Romania and Moldova, Palm Sunday is known as Duminica Floriilor or simply Florii, translating Flowers' Sunday. [55][56] This name has its roots in a pre-Christian fertility festival, where flowers played a prominent role. [57]
Spain
In Spain, there is a tradition at the Palmeral of Elche (Europe's largest palm grove) in which local people cover palm leaves from the sun to allow them to whiten, and then they tie and braid them into intricate shapes. [58]
A Spanish rhyming proverb states: Domingo de Ramos, quien no estrena algo, se le caen las manos ("On Palm Sunday, the hands drop off of those who fail to wear something new"). On Palm Sunday, it is customary to don new clothing or shoes.[59]
Syria
In Syria, it is popular for children to dress up as Easter witches and go door to door in neighborhoods for coins and candy.[60]
Wales
In southern Wales and nearby portions of England, 'Sul y Blodau' or 'Flowering Sunday' is a grave decoration tradition commonly observed on Palm Sunday, although historically Flowering Sunday grave decoration was also observed on other days as well. Today, the names Palm Sunday and Flowering Sunday are used interchangeably in those regions. In 1829, Thomas Wallace of Llanbadoc, Monmouthshire published a poem which contains the first known reference to the custom being practiced only on Palm Sunday.
Welsh cemetery cleaning and decoration traditions may have begun as an Easter celebration before becoming more commonly associated with Palm Sunday. As early as 1786, cleaning and flower decorations were attested by William Matthews during a tour of South Wales.[61] Richard Warner attested in 1797 "the ornamenting of the graves of the deceased with various plants and flowers, at certain seasons, by the surviving relatives" and noted that Easter was the most popular time for this tradition. By 1803, Malkin's observations in "The Scenery, Antiquities, and Biography of South Wales from materials collected during two excursions in the year 1803" reflect the shift away predominantly associating the custom with Easter.[62]
See also
- Crucifixion eclipse
- Divine Mercy Sunday
- Palm branch (symbol)
- Holy days within the season of Lent
References
- ^ ISBN 0-567-08375-6p. 120
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8024-0824-2pp. 17–18
- ^ Mark 11:1–11, Matthew 21:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19.
- ISBN 9781134265466. Archivedfrom the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
Holy Week. The last week in LENT. It begins on PALM SUNDAY; the fourth day is called SPY WEDNESDAY; the fifth is MAUNDY THURSDAY; the sixth is GOOD FRIDAY; and the last 'Holy Saturday', or the 'Great Sabbath'.
- ^ Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham (1896). The Historic Notebook: With an Appendix of Battles. J. B. Lippincott. p. 669. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
The last seven days of this period constitute Holy Week. The first day of Holy Week is Palm Sunday, the fourth day is Spy Wednesday, the fifth Maundy Thursday, the sixth Good Friday, and the last Holy Saturday or the Great Sabbath.
- ISBN 978-1-4381-2796-5.
The last week of Lent is called Holy Week in the Western Churches, and Great and Holy Week in the Eastern. During this week, believers remember the events in the last week of Jesus' life. These include Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and his suffering on the way to crucifixion, which are sometimes called the "Passion of Jesus Christ," or "Passion of Christ."
- ISBN 978-1-59884-206-7.
Lent (Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday): The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts until the final Saturday before Easter, Holy Saturday. It includes "Holy Week," the week before Easter. For six weeks preceding Easter, it is a time of penitential prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to prepare for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. This season of Lent originally was also a time of preparation for baptismal candidates and those separated from the Church who were rejoining the community. Holy Week, the last week of Lent, commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. It covers the events of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the last supper, the arrest, and his death by crucifixion. Beginning with the sixth Sunday of Lent, Holy Week includes Palm Sunday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
- ^ "Overview of Holy Week in the Orthodox Church". Greek Boston. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
Holy Week in the Orthodox Church (for Greeks, Russians and any other nationalities that are Orthodox Christian) takes place in the week after Great Lent and just before Pascha, or Orthodox Easter. The last day of lent is the Saturday of Lazarus, which celebrates when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Holy Week officially begins with Palm Sunday and follows the last week of Christ's life before His death and resurrection.
- ^ Kirk, Lisa (25 March 2018). "Ideas for Displaying Palm Sunday Palms Around Your Home". Blessed Is She. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ "This Sunday at Grace: February 4, 2018". Grace Episcopal Church. 3 February 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ "Shrove Tuesday". The Times-Reporter. 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-664-22754-6pp. 256–258
- ^ ISBN 0-7814-3868-3pp. 381–395
- ^ ISBN 1-931018-31-6pp. 133–134
- ISBN 0-7814-4228-1pp. 114–118
- ^ Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:1–19
- ^ John 12:1
- ^ "When Is Passover in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021?". Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- ^ Zechariah 9:9
- ^ Gospel of Matthew 21:4-5
- ^ Psalm 118: 25–26
- ^ Luke 19:41
- ^ 2 Kings 9:13
- ^ Leviticus 23:40
- ^ Reidar Hvalvik, "Christ Proclaiming His Law to the Apostles: The Traditio Legis-Motif in Early Christian Art and Literature," in The New Testament and Early Christian Literature in Greco-Roman Context: Studies in Honor of David E. Aune (Brill, 2006), p. 432
- ^ Vioque, Guillermo Galán (2002). Martial, Book VII: A Commentary. Translated by J.J. Zoltowski. Brill. pp. 61, 206, 411.
- ISBN 978-0199226825.
- ^ Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (David C. Cook, 2007), p. 272.
- ^ Vioque 2002, p. 61.
- ^ John Pairman Brown, Israel and Hellas (De Gruyter, 2000), vol. 2, pp. 254ff.
- ISBN 978-0814629703.
- ^ Revelation 7:9
- ^ 1 Kings 6:29
- ^ Revelation 7:9
- ^ Matthew 21:1–9
- ^ "Palm Sunday Marks Start of Holy Week". www.christianpost.com. 28 March 2010. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- ^ Staff, Woman's Day (4 March 2019). "When Is Palm Sunday? Here's Everything You Need to Know". Woman's Day. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
- ^ Psalms 24
- ^ a b The Book of Worship for Church and Home: With Orders of Worship, Services for the Administration of the Sacraments and Other Aids to Worship According to the Usages of the Methodist Church. Methodist Publishing House. 1964. p. 101. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- )
- ^ "Palm Sunday". Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ Frood & Graves p. 10
- ^ Väänänen, Vuokko (21 March 2016). "Virvon varvon tuoreeks terveeks…". Värtsilän verkkolehti. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- ISBN 978-9525474756.
- ^ "National / Kerala : Traditional services mark Palm Sunday". The Hindu. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2012.
- ^ Joyce, P. W. (26 November 2019). "English As We Speak It in Ireland". Good Press – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Palm Sunday in old Ireland - World Cultures European". www.irishcultureandcustoms.com.
- ^ Year, the Fading (28 March 2021). "Irish Folklore for Palm Sunday – Domhnach an Iúir".
- ^ "5 Fascinating Irish Palm Sunday traditions you might not know about". Aleteia — Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture. 9 April 2022.
- ^ "Archives". Mirabilis.ca. June 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007.
- ^ "Latvia | Baltic Tenacity". u.osu.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ISBN 9781532615306.
- ^ "Ilocoslovakia and the youth in me - HERALD EXPRESS | News in Cordillera and Northern Luzon". 16 April 2017. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
- ^ "The Easter Palm Sunday". Realpoland.eu. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ "You want to know more about Easter Traditions in Romania?". 5 December 2019.
- ^ "Moldovan Christians celebrate Palm Sunday". 8 April 2012.
- ^ "Duminica Floriilor – the Palm Sunday". 13 April 2017.
- ^ "The city of Elche, known for its arts and crafts tradition, in Spain is Culture". Spainisculture.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- ^ Murtaugh, Taysha; Hanrahan, Laura (9 March 2020). "Need Some Easter Sunday Outfit Ideas? Here Are A Few Fashionable (and Affordable) Looks". Woman's Day. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- ISBN 978-9616358545
- ^ Matthews, William (1786). The miscellaneous companions, Vol. I Being a short tour of observation and sentiment, through a part of South Wales. pp. 50–51.
- ^ Malkin (1904). The Scenery, Antiquities, and Biography of South Wales from materials collected during two excursions in the year 1803. Embellished with views drawn on the spot and engraved by Laporte and a map of the county. pp. 67–69.
Bibliography
- Frood, J. D.; Graves, M. A. R. (1992). Seasons and Ceremonies: Tudor-Stuart England. Elizabethan Promotions.
- Вход Господень в Иерусалим. Богослужебные указания для священнослужителей. (Составитель протоиерей Виталий Грищук) – СПб.: Санкт-Петербургская православная духовная академия, 2013г. (в формате iBooks) (in Russian).
External links
- An Order of Service for Palm Sunday
- Learn how to make a cross out of palms
- Mershman, Francis (1911). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. .
- Palm Sunday (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia)
- Palm Sunday according to the Byzantine Rite Tradition
- Palm Sunday 2015
- Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 650–651. .
- Palm Sunday Countdown Timer