When is Palm Sunday in 2023? This is a question of concern to all Christians, because exactly in a week one of the most sublime Christian celebrations will come – Easter.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem this Sunday consecrate not the willow, and palm branches, and call it Palm. But since palm trees can be seen only in the botanical garden, we came up with an alternative option - to bring branches of willows. What other traditions are associated with this day, we tell later in the article.
When Palm Sunday in 2023, the willow was chosen, perhaps because of some similarity to palm leaves, but most likely because of its resilience and thirst for life. Wherever the willow is stuck in the ground, everywhere it takes root and tries to sprout. And it is a traditional symbol of spring, because it blooms and blooms one of the first.
This year for Orthodox believers Verny will be Sunday in April 9th. The Catholic Church consecrated the bouquets on April 2. The official name of the holiday is the Entrance of the Lord into the city of Jerusalem: the gates of the capital opened before the Son of God, and he solemnly set foot on its land on palm branches.
The parishioners form beautiful bouquets from palm branches and carry them in the morning to the temple for consecration. After all, the main symbol of the holiday is the blossoming branches of willows with fluffy inflorescences. These twigs are attributed healing properties. Therefore, coming home from the temple, the believers necessarily lightly beat all households with them so that they would gain good health and never get sick. Then the bouquets are put in the house as a talisman from everything bad.
During the preparation of Easter cakes, palm twigs were broken into pieces and stuck from the side into a form where the dough was approached and baked. The consecrated willow protected the kulich and helped its top to rise with a beautiful dome. On the holiday, it was allowed to drink a little kagora, try fish and vegetable oil.
Prohibitions and signs associated with the holiday Palm Sunday has its bans. You can not engage in heavy physical labor, needlework and cleaning the house. It is a sin to have fun in noisy companies and drink hot drinks. It is forbidden to swear and make scandals.
The dried branches of the willows were not thrown away, but kept behind the icon all year. The next time they baked cakes, they burned dry twigs from last year’s Palm Sunday in the oven. It is forbidden to cut and shave during the holiday. Some people even try not to comb, so as not to lose happiness with hair. On this day, it is a sin to refuse any help or charity.
There are signs and beliefs on Palm Sunday. Branches of consecrated willows were worn on clothes to protect themselves from the evil eye. During the fire, the willow was thrown into the fire to calm the fire. When they met, everyone jokingly whipped each other with branches of willow, wanting health and prosperity. They believed that the wish made at that moment would come true.
If the creed breaks before this holiday, then the whole year will be successful. Before the start of work in the field in the ground inserted palm twigs to the harvest was good. Sunny Palm Sunday - a rich harvest of fruits is expected. If the day is windy, the summer will be windy. Rainy Sunday is a harvest year.
If you think about a person during the day, expect him to visit soon. On Palm Sunday, housewives try to transplant houseplants, because they believe that after that they will quickly grow and bloom like willow in nature.
Palm Sunday is a kind and bright family holiday, which gives you the full right and opportunity to whip your faithful with impunity, and he will be grateful!