Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) (17/04)

And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city began to move and said: Who is this? The people said: This is Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. Gospel of Matthew, 21, 10-11

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) — is a Christian holiday celebrated on Sunday a week before Easter.

Jesus' solemn entry into Jerusalem was His entry into the path of suffering on the cross. All four evangelists — Mark, Matthew, Luke and John talk about this event in their Gospels.

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

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 willow plants — willow, willow, branch or other trees, which 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 willow is the first to bloom, its branches began to be used from ancient times, which is why the holiday itself began to be called Palm Sunday. But its true name is — The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, the Week of Bahia or the Flowering Resurrection.

Today, those observing Lent can afford a more varied food — you can eat fish, use vegetable oil and even be allowed to drink some red wine. Delight your loved ones with fish —, for example, ginger-honey salmon and other delicious Lenten dishes!

Palm Sunday is followed by Holy Week, or Holy Week, the last week of Lent preceding Easter.

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