Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem among Western Christians (Palm Sunday) (10/04)

The Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (also often called «Palm» or «Palm» Sunday) is celebrated a week before Easter, on the sixth Sunday of Lent.

The Jewish people, who were under the rule of the Roman Empire, expected the Messiah as a political liberator, and it seemed to many that the Wonderworker, capable of raising the dead and feeding five thousand people with several loaves, was the one who would lead the Jews to political freedom. That's why Jesus was greeted as king with — palm branches.

Of those then on the streets of Jerusalem, only Christ alone knew what his Mission really was: that instead of an earthly kingdom, He brings man the Kingdom of Heaven, instead of deliverance from earthly slavery, He frees man from the slavery of the much worse — from the slavery of sin. He Odin knew that the path, now dotted with palm branches, leads to execution on the cross.

The holiday symbolizes, on the one hand, recognition of the mission of Jesus Christ, and on the other, — is the prototype of the entry of the Son of Man into Paradise.

Today, on this day, before the start of the solemn service, believers and clergy traditionally march around the temple or inside the temple itself and at this time sing festive antiphons and a hymn to Christ the King. In their hands, the participants of the move hold branches (in the southern countries — palm, in the northern — palm or others) and lit candles. All this action symbolizes the meeting of the Savior by people during the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.

The chanting of mass on this day also includes the reading of the Passion of the Lord, which is read other than this day only on Good Friday. And the branches of palm trees or other plants consecrated during the service are kept at home by believers until the next Lent. Catholics have a tradition of burning these branches before Lent in order to obtain ashes for the Ash Wednesday service.

In Russia (as in other northern countries), willow branches are used instead of palm branches (hence the traditional Russian name for the holiday — Palm Sunday) — mainly because willow blooms first in spring, when the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is celebrated.

921