Some Have Palms, Some Have Pussy-Willows

Palm Sunday immediately precedes Holy Week which concludes as Pascha begins. Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov, rector of the Church of the icon of the Theotokos “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in St. Petersburg, reflects on the spiritual Christian meaning of these events.

Photo: every-holiday.ru Photo: every-holiday.ru     

First fruits”

Why do we in Russia come to church with pussy-willow [the first tree which starts to bloom in spring in Russia.—Trans.] branches on Palm Sunday? It is generally believed that although in Jerusalem people greeted Christ with palm branches, palms don’t grow in our country, so we use pussy willows. We remember that in the Old Testament God tells people to bring their “first fruits” to the Temple as a sign that all that we have comes from God. The pussy-willow is one of the plants whose flower buds open fully in early spring.

There are numerous superstitions connected with this tree. Thus, in olden times pussy-willow infusions were given to cattle to protect them from evil and pussy-willow branches were left in cowsheds. While the Church doesn’t encourage these practices, it examines such phenomena as part of the popular piety. Nowadays many people believe that pussy-willow branches should necessarily be sprinkled with holy water. In Russia believers often keep pussy-willow branches in their “icon corners” until next year’s Palm Sunday, whereupon they can be burned. The latter generally applies to all old and decayed objects that are regarded as sacred. If someone has nowhere to burn them, they can be taken to churches where there are special ovens for this purpose.

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem was described in the Old Testament by Prophet Zechariah in the sixth century B.C. He wrote about a king who entered Jerusalem on a young donkey. Why a donkey and not a horse? In the East horses were considered as animals of warfare, so only a tyrant or a despot could enter a city on horseback. The donkey is a symbol of peace, and Christ is a meek King. Interestingly enough, the owners gave their donkey to the apostles without a murmur, though at the level of everyday life it is hard to imagine that a peasant could easily part with his animal. Christ could have made His main enemies—the scribes and Pharisees—speechless and non-resistant and thus protect Himself. But He didn’t do it, instead giving Himself up to voluntary suffering.

Palm Sunday is a festive occasion. Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt (Jn. 12:15). It is a call to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem people met and welcomed Christ with exultant joy; they saw that the messianic prophecies were being fulfilled, since the Lord had just raised Lazarus from the dead. But their concepts of the Messiah were different. Many mistakenly took the Savior for a powerful king and expected Him to lead a rebellion and do away with the rule of the Roman invaders. The Pharisees and scribes began to manipulate the crowd—all of Holy Week demonstrates the crowd’s inconstancy for all times. In a matter of a few days the cries of “Hosanna!” changed to the cries “Crucify Him!”

Everyone is invited to the feast

Many of those who didn’t fast during Lent are minded to do this “disciplinary exercise” in Holy Week, though they fear that it may be too late. But in Christianity it can never be too late, as the Lord always gives us a chance for salvation, even at the last minute. St. John Chrysostom in his Paschal Sermon mentions those who came to the feast at the third, sixth, ninth, and even eleventh hours. The master finds an excuse for the late arrival of each of them and seats them around the table because this feast is for everyone. If we apply the human yardstick to those who came late, they do not deserve to be admitted to the feast—but the mercy of God is different.

Among other things, a fasting period helps us realize how much has been given us in this life: when the time of voluntary abstinence is over, we see how much joy we derive even from everyday things.

On each day of Holy Week we remember the final days of Jesus Christ’s life on earth and His Passion. It would be advisable to confess and take Communion on Holy Thursday because on this day the Divine Liturgy in commemoration of the Last Supper is celebrated. Starting from Friday evening you can bake Paschal cakes and dye Easter eggs.

Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov
Translation by Dmitry Lapa

Azbuka Very

4/21/2019

See also
Will We Follow After Him? Will We Follow After Him?
Fr. Dimitry Dudko
Will We Follow After Him? Will We Follow After Him?
A Homily on the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem
Fr. Dimitry Dudko
Now we have the solemn service, and here we are with branches. This is the external side. The internal is concealed within the All-Night Vigil. Christ knows that His hour is near, when these rapturous people, praising Him thusly, will soon cry out, “Crucify, crucify!” And as their delight was hard to contain, so was their rage. But while everything is festive, the earthly affair is finished, having reached its climax: “Hosanna in the highest!” And we cry aloud to Thee, “Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord. We magnify Thee, O Christ the Giver of Life.”
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday
Archpriest Victor Potapov
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday
Archpriest Victor Potapov
"We magnify Thee, O Christ the Giver of Life, Hosanna in the highest and we cry aloud to Thee, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!" With these words, the Holy Orthodox Church invites all of us, on the Feast of the Entry into Jerusalem to also magnify and greet our approaching Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Holy Week, the end of Great Lent, Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday Holy Week, the end of Great Lent, Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday
Fr. Seraphim Holland
Holy Week, the end of Great Lent, Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday Holy Week, the end of Great Lent, Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday
Questions & Answers
Fr. Seraphim Holland
Great Lent has once again come to an end, and once again we are entering Great and Holy Week, following the triumphal feast of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday. Fr. Seraphim Holland from the St. Nicholas Church in McKinney, Texas answers some basic on Holy Week and Palm Sunday.
Comments
Stephen Paul Wilson 7/31/2022 11:21 am
SOME HAVE PALMS, SOME HAVE PUSSY-WILLOWS “First fruits” Why do we in Russia come to church with pussy-willow [the first tree which starts to bloom in spring in Russia.—Trans.] branches on Palm Sunday? It is generally believed that although in Jerusalem people greeted Christ with palm branches, palms don’t grow in our country, so we use pussy willows. We remember that in the Old Testament God tells people to bring their “first fruits” to the Temple as a sign that all that we have comes from God. The pussy-willow is one of the plants whose flower buds open fully in early spring. The Art Room...30th April...2012 “After looking at my work which I have already accomplished in the room of ‘art’ Keeley my wonderful teacher was right all along of the very place to start “ go back to your childhood days when you were ‘innocent’ and green! What a boss suggestion, said with a wink of an eye of what could Truly be seen! My favourite piece is ‘Fukishima’ the nuclear reactor ‘plant’ getting healed Because of the Tsunami making ‘mankind’ realise this is more than just steel! So again it is left to ‘us’ humans to have too again clean up the mess Now there are people with no lives no homes and again simply not ‘addressed’! We have tornadoes in America regular and just look at the state of the Soviet Union Chernobyl was what happened the same radioactive ‘elements’ as called by the name ‘Plutonium! Now do you see and realise of just what I am getting from this ‘work’ in my ART Jesus Christ is telling me that it is ‘pussy willow’ who has to be the START! To wake up the whole World to what is Truly going on and while we suffer For we don’t need no ‘nuclear reactor plants’ its purely greed and I seriously don’t bluff yer! We are never going to get ‘listened’ too by the peoples we ‘put in power’! The clock is well and Truly ‘ticking’ now by Our Own Hands YES every hour! Are we all Truly ignorant that we bury our heads into the sand What about our children’s children isn’t it also their land? How do we beat this I hear you say SIMPLE the answer is going to Mass When the real numbers of percentage turn up we will ALL meet the ‘Different Class’! So there it is it won’t cost US nothing but to walk to church on our feet And all of those signs that you are ‘waiting for’ let’s show GOD that we mean it Or forever be the ‘sick and the poor’ while others run around and steal it! I believe that children are Our future teach them well and let THEM lead the way This song was written for Jesus Christ lets all get behind Him and ‘prove’ it OK Oh that piece on ‘Fukishima’ and ‘Chernobyl’ if they just call me over I will sort it out Yes only the ‘poor’ taxi driver will prove my point I will fix it and no need to shout!”
Elaine Mahoney4/7/2020 5:17 pm
Thank you so very much! Love the info.
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