W The Catholic Church Palm Sunday is the day that the Holy Week begins, the most crucial time of the year for Christians. On that day, the torture, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are remembered. This tradition dates back to the 4th century, erstwhile the patriarch of Jerusalem rode an ass and drove into the city, surrounded by a crowd.
The Beginnings of Tradition
The customized was introduced in Western Europe in the 5th and 6th centuries. The ceremony of ordination of palm trees was not introduced into the liturgy until the 11th century, as the historian of the Church, Fr. In the past, on Palm Sunday, the celebrity went outside the church and the gate of the temple was closed. The priest struck her cross 3 times, then the gate opened and the priest with the participants of the procession entered the interior of the church to execute the Holy Mass.
Palm Sunday Symbols
This symbol was to remind faithful believers that the closed heaven was opened to us through the merit of Christ’s cross - death. Today, the liturgy of Palm Sunday begins in front of the temple or a place chosen in the church outside the chancel. First the priest sprinkles holy water on branches and palm trees, and then the Gospel of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem is read.
Description of Jesus ’ Entry
The description of Jesus ’ entry into Jerusalem is found in 4 Evangelists. We read that Christ was sitting on a donkey, thus fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy, who said that Messiah as a deliverer would come to his people. In the Old Testament, the donkey is shown as a humble and peaceful animal, unlike horses, which in the ancient texts associated with war reality.
Crowd and His Behavior
The crowd cried, “Hosanna, boy of David! Blessed is he who goes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the heights!” and said the words of Psalm 118, a priestly blessing accompanying pilgrims entering the threshold of the temple of Jerusalem. The Hebrew first expression (hoshi na’) contains 2 words: a verb to save (yasha’) and a pleading expression (na’), meaning “Save, please”.
Jerusalem and its Meaning
Jerusalem was a large city, so we do not know how many actually attended Christ’s solemn entry. We may besides presume that 5 days later the priests took care of them, those who would shout that they did not want Jesus as their king were outside Pilate's palace.
Gest Swan Plate
The gest puts coats on the Bible’s scene of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem was reserved in Israel for the king. The Jews awaited the Messiah, who would be a temporal, political ruler, who would deliver Israel from the hands of the Romans.
The actual Glory of Christ
The actual glory of Christ is not the glory of earthly rulership, but the glory which he derives from his Father. He receives it because, as we read in the letter to the Philippians, "in an outward form recognized as man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death--even the death of the cross."
Palm Sunday and Paschal Triduum
Palm Sunday is 1 of 2 days a year in the Catholic Church, erstwhile a description of the Lord's Passion is read or sung. It takes place without candlesticks and a book. The reader neither greets the people nor makes signs of the cross on the book and on himself.
Traditions in Poland
In Poland, palm trees are most frequently made from willow branches with bases and leaves of beechwood or blueberries. In any regions they are besides prepared with dried flowers. According to tradition, palm trees are kept throughout the year. The heads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday are sprinkled with ash resulting from their burning.
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Palm Sunday: The beginning of the large Week
