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Sermon by the rector of the Holy Transfiguration Church in Kharkov, Fr. Victor (Burbela) on the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem on April 9, 2017

Today we celebrate the great twelfth feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Jesus visited Jerusalem many times during his earthly life, but never before had he come to that city in the way he did this time. This was his last coming to Jerusalem before he was captured and crucified on the cross.

But on this day, when he approached the outskirts of the Holy City, those who accompanied His people and the multitude of people who were going to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, and the inhabitants of this city, having heard about the approach of Jesus, went out to meet Him to greet Him with honors. . They went out because by that time Jesus was very famous all over the country and especially in Jerusalem. And everyone came out to look at this man who did such things, spoke such words that no one could do or say. People marveled and rejoiced that they had such a prophet.

But there were also those who did not rejoice, but envied, there were those who denied all miracles because of their own pride and inability to see the obvious and recognize it as real.

What did the Jews expect from Jesus?

Those people who went out to see Jesus saw in Him not just a preacher, they saw in Him their savior from Roman rule. At that time, Judea was under the rule of the Romans, and all the people were striving to be freed from this slavery, and they thought that Jesus, who can work such miracles, is the one who is able to free them in our human understanding, in the political.

They were especially convinced by the last and loudest miracle, which produced a great shock - this is the resurrection of Lazarus, whom many knew personally, he lived in Bethany and was a friend of Jesus. As the Gospel of John says, one day Lazarus fell ill, and when his illness became irreversible, he died while still quite young. When he was still alive, his sisters Martha and Mary sent a messenger to Jesus to tell him that Lazarus was very ill and that Jesus would come and heal him. But Jesus hesitated. But then He still went to Bethany. But before He came, Lazarus died.

When Martha learned that Jesus was coming to him, she went out to meet Him. According to Jewish tradition, when a person died in a village, it was the sorrow of the entire village. And even if people were not close to the deceased, it was considered right to come to the house of the deceased and mourn with relatives and friends. So there were many people in the house of the late Lazarus. When Martha went to meet Jesus, many people followed her, thinking that she went to the tomb of her brother to weep. Seeing Jesus, Martha fell at His feet, saying, if You were here, then my brother would not have died. In response to these words, Jesus said: Your brother will not die, only believe. Martha answered: I know that he will rise on the last day, on the general resurrection from the dead. To this Jesus said: I am the Resurrection and the Life, therefore he who believes in Me, even if he dies, will be resurrected, and he who lives by faith in Me will never see death. And Martha answered: I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, coming into the world.

These words of Christ were a revelation to the people about their Divinity. And when they approached the tomb in which they buried Lazarus, by that time the second sister Mary came there, and Jesus, seeing that the sisters were weeping, and He himself also wept. And he ordered the people to roll away the stone that blocked the entrance to the tomb. At that time, in that area, dead people were buried in stone caves and a large stone was rolled to the entrance, these were some kind of tombs. The deceased person was completely wrapped from head to toe in a long cloth, having previously been anointed with fragrant oils, then they were placed in a coffin.

Jesus' command to roll away the stone from the tomb confused everyone present, because this was usually not done, only in rare exceptional cases. First of all, because for the Jews of that time, touching a dead body was considered a desecration. Moreover, Martha says to Jesus: Lord, for the fourth day he has been lying in the tomb, he already stinks, the body decomposes so that the smell can be heard here. But Christ insisted that the stone be rolled away, and standing at the entrance to the cave said: Lazarus, come out. And as the evangelists describe, the deceased came out, completely entwined in funeral shrouds, and stood at the entrance to the tomb, so that everyone was horrified, not understanding what was happening. And Jesus commanded to untie him, and this miracle of the resurrection of a man who had already died, whose body had corruption according to the law of our nature, made a very strong impression on people who knew Lazarus and were at his funeral, and now saw him alive.

After this miracle, many people believed in Jesus as a prophet, and the elders, scribes and Pharisees, who claimed that Jesus was not a prophet, but a false prophet, were put to shame. Moreover, seeing Lazarus resurrected, many who knew him, who learned about this miracle, believed in Jesus as the Messiah expected by all Jews. This event was the apogee of the totality of all his miracles performed during the years of His preaching, and therefore many people, all together, came out to meet Him, as it is fitting to meet kings, victors in wars: they spread their clothes along the path along which Christ was to go, and those who did not have outer clothing cut off the branches of date palms, saluted Jesus, waving them, and also strewed His path with these branches. And with one voice they shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who goes in the name of the Lord.

But Jesus was not happy with this jubilation

However, Jesus was not proud of such a meeting, as many of us would be proud, He did not bow in response to greetings, how can we nod to people who greet us with jubilation, proud of our glory. And He grieved, because He knew what would happen, that after a few days the people who solemnly welcomed Him as a king would demand: Crucify, crucify Him!

An absolutely amazing picture appears before us. Why is it that a huge number of people who believed in Jesus Christ, whom they met as the Messiah, suddenly changed their minds so quickly, and suddenly began to ask for His death and execution? Probably because they did not expect from God what He would like to give them. They expected from Jesus what they wanted, earthly, temporary, tangible, what they needed here and now, what their mind prompted them to do.

But Christ spoke to them about the eternal. He said, "My kingdom is not of this world" Jn. 18.36. And since His Kingdom is not of this world, it means that the laws of this Kingdom are different, the goals in this Kingdom are different, the logic of being in this Kingdom of God is different from the logic of being in our ordinary earthly life. That is why the people did not understand Him. Giving him support when he entered Jerusalem, they thought that immediately he would raise a rebellion and overthrow the Roman dominion, become their king and with his miraculous appearances produce bread and circuses for them. What else does a person need? Meal'n'Real.

Therefore, when Christ said that he did not come for this, but so that everyone would live forever, they did not understand Him, and were angry with Him that they did not receive what they expected. And they crucified Him. And what?

For 2000 years, all nations have learned about Jesus, and the Good News about Christ has reached us. But we have seen His glory not only from the pages of the Gospel, we know Him not only from the stories of our ancestors, priests, and preachers. We know that He is God by personal experience. We meet His word with joy, because we know for ourselves that everything that God says brings good to a person.

Nevertheless, unfortunately, there come periods in our lives when we renounce God, become indifferent to Him, live aimlessly, not understanding the meaning of our eternal stay. And all this turns our life into vanity and hell.

Why do people still not believe? Yes, for the same reason. Because they seek and demand from God not what is inherent in Him and the order of the universe according to the Divine plan, but they demand what they want. And if they say: Lord, Thy will be done, but the heart says: but not now. now let my will be done for now. And this obscures to us the correctness of setting the goal of our life.

But what to do? A person comes to confession, he understands the commandments, he tries to keep them in his life, he partakes of the holy Mysteries of Christ in order to be united with God by his Eucharistic union, so that the Body of Christ becomes a particle of my body, my nature, so that the Blood of Christ taught at the Eucharist will flow and in my veins, and from this the logic of my life has changed, so that my thoughts are not just a human conclusion, but Divine revelation, so that the events around me take place not only because I do this, but because God acts so that my environment is not like me, but like God, teaching me the right meaning, purity, abstinence.

When is God in the soul?

But it often happens that after coming to church, having confessed, taking communion, a person leaves the church, immediately forgets who he is, forgets that he is a Christian. Days, months, years and even decades pass in this forgetfulness. And the man says: God is in my soul. But I want to ask a question: where did He come from, how did you drive Him there? After all, God lives only where there is no sin, where there is no condemnation and curses, where there is forgiveness, where there is prayer, where there is abstinence of the tongue, mind, heart, where there is a clear understanding that the meaning, and life, and breath is God. Where there is this understanding, there are other goals in life. A person who knows that he is eternal, that he is different from all creatures created on earth higher intelligence, philosophical mind, feeling of the soul, warmth and love in the heart, if he is distinguished by all this, then this is given to him in order to comprehend the world on a completely different level, comprehend himself, why am I here, why am I here, what will happen next, and that whoever comprehends unequivocally comes to the conclusion: if we remove God from our life filled with suffering, hard work, illnesses and short duration, then we can come to absolute madness. Then the question is, why all this? Why build something, why study, why work, if everything passes, and even the joy of creation, especially with age.

Everything passes, everything changes, only God does not change. And when a person has decided that there is no God, then what is the point? It finds meaning only in temporary purposes, with the approach of which, or with the approach of disease or death, everything loses its meaning altogether. Therefore, the conclusion that Christians draw is life. A Christian sees no meaning in death, there can be no meaning in death. Meaning is only in life. And today Christ says: I am your Way, I am your Life, I am your Truth.

Each of us has our own truth, and we are all right in our own way, at the household level, social, family. But there is a truth, in the light of which it becomes clear that defending only his own truth, a person acts insanely, because he cannot see the Truth. Christ addressed the people not in order to take away their personal truth from them, but in order to fill this truth with truth, and when we fight for our earthly goods, as we do it every day, remembering that there is God, then these blessings will not be achieved in an unrighteous way, by infringing on others, by violence against them or by deceiving them, but they will be achieved by righteousness.

If we listen to the commandments, if we think about the words that Jesus spoke to people, including us, then our earthly meanings will gain eternal growth, then our mind will be able to protect eternity. And if we want to feel in ourselves what the Kingdom of God is, then we must learn the laws of this Kingdom, take the book of His commandments, and live as He spoke.

And then our life will not pass according to the logic of self-exaltation, that's how smart I am, how well I thought of it, but according to the logic of the Divine. And then a person will begin to understand why he lives. And from this understanding, he will begin to see how he lives, to figure out what is right and wrong with him, then he can know the correct goal of his life, he can distribute the time of his life so that there is enough time to be a man and please God, and not to ruin your soul, and to find the resources of gray matter in yourself in order to think that the whole world around us, and ourselves, and all nature, everything testifies, everything screams about God, everything breathes in Him and Him.

How blind and deaf do we need to be in order to silence the voice of God within ourselves. The person who says that God is in his soul often deceives himself. It is not God in his soul, but the voice of God in the form of conscience, this natural feeling given during the creation of man, the feeling of unity with God, reminding from the inside that God exists.

But a person does not cultivate this feeling, he does nothing to be at least a little like his Creator, and confuses the call of God with God himself.

And today we are all standing in the temple, in our hands we have willows as the same symbol as date branches were for the Jews. We do not grow dates, but willow grows. And today we have come, like those people two thousand years ago, to meet Jesus before His suffering on the Cross, saying: Lord, come to our city, and to our family, and to my ear. But if we want God to come to us, then we should not demand from Him earthly things that are corruptible and wrong, but we need to ask Him for wisdom in order to know how to live.

First of all, seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything that you need, everything will be added to you by itself, for before your petition, I know what you need, the Lord himself tells us. God is a loving father, and gives to everyone who asks, but will a loving father give his child something that will surely harm him? Of course not. Likewise, we who came to the temple on this day with palm branches or willow branches, ask God to come into your soul, and listen to what He says, and apply it in your life, and then you will see God living and active in the world and in you. Amen.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem Palm Sunday) Orthodox Church celebrates the last - sixth - Sunday of Great Lent. In 2017, this day falls on April 9th.

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is one of the 12 twelfth (main) holidays in Orthodoxy. This transitory holiday occurs exactly one week before Christ's Resurrection.

What do we celebrate on Palm Sunday?

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is described by all four evangelists. Matthew (in chapter 21 of his Gospel), and Mark (in chapter 11), and Luke (in chapter 19), and John (in chapter 12) tell about him.

So, in the Gospel of Matthew (21:1-7) it is said that the apostles, at the direction of Jesus, took a colt and a donkey in Bethany. John the Theologian in his Gospel simply mentions that Christ, having found a young donkey, sat on it.

The Gospels of Mark and Luke say that Jesus, approaching Jerusalem and being near the Mount of Olives near Bethphage and Bethany, sent two disciples after a young donkey, indicating where he was tied and what to answer if asked. And so it happened.

The students found the animal, untied it, to the question “Why are you untying it?” They answered that the Lord needed the donkey, and they brought them to Jesus.
So, on a donkey, Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem. The Jews had an ancient custom, according to which the rulers, having defeated their enemies, entered the city on horses or donkeys. And in the East, entering the city on a donkey was a symbol of peace, and riding a horse - a symbol of war.

At that time, Judea was captured by the Romans, and the Jews were waiting for the promised scripture and prophets of the liberator from foreign domination. They believed that the Messiah - the Savior of Israel - would appear at Easter. Jesus Christ was greeted as the Messiah, because they knew about the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, performed the day before.

The Jews met him as a King, according to the same ancient tradition - with palm branches, flowers, spreading their clothes on His way.

They shouted to Christ: “Hosanna* to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord (that is, worthy of praise, sent from God) King of Israel! Hosanna in the highest!"

Fulfilling prophecy Old Testament, Christ entered Jerusalem in such a solemn way, but not as the King of the earth or the winner in the war. But as the King, whose kingdom is not of this world, as the conqueror of sin and death. The gate through which, according to legend, Jesus entered, still exists. Only they have been tightly walled up for many centuries.

What is another name for the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem?

The last Sunday before Easter is also called the "Week of Vaii" - "Vai" in Greek means "palm branches".
The Latin name for the holiday is Dominica in palmis (Palm Sunday, literally: "The Lord's Day in Palms"). In modern European languages, the name "Palm" is used today, for example, in English - Palm Sunday.

In Russian liturgical books it is also called Flower-bearing Week (because Christ was greeted in Jerusalem with flowers), and in common parlance - Palm Sunday. This is due to the fact that palm branches in Slavic countries are replaced with willow branches (as well as willows and willows). These plants bloom in Russia among the first.

How do Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday?

The willow is consecrated in churches the day before, on Saturday evening at the All-night Vigil: after reading the Gospel, the 50th psalm is read, then the branches are sprinkled with holy water. After that, they are distributed to those who pray, and the parishioners stand until the end of the service with willow and lighted candles. Sprinkling is usually repeated on Palm Sunday itself at the Liturgy (the Liturgy of John Chrysostom is served).

Holiday traditions

In the pre-Petrine era, on Palm Sunday, the solemn departure of the patriarch “on a donkey” (a white horse equipped like a donkey; it symbolized the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem) took place. From the Execution Ground, the patriarch distributed willows and fern leaves (instead of palm branches) to the tsar, bishops, boyars, okolnichy, Duma clerks and the people.

Orthodox Christians have a custom to keep consecrated willows throughout the year, to decorate icons in the house with them. In some localities, there is a pious custom to put consecrated willows in the hands of the dead as a sign that, by faith in Christ, they will overcome death, rise again and meet the Savior with consecrated branches.

On Palm Sunday, fish is allowed at the meal.
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*Hosanna (Heb. הושיע נא‎, hôšî‘â-nā’ - save, we pray) - a solemn prayer exclamation (short prayer), an ancient laudatory exclamation.

Palm Sunday: why do they bless willow branches before Easter?

This question can be answered very simply. In the central part of Russia, willow is the only public plant that has come to life after the winter and has dissolved its tassels.

Verbos were replaced by palm branches that are absent in our area, which are an indispensable attribute of the ancient Orthodox holiday in honor of the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. This event - the solemn entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem - begins the ascent of Christ on the cross to death and resurrection. The inhabitants of the holy city met Christ as the Messiah - with palm branches in their hands, hence the original name of the holiday - "palm Sunday".

What events are we talking about?

In order to understand what we are celebrating on this day, how this coming of Christ to Jerusalem differed from others, why it became solemn, we will, as always, have to turn first to the testimony of the evangelists - the disciples of Christ, who left written memories of the Teacher.

It is also important to remember that for Jewish people this is the time of the Roman occupation, the time when the idea of ​​independence was most popular, the time of the active search for the Messiah as the head of this movement and the future independent kingdom.

This is what we read in the gospel

Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus had been in the grave for four days now. The place where he lived, Bethany, was not far from Jerusalem, about two versts away, and many Jews came to mourn with Lazarus' sisters Martha and Mary. Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming to them, went to meet Him. “Lord, if You were here, my brother would not die!” - she said. “Your brother will rise again. I am Resurrection and Life. Whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

Do you believe in it? “Yes, Lord,” she replies, “I believe that You are the Anointed One, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Having said this, Martha called her sister Mary. Jesus, seeing that she and those who came with her were weeping, sighed heavily and said, “Where did you bury him?” - and he cried. We came to the crypt - a small cave, littered with stone. "Remove the stone!" Jesus says. “For the fourth day, probably, the smell has gone,” Martha tells Him. “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Jesus answered.

The stone has been removed. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. I knew You hear Me always, but I said this for the people standing here. Let them believe that I am sent by You!” And having said this, he exclaimed in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” And the deceased came out - his feet and hands were bound with funeral shrouds, his face was wrapped in a bandage. Many of those who were here and saw what Jesus did, believed in Him. But some went to the teachers of the law and the elder priests and told them everything.

Entrance to the tomb of Lazarus in Bethany.

A few days later Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. On the way, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples: “Go to the village opposite, you will immediately see a donkey on a leash and a young donkey with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says something to you, answer, the Lord needs them. You will be allowed to take them away immediately.” This happened in order to fulfill what was said through the prophet: “Say to the daughter of Zion: “Behold, your King is coming to you. He is meek in disposition, he sits on a young donkey, the son of a pack donkey.

The disciples went and, having done everything as Jesus had commanded them, they brought a donkey and a colt, put clothes on them, and sat Jesus down. Meanwhile, crowds of people, having learned that Jesus was there, came there, not only because of Him, but also in order to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. Many walked towards and covered the road with their clothes, while others broke branches from trees and also covered the path with them. Crowds of people walked in front of Jesus and behind, shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed be He Who walks in the name of the Lord Hosanna in heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar. "Who is that?" people asked. “This is the prophet Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee,” the crowd replied.

Jesus came to the Temple and drove out everyone who sold and bought in the Temple, overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. He told them, "The Scriptures say that the house of God is a house of prayer, and you have turned it into a den of robbers!"

Seeing all this, the senior priests gathered for a meeting of the Council and began to think about how to destroy Jesus and take Him into custody. They decided to kill Lazarus too, because because of him, many began to leave them and believe in Jesus.

All this happened 5 days before the crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Why do we need willows

The Lord's entry into Jerusalem anticipates the sufferings of Christ, His death and Resurrection. In other words, he anticipates Easter. In addition to the fact that the blossoming branches of the willow replaced in northern Russia the branches of palm trees more familiar to the south, these heralds of the coming spring have become a symbol of Easter - the holiday of new life. Every Christian wants not only to pray in the temple, to remember the solemn meeting of Jesus in Jerusalem, but also to bring home a piece of this holiday.

However, there is something deeper on Palm Sunday, more important for Christians than spring bouquets.

What do they mean gospel events entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem?

From the story we see that Jesus Christ, who was known among the people as a preacher, prophet and miracle worker, in front of many people resurrects Lazarus - famous person, and even on the fourth day after death. This miracle not only stirred up popular interest in Jesus, but also gave hope to many: here he is, a new religious leader, capable of becoming a liberator and a powerful ruler of the Israelite people. This can be seen from the honors given to Christ, which, according to historians, then kings or generals were honored: palm branches in their hands, clothes on the ground, special joyful exclamations of greeting.

But all this is nothing more than a frame for the main, innermost. If you carefully read both this passage and the story about the last days of Christ's life: His arrest, mockery of Him, trial, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, then the meaning of the solemn entry into Jerusalem, the capital, becomes clear. Israeli state. This triumph and rejoicing revealed the gulf between the false hopes of the people and the truth of God. This is the beginning way of the cross Christ, and from that day on, events develop in such a way that His death becomes the only possible end.

And the point here is not in a conspiracy against Him, but in the fact that by this day Christ has done everything possible to reveal to people Himself and the way of the life to which He calls. He has already said everything, as a sign of His future resurrection, He even gave life to Lazarus, who had lain in the grave for three days. Those of the Israelites who were ready for this, those who were waiting for this, accepted Christ, but the majority did not. It was pointless to continue to preach and work miracles, all this only fueled the desire of the people to put Christ on the throne, the desire to make Him their king. Instead of words and miracles, something had to be done that would show people the true purpose of the coming of Christ, which would confirm with deeds that “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that the world through Him would be saved and whoever believes in Him would not perish.” but gained eternal life.

Three days after entering Jerusalem, Jesus will be arrested, and five days later the same crowds of people who met Him will shout to the Roman judge: “Crucify Him! His blood is on us and on our children!”

holiday lessons

Christ did not come to solve their problems for the people, even if these are questions of life and death of a nation captivated by the invaders, as was the case with the Israeli people. The economic crisis, the corruption of the state apparatus, the underdevelopment of public initiatives, the unfair distribution of benefits, the decline of morality and culture, high mortality and low birth rates - these are all human affairs, this is what people are responsible to God for. To build heaven on earth, even in a country with a great Christian history, God never will.

Christians must remember that Christ offers His Kingdom and insists that only there He is the Ruler and King, His kingdom is “not of this world”, it is nothing less than the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom, where the connection of man with God is restored, where evil and division are overcome, where is the fullness of life and happiness. Christ taught his followers that the only way to enter His kingdom was by faith. He showed the place and price of power, statehood and everything human. Worldly kingdoms are destined to be, and it is impossible to live only in heaven, but all this is just soil on which a living plant can grow. The soil may be good or bad, the states may be different, but a living plant is not soil, the Kingdom of God is not a society, much less a state.

The salvation of people from sin could take place on the edge of the Roman Empire among the occupied people, which means that, if necessary, it can take place in Russia in the 21st century. If only there was faith, faith as a personal trust in Christ and faith as a responsible attitude towards the property entrusted to people.

The main thing that this holiday tells Christians - the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - is that it is impossible to gain true faith into Christ and pass it on to others, immersed in the construction of only the earthly kingdom, trying to realize their own interests, be they the interests of the state, nation, society or family.

Palm Sunday is the last Sunday before Easter. This is the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem and it is one of the most tragic holidays of all church year. And all because, all those people who solemnly met Christ entering the Holy City, after that they will demand His crucifixion.

The name of the palm week or the week of vay, came from the fact that vayami (these are branches of a date palm or Jerusalem willow) all the Jewish people met Jesus Christ, just five days before his death.

Palm Sunday differs from other Twelve Feasts in that it is limited to only one day, as the holiday is surrounded by days of strict fasting.

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is considered the most important event of the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, and this event is a symbol of the future reign of God.

Palm Sunday worship begins on Saturday evening. At the evening service, the consecration of willows is performed. The willow branch, in turn, symbolizes the victory of life over death - the Resurrection of the Lord.

Willow twigs brought from the church that day, sprinkled with holy water, were always placed in the front corner behind the icon. And they kept them until the next Palm Sunday.

Absolutely all believers who, in turn, observed a 40-day fast, can eat fish and drink wine.
The magical properties of willow

It was believed that the willow has quite magical properties. She protected people from the machinations of evil spirits, protected livestock and crops from any disasters. That is why the consecrated willow was kept for the whole year.

It was also customary to hit each other lightly with a willow. At the same time, saying: “Willow whip, beat to tears. I don't hit, the willow hits. Be healthy like a willow." Often, parents touched their children with willow, so that they were always healthy and beautiful.

They believed that the willow and its earrings have healing power. Considering it a good cure for fever, they always ate exactly nine willow earrings. Very sick children bathed in water with willow branches.

They always believed that the consecrated willow could stop a strong summer thunderstorm and help with a fire.

It was considered a bad omen to plant a willow. They said the following: “Whoever plants a willow, prepares a spade for himself” (that is, they will die, just when it will be possible to carve a shovel out of a willow).

A willow twig endowed all people and livestock with strong health and incredible energy, and also cleansed from evil spirits and protected from all kinds of diseases.

Signs for Palm Sunday

There are a lot of things associated with Palm Sunday. folk signs and also rituals.

You will be healthy all year long if you knock on the body with a sprig of consecrated willow.

A rather important matter will be decided if you eat a willow bud.

If you want your loved one to come to you, just think about him on this day.

You will be rich enough, if, on the day of Palm Sunday, absolutely any indoor plant is planted at home.

There is such a sign on Palm Sunday about the weather: the wind on this day, which means that the whole summer will be windy. The sun is shining brightly - there will be a very rich harvest of cereals and fruits, and also very warm weather.

There is a very big chance to be cured by a woman who cannot give birth to a child for a long time.

It is on the day of Palm Sunday that all housewives bake nuts from dough and give them to all their relatives and friends, for health, and in this case, you should absolutely not forget about animals.

Conspiracies for Palm Sunday

Speak a headache

In order to speak a headache, it is necessary to comb on the day of Palm Sunday, remove the hair from the comb and then put it in water. Pour the willow with this water and say the following: "Water, go into the ground along with a headache."

Conspiracy for peace in the house

Scandals and quarrels in the house will stop if a consecrated willow is brought into the house with the following words: "As Palm Sunday was and is, so peace has been restored in this house."

Love spell on willow

For a love spell on a willow on Palm Sunday, you need to break a twig and say:

“As long as the willow lies behind the icon,

Until then, my husband will not stop loving me, will not forget. Amen".

After that, you need to put the willow behind the icon. And absolutely always remember: in no case, under no circumstances should you throw away the charmed willow twig!

Ward from Interception

Absolutely everyone who is trying to somehow help their loved ones heal, or remove damage, is very useful amulet from interception. On the day of Palm Sunday, you only need to eat three willow buds on an empty stomach, while drinking holy water. After that, say the following:

“St. Paul waved the willow, he drove away other people’s diseases from me. Just as it is true that Palm Sunday is honored, so it is true that other people's illnesses do not stick to me. Amen".

In the event that you Orthodox person, before this rite, it is necessary to take communion.

Palm Sunday calendar from 2018 to 2020:

Make a holiday of Palm Sunday in your house by decorating the house with willow branches. And give your near and dear ones bouquets of early spring flowers.

06:36 — REGNUM

Today the Orthodox Church celebrates the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - Palm Sunday. As we said before, the path of Christ on earth can be characterized as "one man in the field." The characterization is true of all His works on earth. He also went to arrest and death alone, none of the apostles was taken and tried, because the “judges” could not figure out, understand that the seed had already been sown, shoots would soon begin, which, however, would then aggressively weed out.

« Behold, the hour is coming, and it has already come, that you will scatter each one in your own direction and leave Me alone; but I am not alone, because the Father is with me". No matter how many crowds sometimes accompanied Jesus, He never really had any helpers. There were disciples whom He taught until the last hour. And the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, from which many of the witnesses expected more - declaring Himself King - ended exactly the same as before. Quite traditionally for Himself, he dispersed the merchants, disrupted their business, forced them out of the Temple, and then, in the cleared place, set about the usual: to heal and teach. The next day, while continuing to teach people, the evangelists report, He told two parables. The first is about two sons: One man had two sons; and he, going up to the first, said: Son! go and work today in my vineyard. But he said in response: I do not want; and then, repentant, he went. And going to another, he said the same. This one said in response: I am going, sir, and did not go. Which of the two carried out the will of the father?.

The second immediately after this one about the evil vinedressers: “ Listen to another parable: there was a certain owner of the house who planted a vineyard, surrounded it with a fence, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and having given it to the vinedressers, went away. When the time of fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers to take their fruits; the vinedressers seized his servants, nailed one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than before; and they did the same. Finally, he sent his son to them, saying: They will be ashamed of my son. But the vinedressers, seeing the son, said to each other: this is the heir; let us go and kill him and take possession of his inheritance. And they seized him and led him out of the vineyard and killed him. So when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do with these tenants?? Both parables denounced the then ostentatious religiosity, in fact they boiled down to one thought. Those who call themselves believers, obediently, in words promised to do the will of God, but in reality they only settled down on the fruits that religion gave. And they got so used to feeding on them that they didn’t let anyone near them who even obviously spoke from God.

Christ summed up His parables by saying, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that bears its fruits.". “People” does not mean any ethnic group. It is not said that some people will be chosen "from above" and given patents for the use of the correct religion. Any group of people that gives the expected results will be the same people, and not those who once again say " I am going, sir, and did not go". As it says in today's apostolic reading, " my brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is glorious, whatever is virtue and praise, consider these things.". It is the collective, “brotherly”: honesty, justice, virtue, listed by the apostle, that are capable of producing these fruits. Not for this did Jesus teach the apostles that they would later be glorified as saints and for this reason they should have prayed. He did not prepare the righteous, preoccupied exclusively with their own salvation. He sowed the seed that was to grow into a people capable of collectively doing the same works that Christ did.

Today's Church feast prescribes to remember the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem. His very return to the city was a risky step, not approved by the apostles. If not for the death of a friend, perhaps He would have waited some more time. Rumors about the resurrection of Lazarus, confirmed by witnesses, added to Jesus' popularity among the people, who, it is said, "keep listening to him". Therefore, despite the ongoing aggressive questioning of His religious leaders, they could not arrest Him in public, and Christ had another week to continue teaching, and He took advantage of these days. Understanding the inevitability of His execution, Jesus also saw that the time had come to leave the apostles alone, not being afraid that they would scatter to their homes and forget about everything: “ Truly, truly, I say to you, if a grain of wheat, falling into the ground, does not die, it will remain alone; and if he dies, he will bear much fruit».

Knowing how everything would end, Jesus also understood that, being with Him, the disciples still remain dependent, incapable of making decisions. But a little more, and together they will make up His Body, not separately, but only together. But not only the apostles, of course, He prepared for this. Much of what Jesus did in last days His on earth, it was "for the people"(John 12:30). The people, too, should have known that nothing would end with His death. Everything was just beginning. The "growers", who promised to perform the work, did not cope, hastening to get rid of the "heir". But instead of one heir immediately became many.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Week of Vay, Palm Sunday) - the twelfth holiday, which takes place on the sixth Sunday of Great Lent and is established in remembrance of the solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This holiday passing, that is, its date changes every year and depends on Easter. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, the last and most important part of Lent.

Palm Sunday. holiday event

Solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem preceded by the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus from Bethany. We find a touching account of this event in the Gospel of John. When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters Martha and Mary were immediately sent to tell the Savior about it. Lazarus soon died and was buried, and only four days later the Lord came to Bethany. “Lord, if you were here, my brother would not have died!” said Martha. The Savior replied that Lazarus would rise again, and went to the cave where he was buried. When the stone was rolled away, the Lord prayed, and then called out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, get out!” And Lazarus, entangled in grave clothes, came out of the tomb, in which he had lain for four days.

The Lord has resurrected the dead before, shortly after death. But this miracle especially shocked all those present, because the smell of decay was already coming from the deceased, he was buried and lay in the coffin for several days. Many who saw and heard about this event believed in Christ.

When the next day the Savior entered Jerusalem, where many pilgrims had gathered before the feast of the Old Testament Passover, He was greeted as a conqueror. The scribes and high priests, who were looking for the slightest reason to kill Jesus Christ, wanted to kill the resurrected one as well. Lazar went into hiding and subsequently became the first bishop of Cyprus. He lived another 30 years.

The entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem, his solemn meeting is described by all four Evangelists. The disciples, at the command of the Lord, brought to him a donkey and a young donkey, on which they laid their clothes, and He sat on top of them. Many people who learned about the great miracle met the Savior: they spread their clothes on the road, others laid cut branches. Accompanying and meeting people loudly exclaimed:

Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

The donkey and the young donkey, not yet walking under the saddle, symbolized the Old Testament Israel and the pagans, who also believed in Christ. The Evangelists note that Jesus Christ, as the Son of David, enters Jerusalem on a young donkey, just like David did after the victory over Goliath.

The people greeted Christ as a victor and triumphant, but the Lord went to Jerusalem not for earthly power, not to free the Jews from the power of the Roman invaders. He went to suffering and death on the cross. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. Only a few days will pass, and again many people will gather. But this time the crowd will shout, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

Palm Sunday. history of the holiday

Holiday Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem known since the first centuries of Christianity. Already in the III century, St. Methodius of Patara mentions him in his teaching. The holy fathers Ambrose of Milan and Epiphanius of Cyprus, who lived in the 4th century, in their sermons say that the holiday is celebrated solemnly, many believers go on this day in a solemn procession with palm branches in their hands. Therefore, the holiday received another name - the Week of vay or flower-bearing. Since the climate in Russia is cold, palm trees do not grow, they were replaced by willow, on which fluffy earrings bloom just at that time. Hence the popular name of the holiday - Palm Sunday. On this day, food with fish is allowed. On the eve, on Lazarus Saturday, it is customary to eat caviar.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Festive worship

In the hymns to the holiday, first of all, the humility of the Savior, modestly walking on a dumb foal, is indicated, and an appeal is made to believers to meet the Coming One with jubilant singing: “ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest". Texts Orthodox service not only describe the events that took place in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, but also show us their significance, in particular, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The first proverb (Gen. XLIX, 1-2, 8-12) contains the prophecy of Patriarch Jacob to the son of Judah that kings will come from his family until the Conciliator appears (i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ); in the second proverb (Zephaniah III, 14-19) it is prophesied about the triumph of Zion and the rejoicing of Israel, because among them is the Lord, the King of Israel. The third proverb (Zechariah IX, 9-15) predicts the solemn entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem on a young donkey:

Your king is coming to you, righteous and saving; He is meek and sits on a colt and a young colt.

The canon depicts the joy of true Israel, honored to be a witness of the Lord's Royal Entry into Jerusalem, and the malice of the scribes and Pharisees and Jewish high priests, with which they looked at the triumph of the Son of David. All living beings are called to glorify the Lord, who goes to free and saving suffering.

The evening service has a feature that distinguishes this holiday from others: after the Gospel, the priest reads a prayer over a willow, in which the dove is remembered, which brought Noah a branch of an olive tree, and the children who, with branches of olives and palm trees, met Christ with the words: “ Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are the coming ones in the name of the Lord". Having venerated the Gospel, the worshipers receive from the priest several branches of the consecrated willow, and for the rest of the service they hold them in their hands along with burning candles. Returning home, believers place a willow next to the icons. Last year's "bouquets" are not usually thrown away, they are burned or lowered into the river.

In the Apostle (Phil. IV, 4,-9) believers are called to meekness, peacefulness, prayerful mood and fidelity to the teachings of Christ. The Gospel tells of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem (John XII, 1-18) and of the supper at Bethany.

Troparion holiday explains to us the spiritual meaning of the solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem:

The general resurrection before its passions ўversz, and 3z8 the dead in the engine є3si2 lazarz xrte b9e. the same and 3 we are 2 ћkw strotsy, victorious џbryz more, to you the winner of death cries out 1m, nsanna in 8 external bliss of the grave in 2 and 3mz of the city.

Russian text

Confirming the General Resurrection before Your sufferings, You raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ God. Therefore, we, like children, wearing the symbols of victory, say to You - the Conqueror of death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who walks in the name of the Lord!

Holiday kontakion. Church Slavonic text:

On the prt0le on the nb7si, on the lot on the earth 2 wear xrte b9e, t ѓnGl praise, and 3 t detє1y christening welcome, calling you, bless you, bless є3si2 coming and ґdama in the movement.

Russian text

Christ God, carried on the throne, and on earth on a donkey, You received the hymn from the children and the praise from the Angels crying out: "Blessed is the Lord, who comes to call (from hell) Adam."

"Donkey ride"

In the XVI-XVII centuries. in Russia in Moscow, Veliky Novgorod and other large cities there was a custom to perform procession on the day of the holiday in a special way. In Moscow, a solemn religious procession was heading from the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin to the Cathedral of the Intercession on the Moat (St. Basil's Cathedral), one of the aisles of which was consecrated in the name of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem. The patriarch rode on a young donkey, which was led by the tsar. Most often, the "donkey" was symbolic - a horse of a light suit. The “willow” became just as symbolic over time. In the 17th century, it was already a tree, decorated with artificial flowers, nuts and candied fruits. After the end of the cross choir, the tree was cut into pieces, the treat was sent to the royal chambers and distributed to the people.

In Russia, this custom did not arise independently, but was borrowed from the Greeks. In the Church of Constantinople donkey ride was known as early as the 9th–10th centuries. The earliest Russian evidence of such a custom is found in the account books of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod for 1548. The governor of Novgorod led a donkey on which sat the archbishop. The procession went from St. Sophia Cathedral to the Church of the Entrance to Jerusalem and back. It is known that such a ceremony was also held in the 17th century in Rostov the Great, Ryazan, Kazan, Astrakhan and Tobolsk. At the end of the 17th century, the custom was abolished.

Palm Sunday in folk traditions

Some folk rituals and customs were timed to coincide with Palm Sunday. Peasants during matins prayed with consecrated willow and, having come home, swallowed willow buds in order to protect themselves from illness and drive away any ailment. On the same day, women baked nuts from dough and gave them for health to all households, not excluding animals. The consecrated willow was protected until the first cattle pasture (April 23), and every pious housewife drove the cattle out of the yard without fail with a willow, and then the willow itself was either “launched into the water” or stuck under the roof of the house. This was done with the aim that the cattle would not only be preserved intact, but that they would return home regularly, and would not wander in the forest for several days.

Russian historian and ethnographer of the second half of the 19th century M. Zabylin in the book "Russian people. His customs, rituals, legends, superstitions and poetry” describes the traditions of Palm Week in this way.

« palm week, or the week of Vay, we are enlivened by a purely holiday of the beginning of spring; a willow or a willow, which has not yet given leaves, blooms, and thus, as it were, declares that our northern nature will soon reward us and everything living on earth with new blessings. The very holiday of the Resurrection of Lazarus serves as a symbol of renewal, the revival of powerful nature. On Palm Week, children's bazaars were established in the capitals, where they sell mainly children's toys, willows, flowers and sweets, as if to commemorate the fact that small children met the spring of their lives and should rejoice in this life, and looking at the toy, study the essence of it. of their future, since each toy is a visual literacy, a visual teaching that develops further understanding in the child, brings him closer to life and develops his thinking through visualization, comparison of action and images. On Lazarus Saturday, everyone allows eating caviar, lean pancakes and various kitchen biscuits.

On Palm Sunday, returning from church with consecrated willow twigs, village women whip their children with them, saying: “ Willow whip, beat to tears!» In Nerekhta, peasant women bake lambs on Palm Sunday, and when they come from church, they feed cattle with these lambs, and willows are stuck in the village at St. icons and cherish it all year round until St. George's Day. This practice continues in many provinces. It is known that in our country the first spring pasture of cattle begins with St. George's Day. On this day, the peasants take a one-year-old willow, soak it in holy water, sprinkle the cattle in the yard with it, and then whip the cattle with this willow, saying: “ Lord, bless and reward with health! And sometimes just: God bless you and be healthy"... and with a willow in their hands they bring to the place of pasture. The consecrated willow with us in Russia is the same as the palm branch of Palestine, highly respected and usually preserved by the pious Russian people behind images for a whole year. In some provinces, willow, consecrated on Palm Sunday, is used as a sympathetic remedy and put into the swill of sick cows or calves.