Interfaith Holy Day

Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a seasonal feast that is associated with Christianity. It honors Christ's
triumphant entry into Jerusalem and is held on the Sunday before Easter. Holy Week, usually
referred to as the last week of Lent, begins on Palm Sunday. Easter Sunday, the Easter Vigil, and
Good Friday are additional services throughout Holy Week. It is a crucial and important period
in the history of Christianity. Palm Sunday is a significant day in the liturgical calendar, despite
not being as well-known as other Christian feasts like Christmas and Easter.
Because it was Christ's final week of His earthly mission, Palm Sunday is very important.
A few days later, He would be betrayed, ridiculed, scourged, crucified, and rise from the dead on
the third day. Christians remember that their Holy Savior accepted the penalty that they should
be facing for their sins. Christians are reminded on Palm Sunday that Jesus Christ, their King,
and Savior, came to rescue them through His death and resurrection. Christ rode a donkey
through Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Christ chose to ride a donkey rather than a horse since the
donkey had a lower rank. If Jesus were to ride in on a horse, people would possibly think He was
there to start a war. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He publicly declared Himself as the Messiah
– the Savior that God had promised to the Jewish people.
Around the country, several Christian churches celebrate Palm Sunday in various ways.
The blessing and distribution of palm branches serve as the primary symbols of Palm Sunday.
The crowd's scattering of branches in front of Christ as He entered Jerusalem is represented by
these palm branches. Crosses may also be made out of these palms. Palm branches were seen as
a tokens of joy and triumph and were used on many festive occasions. They also symbolized
goodness, well-being, grandeur, steadfastness, and victory. The palms are occasionally burned in
churches that participate in Ash Wednesday so that they might be used in the symbolic ceremony
the following year. Orthodox Christians use olive branches instead of palm leaves. Throughout
the year, churches distribute and utilize laurel or bay leaves in their dishes. Red, which stands for
love, fire, passion, and the blood of sacrifice, is a color that priests frequently wear. During this
period, Catholics frequently cover all that is exquisite in their churches, even the cross. This act
assists Catholics in enhancing their senses and creating an anticipation for Easter Sunday. In
order to mimic this custom, families are advised to cover important religious artwork in their
houses. Veils draw their attention to the words being spoken at Mass and to remind them that it
is a sacred occasion.
There are a lot of other countries that celebrate Palm Sunday as well. Poland does not
produce palm trees, so they make artificial palm leaves and decorate them with tissue paper
flowers and ribbons. Some of these palms can be higher than 30 meters and need lots of people
to carry them. In the Philippians will decorate and weave palm fronds into complicated shapes,
called palaspas. They’re blessed at a church and brought home for luck. People in Norway
decorate their homes with birch twigs and paint eggs for Palm Sunday. In Finland, kids dress up
as Easter witches and go to houses offering willow branches in exchange for candy. Christians in
Ethiopia call Palm Sunday Hosanna. They weave their palm fonds into elaborate rings to wear on
the day. Bulgaria often calls Palm Sunday “Flower Day” because willow branches are a big part
of the celebration along with flowers. They also call it “Flower Day” because of all the
springtime blooms. People will make wreaths of pussy willows and flowers and decorate their
homes, having big family dinners on the day. Although many countries don’t celebrate or have
the same meaning as Christians in America, it shows how diverse this holiday can be and it is
very unique how not every Christian celebrates in the same way.
During Palm Sunday and Lent, dietary restrictions are very much a matter of personal
preference. Although it is prohibited to consume beef, pig, or chicken on Fridays during Lent,
some people prefer to avoid these items for the whole 40-day fast, including on Palm Sunday.
Because it was regarded as a food for the higher class and Lent is a time to eat as the poor would,
meat is not permitted to be consumed at this time. Christians tend to keep to eating eggs, milk,
fish, grains, fruits, and vegetables throughout this time of year. Split pea soup is a meal that is
often served on Palm Sunday. Typically, dried peas are used to make split pea soup. On Palm
Sunday, it is regarded as a highly healthful food. a different dish that. Another dish that is often
prepared is fig pudding. Fig pudding is known as a thick, soft dessert, usually containing flour or
some other thickener, milk, eggs, a flavoring, and sweetener.
In conclusion, Palm Sunday is a very pivotal and important day for Christians. It marks
the beginning of Holy Week and serves as a reminder. Palms serve as the symbol for this special
day and can be used for ashes on Ash Wednesday. Christians from all over the world celebrate
this holiday in their own way, which is what makes it unique. Palm Sunday is also known as
Passion Sunday since Christians are showing their passion towards Christ. Palm Sunday is often
overlooked since Christians are planning the whole week for Easter Sunday. It’s not as important
as other Christian holidays, but it marks a time before Christ was hated, frowned upon, and hung
on the cross to die. It also marks when he became the Messiah and God’s promise came true.
References
Palm Sunday 2022, observances, Traditions & Recipes. Chiff.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September
15, 2022, from http://www.chiff.com/home_life/holiday/palm-sunday.htm
7 palm Sunday traditions at mass and their symbolism. Aleteia. (2021, March 24). Retrieved
September 15, 2022, from https://aleteia.org/2021/03/24/7-palm-sunday-traditions-at-mass-
and-their-symbolism/
CBC/Radio Canada. (n.d.). 10 ways people celebrate palm Sunday around the world | articles |
CBC kids. CBCnews. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from
https://www.cbc.ca/kids/articles/10-ways-people-celebrate-palm-sunday-around-the-world

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Palm Sunday

– the Savior that God had promised to the Jewish people.

The crowd's scattering of branches in front of Christ as He entered Jerusalem is represented by

some other thickener, milk, eggs, a flavoring, and sweetener.

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