This Sunday March 28 we celebrate Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday.

In our churches the full account of Christ's Passion is read. For Christians this day opens Holy Week with the triumphant arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem. This is the Evangelist Luke (Chapter 19:29-30) describing their journey: “as He approached Bethphage and Bethany Hill of Olives, He sent two of his disciples saying to them go to the village ahead and as you enter you will find a colt tied there which no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here." And so the Son of God would ride into the Holy City on a donkey. This event is underlined in all four canonical Gospels. Crowds of people who welcomed Jesus with palms would one week later call for him to be killed. Today, as we participate in the reenactment of this factual event one week before the Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection of Christ, we are given palm fronds as a memory of that palm greeting in Jerusalem almost 2000 years ago. In Poland Easter tradition is rich in its splendor. Besides the world famous beautifully decorated Polish Easter basket and especially Easter eggs, there is an ancient tradition to make palms of all sizes, some reaching the sky! People of all ages from the youngest to the elders compete in local contests (like in Lipnica Murowana) weaving out marvels on pine, pussy willow or juniper branches, made with real and dried flowers, which are then ceremonially brought to church for blessing on Palm Sunday.

B. Czerkawski

Photos show PMA Palm collection (Vilnius palms) and peasant costume palm design by Zofia Stryjenska.

#polishpalmsunday #palmywilenskie #easterinpoland