Palm Sunday or Willow Sunday
By Aussiegirl
Today is Palm Sunday for Orthodox Christians. In the Ukrainian church we call it "Willow Sunday". Since palms were not available in Ukraine, willow branches were blessed during the service. I remember that at the end of the service the parishioners would greet each other by tapping one another lightly on the shoulders three times and saying, "The willow taps you, not I, in a week it is Easter." (Verba bye, ne ya byu, za tyzhdyn Velykden) Of course as children, I remember really taking great pleasure whacking all my playmates and chasing about the church grounds -- we all did. A happy and blessed Palm or Willow Sunday to all my Orthodox friends and readers.
posted by Aussiegirl @ 12:06 AM
1 Comments:
Willow Sunday, such a beautiful phrase! And the sight of the children playing around the church while their parents participate in the service, such a cozy picture! This way, the church service gradually becomes part of one's childhood with all the attendent memories when one grows up, and it also makes going to church more pleasant, familiar, and prepares the child for the deeper understanding that comes as an adult.
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