Palm Sunday: Orthodox Christians celebrate the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem
The Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday today. Palm Sunday is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the liturgical year. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On this day, those who fast are allowed to eat fish and to drink wine.
The Church says when Jesus entered Jerusalem, his disciples and the townspeople met him with ficus tree, date palm and olive tree branches. That’s why the Orthodox Christians on palm Sunday go to church with palm branches that symbolize victory over death and have these blessed. They take the branches home with them after the service and keep them all year round.
They say beekeepers on this day must surround the beehives with blessed branches, while farmers must bury buds under furrows. When there is a storm, the buds blessed on Palm Sunday are put in the fire so as to scatter the clouds and hail.
After Palm Sunday, the Orthodox Christians enter Passion Week.
We mention that today, Catholic Christians celebrate Holy Easter. In some years, Catholics and Orthodox celebrate Easter on different Sundays, as the churches follow different calendars.
Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter in a week, on April 16.
