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Palm Sunday Celebration - March 25th, 2018
Palm Sunday, the last Sunday of Lent before Easter, commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where he arrived to celebrate Passover with his disciples before his crucifixion. In Poland, Palm Sunday is known as Niedziela Palmowa which marks the beginning of Holy Week known as Kwietna or Wierzbna. People around the world bring palms to church to be blessed. But palm trees are not indigenous to Poland so, instead, the faithful bring greenery found in the fields. Others bring posies made of pussy willows, the first buds to appear in Poland, and a plant considered to love life because it grows in the worst conditions. And in other regions of Poland, Easter palms, known as Palma Wielkanocna or Palemka Wielkanocna or palemki (little palms), are made of branches of arborvitae, spruce, boxwood, and yew. Since flowers are not yet in bloom, artificial ones made from tissue and crepe paper are fastened to the branch. Sometimes, flowers that have been dried from the previous summer are attached and colorful ribbons festoon the "palms" that can reach the length of your elbow or as high as a 12-story building. While the blessed palms have a religious significance, they are placed over a sacred image or above the front door to protect against fire and all evil. Early in the morning on Easter Sunday or Easter Monday in southern Poland (particularly in the Sącz and Rzeszów areas) bits of palm or palm crosses, along with blessed eggs are placed or buried in the fields and garden to bless and defend them from hail and pests.
Fot. EBPAA-Palm Sunday 2017: Father o.Tomasz Galuszka and Deacon Witold Cichon with the members of Polish Congregation and Polish Scouts are taking part in traditional Palm Sunday celebration held at Our Lady Mother of Immigrants Chapel in Martinez.
