Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem among Western Christians (Palm Sunday)

The Jewish people, suffering under the rule of the Roman Empire, lived in anticipation of the Messiah, who could free the people from the heavy yoke Many thought that the Wonderworker, who knew how to resurrect from the dead and was able to feed thousands of people to the full with a few loaves of bread, was the one whom they had been waiting for so long For this reason, those present greeted the Lord in Jerusalem as a true king To show Him respect, people cut palm branches and threw them under their feet Many spread out their clothes and shook the air with rejoicing: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” In fact, the Mission of Christ was different: instead of the earthly kingdom, He brought the Kingdom of Heaven to people He did not seek to bring deliverance from earthly slavery, but liberation from the worst - the slavery of sin But no one except Christ knew that the path now strewn with branches led to a terrible execution on the cross The Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is a remembrance of the solemn Entry of the King of Glory into suffering accepted of his own free will The beginning of a Catholic church service is marked by a procession of priests and believers around or inside the church Those who pray seem to be meeting the coming Lord, greeting Him as having risen above death, as having conquered hell Participants in the procession hold candles and palm (willow) branches in their hands, sing the hymn to Christ the Savior and festive antiphons The Mass itself is celebrated with the reading of the Passion of the Lord and the blessing of the branches during the service Palm or willow branches are kept at home until the next Lent According to Catholic tradition, on Ash Wednesday they will be burned to use the ashes in the ritual of sprinkling the heads The ritual carries a symbol of humility and repentance, thanks to which grace can come into our lives And this is the main means for our salvation, given to us by the Lord who once entered Jerusalem You just need to take a willow twig and go out to meet Him