Is it possible to pick willow in advance or later? When the willow tree is illuminated in the church. What to do with willow blessed in church
The holiday of Palm Sunday, which we will celebrate this year on April 1, 2018, is as well known as Easter, celebrated exactly a week later. Of course, the main symbol of this event is the willow. But how to properly consecrate a willow on Palm Sunday, where and how many willow branches should be taken and where to place them in the house - not everyone can answer these questions. And why are willows needed on Palm Sunday anyway? Let's talk about everything in order.
We can start with where the holiday came from, and why is it called that way? Almost 2000 years ago, the Savior triumphantly entered Jerusalem. He came in peace, and the symbol of this was the donkey on which Christ sat (after all, the conquerors of the city always entered on horseback). A huge number of people, imbued with the belief that he was the Son of God, enthusiastically rejoiced and rejoiced as never before in their lives.
They brought a huge number of palm branches and laid them all over Christ’s path. The result was a whole path covered with branches. Of course, it was a special, solemn moment. Although exactly a week later the Savior will be executed, he will also be resurrected, which will finally prove his divine nature. That's why we celebrate Palm Sunday first, and exactly a week later, Easter.
Of course, in our area there are no palm branches yet, so we buy willows and decorate the house with them. And willows are willow branches that are the first to produce fresh buds in northern latitudes. They begin to swell in March. That is why, no matter what the date of celebration is in a given year, the willows always ripen.
This tradition appeared in Rus' a long time ago - so long ago that it is impossible to name even the approximate year when it began. After all, for a long time our ancestors, whole families, went to willow groves, to the shores of reservoirs, to forests and tore these branches. Of course, they still pick them today, but most of us tend to simply buy willow branches, bring them home and put them in water so that they herald the coming of spring to the whole family.
How to properly consecrate a willow and how many branches you need
You've probably noticed that the willow buds are not the same in color and shape:
- There are whitish ones, with gray shades. They are like lumps, quite soft to the touch. These are male kidneys, which are also called “seals”.
- And there are also female ones - they are elongated, less fluffy, and closer in color to gray-green.
Of course, you can take both, because the essence of the holiday is not what kind of willows you bring. But the number of branches matters. As with flowers, it is best to take an unpaired number of branches. At the same time, the total quantity is not so important - but you shouldn’t be greedy either. Try to take exactly as much as you need: for yourself, family, friends, neighbors.
NOTE
On the eve of Palm Sunday, willow groves are subject to a real invasion - because people try to collect as many branches as possible. Sometimes they leave the tree bare, and of course, this harms nature. Therefore, you should take this ritual more calmly: try to take a small amount of willow branches and not be excessively greedy.
But as for how to properly consecrate a willow, the answer is clear: you should definitely bring the branches to church. Many people do this on Sunday morning, directly on the day of the holiday (by the way, you can buy pussy willow branches then). And it would be more correct to come to church on Saturday evening, when the All-Night Vigil begins. According to tradition, the consecration of the willow occurs on this day. But of course, if you didn’t make it on Saturday, this is not a reason to give up the tradition. Then the willow is blessed on Sunday and brought into the house.
Where to put willow in the house
So, the branches are already at home, and of course we strive to put them in the water in the most visible place. How to decorate a bouquet correctly? And where is it placed according to tradition? No special decorations are required - after all, this is not a bouquet of flowers, but a symbol of the holiday. Therefore, several willow branches are tied into a simple bundle and placed in a vase on the table.
If there is a kind of red corner in the house - a quiet place where you are used to relaxing, being alone with your thoughts or praying, you can put the willow there. Usually believers place an icon on a small shelf and place church candles. You can also place a small vase with an odd number of branches there. By the way, believers keep them throughout the year - exactly until next spring.
NOTE
In any case, it is important to understand that the willow is simply a symbol of the holiday, just as colored eggs and Easter cake symbolize Easter. You may have only one branch in the house, or it may turn out that there is none. But the main thing is a person’s sincere faith and benevolent, festive mood. After all, faith is not for a symbol, but a symbol for faith.
Signs associated with willow
Of course, first the branches are blessed in the church - after all, what are the branches for? That’s right, it’s a symbol of the holiday, uplifting and allowing you to feel and get in touch with an ancient tradition. Here are some interesting beliefs that have come to us from time immemorial:
- With the help of willow, treatment and general improvement of the body were carried out. They took several kidneys and filled them with water. And then they drank the whole glass. You can just eat the kidneys.
- A twig was used to lightly hit a loved one - it is believed that this gives health and strength for the whole year.
- After the holiday, they took some of the branches, boiled them, and then bathed the children in this water, and the adults themselves were not forbidden to add a little palm decoction to the bath.
- And if someone in the house is sick, you can put lighted branches at the head of the bed - the person will feel better.
And in general, willow branches protect the house itself from troubles, invasions of unnecessary people and other unforeseen events.
First-hand: Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko answers
So, with the purpose of the willow for Palm Sunday, the position of the church is clear. This is a good symbol of the holiday, which reminds us of the Savior and his feat. And sometimes believers wonder not only why willows are needed on Palm Sunday or how to consecrate them. People often wonder: if a willow branch has taken root, can it be planted on their property?
This is what Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko thinks:
Thus, of course, it is better for us to consecrate the willow and choose the right place in the house where to put it. But the most important thing is a person’s faith, his sincere mood for the holiday. After all, any material object is a symbol that allows you to come into contact with a good tradition. And of course, the symbol exists for faith, but not vice versa.
For many believers, the question is when to consecrate the willow: on Saturday or Sunday. Because, on the one hand, people call it Sunday, but on the other hand, many people already go to churches on the evening of Lazarus Saturday with festive bouquets. Let's try to figure out how to do it right and why.
About the tradition of consecration
Indeed, it is customary for people to prepare palm bouquets on Lazarus Saturday. On this day, the willow itself is collected from reservoirs, but branches of willow and birch can be picked even earlier and placed in a vase so that they bloom a few days before the holiday. You can decorate your bouquet with additional ribbons to make it even more festive and elegant.
Then you can go to the temple with these branches for the evening festive service on the Saturday of Lazarus. But you need to understand that the first consecration of them was carried out by the priest only late in the evening, almost at the end of the service. This usually happens at night. So, if you don’t plan to spend so much time in the temple, then it’s better not to take bouquets with you this time. And wake up on the morning of Palm Sunday and, already at the parade, go to the temple with your branches.
As a rule, the festive morning service on this important Christian holiday, the last Sunday before Easter, begins at nine in the morning and lasts several hours. After this service, a second ceremony of consecrating the festive bouquets is carried out.
What to do with consecrated willow
When willow bunches are blessed, they become inviolable. After all, along with the holy water, the grace of the Holy Spirit seemed to descend on them. Therefore, these are no longer just beautiful decorated branches, but a real heirloom. Traditionally, it is necessary to keep a bouquet at home in a red corner.
In Rus', if someone was sick during the year or his mental state worsened, then several kidneys were cut off and added to the patient’s food. Or they simply placed the willow at the head of the bed, believing that the plant would help cure a physical or mental illness and restore strength faster. Some do exactly the same thing now, the church has nothing against this ritual, but still in sermons you can often hear that these are still popular superstitions. Because the main thing to do on Palm Sunday is to greet the Lord in your soul, and palm bouquets and other material rituals are given in order to better and more easily understand the essence of what is happening.
Where to put the old bouquet?
If a believer celebrates Palm Sunday every year, then he should have a lot of last year’s bouquets at home. In theory, in fact, when this year’s new willow is brought into the house, the old one needs to be disposed of. But recycling doesn’t happen simply by throwing the branches in the trash. As noted above, consecrated branches are a holy relic, and even though a year has passed, the relic has not ceased to be holy.
Therefore, there are different preferred disposal options. Alternatively, this could be burning in a fire (in temples there is also an annual ritual of burning old willow, so you can simply bring it to the temple and put it in a place specially designated for this, and they will sort it out there), you can float it along the river (should be a clean body of water with a current), you can even bury the twig (but choose a quiet and secluded place for this).
Where to put willow branches after Palm Sunday?
A palm branch in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece symbolized victory, glory, health and longevity. The warriors of Ancient Hellas reported their victory by sending a messenger to their people with a palm branch.
Participants in the Olympic Games received a palm branch as a sign of victory. In the Roman Empire, palm branches were used as home decoration during the festival of Saturnalia. A palm branch was also left on the tombstones of valiant warriors and nobles.
- In Jerusalem, a palm branch symbolized veneration: war heroes and representatives of the royal family were greeted with palm branches.
- Jesus was also greeted by the inhabitants with a palm branch when he arrived in Jerusalem, because they saw him as the Messiah, whom they knew about from prophecies.
- According to Christian tradition, palm branches are a symbol of eternity, the victory of Christ over death.
Where to put the old consecrated willow from last year before Palm Sunday?
The absence of palm trees in Russia was compensated for by willow branches, which usually begin to bloom by Palm Sunday.
The service during the celebration (All-Night Vigil) of the day of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Saturday is accompanied by prayers and singing, during which the willow tree is sanctified. This happens after the reading of the Gospel, when the 50th psalm of repentance is pronounced.
The priest sprinkles people who come to the temple on this day with holy water and reads a special prayer. The consecration of palm branches after the service does not make sense: it is important not to leave the church with a branch, but to defend the Liturgy with it.
- With a consecrated willow, people receive help, because the text of the prayer is a request to observe and preserve the one who holds the twig in his hands.
- Willow branches that were consecrated during the service are brought home to later be placed in a vase or attached to an icon.
- Blessed willow branches are supposed to stand next to icons for a year until the next holiday.
- Willow branches brought home after the service should not be thrown away with the rest of the garbage.
- Last year's branches are burned before Palm Sunday, taking the ashes to a place where no one walks. You can pour the ashes into the river (but not into standing water).
- If willow branches that have taken root are planted in the ground, they will quickly take root if they are provided with abundant watering.
Where are blessed willow branches placed?
- next to the icons
- attached to crucifixes
- placed near fireplaces, stoves
- bring pets into stalls
- left in vases with water
Children are “whipped” with blessed willow branches so that they grow up healthy
Palm branches, consecrated during the service, are a powerful protection against misfortunes, illnesses and troubles for the whole year. It is better to make room for fresh consecrated willow branches before going to church for a festive service or returning from church.
When does the willow bloom and bloom?
- Holly willow is a wind-pollinated plant. Male flowers spread their pollen with the help of the wind, and thanks to the same wind, male pollen reaches female flowers.
- Wind-pollinated plants flower before their leaves emerge. Air currents move near the flowers, carrying light grains of pollen, and the foliage does not interfere with pollination.
- During the flowering period, willow catkins are abundantly covered with pollen, which attracts bees and bumblebees, which are in search of nectar boxes in early spring. That is why willow is classified as secondarily adapted to pollination by insects.
- Willow shoots acquire a red-brown color in April or early May due to the films that appear on the flower buds, which have a reddish tint.
- After this, delicate grayish-white fluffs appear on the branches. These are male willow flowers. They are collected in earrings.
- Long stamens with pollen soon appear from them and the gray fluffs turn into yellow. Willow buds from gray sheep turn into tiny chickens. By May-June, Norway willow produces seeds.
When should you pick willow on Palm Sunday?
The flowering period of the holly willow falls on Palm Sunday. On the eve of the Day of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, namely on Lazarus Saturday before Palm Sunday, willows are to be plucked for consecration.
How to preserve willow until Palm Sunday?
If you stocked up on willow branches on the eve of the holiday or a few days before it, then place the branches in water. This way the blooming fluffy buds will not dry out or wither.
How to decorate a willow tree with your own hands for a church?
If you decide to decorate palm branches for the holiday with your own hands, then look at the photo selection presented below. You will find many wonderful options here.
Willow branches look beautiful with the first spring flowers: tulips, daffodils.
Having collected a whole bouquet of willow twigs with your own hands, you can wrap it with ribbon or twine, and use tiny birds or Easter bunnies as an additional decorative element.
You can weave a wreath or basket from artificial willow branches and put small decorative eggs in it.
When is the willow blessed in church: on Saturday or Sunday?
- The festive service takes place on Saturday night. During the service, the priest reads a prayer and sprinkles holy water on the people who come to church.
- If you come to church without symbolic branches, then after the service you can take a consecrated willow with you - a sign of readiness to meet the Savior.
- In this case, what is important is not how much holy water fell on the willow, but that it was sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
What to do with the consecrated willow after the holiday?
Some Orthodox Christians do not know what to do with willow branches brought from the temple. Ordinary twigs plucked the day before become a shrine that recalls the solemn appearance of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.
But besides this, willow branches brought from the church retain their magical qualities all year round, which is why it is so important to keep them in the house until next spring:
- Willow branches are used as room decoration
- Willow twigs, along with other flowers, are used in flower arrangements and bouquets are made from them
- consecrated willow branches can be used to cleanse the house of evil (the branches are set on fire and carried around the house, while saying a prayer)
- for the same purpose, willow branches are burned in the oven when baking Easter cakes
- after the willow has fulfilled its functions, it can be taken to the temple (there they will slowly burn it while reading prayers)
- they sweep the corners with last year's willow branches, and, after saying words of gratitude for the service, throw them into the fire
So that the children grew up and did not get sick, adults jokingly beat them with willow branches - willow branches preserved from the last Palm Sunday can be burned by pouring the ashes where no one walks (for example, under a tree in the garden or in the forest, the ashes are often thrown into a flowing river)
- willow branches are floated downstream of water or stream
How long should a willow tree stand after Palm Sunday?
- Willow branches brought home at the end of the service are placed in the places where the icons stand. There they must remain for a whole year until next spring. And so that the branches last a long time and do not fall off, place them in an empty, dry vase.
- If you didn’t go to church on Palm Sunday and you don’t have fresh willow branches in your house, then you can leave last year’s ones. They will stand for another year, showing their wonderful properties.
How many willow branches should you put at home?
- Since willow branches are a symbolic reminder of the meeting with the Savior, there is no definite answer to the question of how many willow branches you should take with you to worship.
- Believers choose the number of branches for themselves
they take an unpaired number of branches, they take as many branches as there are members of the family.
How to consecrate willow at home?
If you were unable to visit the temple on Palm Sunday or did not have the opportunity to ask someone you know to bring you blessed willow branches after the service, then consecrate them yourself. Holy water is used for this.
- The crumbled willow “seals” from the blessed bouquets should be collected and placed where the rest of the willow branches are.
- And only before the onset of Palm Sunday, twigs and fallen buds can be burned so that their place can be taken by fresh blossoming willow.
Is it possible to plant consecrated willow on the site?
Sprouted willow branches that have been standing for a long time in a vase of water can be planted in the ground, but not in the yard (it is better to plant them near a river or in the forest, because it is believed that the person who planted the willow will die as soon as a shovel can be made from the branch).
Video: Willow/To light or not to light/Where to put an old willow/Palm Sunday
There are Orthodox holidays that are especially loved by the people. This is the day of Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem. People threw palm branches at his feet. This is how the most important people were greeted in the East. In our area they usually use willow.
But every time a problem arises: where to put these fluffy branches after the holiday? You can't just throw them in the trash. They are consecrated in the church. There are houses behind icons, near crucifixes, near fireplaces and stoves. In pet stalls. Or in vessels with water. Willow protects your entire home from various misfortunes, illnesses, and quarrels. And so on for a whole year.
The main thing is not to sin
However, not everyone knows what to do with willow after Palm Sunday. It is generally accepted that it does not lose its wonderful medicinal properties until the spring of next year.
What is the right thing to do? Get rid of last year's branches on the holiday or on the eve of it? And when should the newly cut ones be brought to the consecration? These are not formal questions. People want to do things by the rules. According to the laws of the church. So as not to sin again.
So, what to do with willow branches after Palm Sunday? You can collect them all together and put them into a river, lake, stream, or pond. Let them sail in peace.
Also, some people prefer to simply burn willow branches that have dried out over the course of a year. However, attention! The ashes must be scattered where they will not be trampled by passing people or animals. It is also not forbidden to pour the ashes into the river.
Plant a new tree
Are you still concerned about the problem of where to put the willow after Palm Sunday? What do you think of this proposal? The willows were in your vase. Have you changed the water from time to time? And the branches gave roots. The best (and most beautiful!) is to plant it in a clearing in the forest or somewhere near a river. Let it grow, reach for the sun. Makes people happy. And maybe this willow will again be consecrated by people in the church.
In general, willows can be stored for several years in a row. However, every spring it is better to celebrate the holiday with fresh twigs.
In memory of the departed
In our area there is a tradition that has lived for centuries. If you follow it, then you will never have to wonder what to do with the willow after Palm Sunday.
Such a ritual is known. Neighbors and relatives usually know that some person is living his last days. And on the day of the funeral, last year’s consecrated willow is placed in his coffin. Some elderly people themselves accumulate old twigs so that they can be placed in their grave at the funeral.
We also recommend this method if you are wondering where to put the willow after Palm Sunday: you need to set its branches on fire and walk around the house with them. At the same time, read a prayer. This is how they cleanse the apartment, the house of everything bad.
It’s not a bad idea to bring the spent twigs to the priest at church. There they will slowly burn them, while reading prayers.
In the forest, next to others
But here is also a good kind of solution to the question of what to do with willow branches after Palm Sunday. For those who find it difficult to answer and don’t know what to do, we can offer this option - take the branches into the forest. Place between the bushes of growing, new, fresh willow.
If you have a stove in your house, then it is very good to light it with an old and well-dried branch. And then bake the cakes. Many people sweep corners with last year's old willow. And then they throw the twigs into the fire and burn them, first thanking them for their service.
By the way, wells were lined with old willow. For what? So that no evil spirits penetrate into the water.
It is interesting that it was from Belarus that the tradition came when parents often beat their own children with willow so that they would grow well and be healthy. For the same purpose, both cattle and adults were whipped everywhere. The bee hives were beaten three times. And then they went to their gardens or fields. There they beat the ground three times with branches. They also stuck branches into the ground. Finally, they went to beat and whip the graves of their loved ones.
Wonderful properties
What kind of service did these modest forest beauties perform after they were blessed by the priest?
Traditionally, the first ritual after returning from church is this: all relatives and household members are lightly beaten (or patted) with a blessed willow, for their own health.
The same is done with domestic animals. After all, what to do with the willow after Palm Sunday is a settled question. Nothing. Let him be in the house. Everyone must absorb this wonderful power of renewal. The juices of spring and the rebirth of nature.
Another property is that the willow perfectly protects the house from evil, negative spirits, and any evil spirits.
The bride or groom has grown up in the house. What are they doing with our willow? She is urgently planted in the garden. As soon as the sprout takes root, it means there will be a wedding soon.
Willow is also used to drive animals to the fields on St. George's Day. It was believed that with such “treatment” she would be healthy and begin to gain weight well and reproduce.
And here is another option for what to do with willow after Palm Sunday. Childless girls and women were advised to flavor their food with willow buds, which were blessed in the church. It helps. They also said to use them as a preventive measure against various diseases.
When they bathe sick children, they must also throw the willow into the water. Her kidneys were put in bread for the cattle and in porridge for the whole large rural family.
Against thunder, thunderstorms
People strongly believed that a consecrated willow would stop a thunderstorm and deliver from hail and thunder. You just need to wave a twig towards the clouds.
During fires, willow was thrown into the fire. For what? To reduce its destructive power.
Any coward who dreams of becoming one had to, coming home from church on Palm Sunday, drive a small stake into the wall - from a consecrated willow tree. Of course, this did not instantly turn an over-cautious person into a hero. But in any case, this removes his natural timidity from his soul.
Not only did people attribute powerful healing powers to the leaves and the entire branch, but also to its earrings. They were eaten at once, nine at a time. For fever - the surest panacea. And those who caught a cold or fell ill with some kind of illness swallowed willow buds. And this saved them from bad fever, severe sore throat, and chronic infertility. The consecrated willow served people so faithfully.
Now about the timing. When exactly to free yourself from the old willow tree? Here choose what suits you best. You can take, say, willow branches into the forest directly on the holiday itself. This is also allowed on Palm Sunday. Or right after the big day. Fortunately, we offered many options for this.
We hope that next Palm Sunday you will already know very well what to do with willow.
A few words about the holiday itself
Palm Sunday is a holiday commemorating the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. This is one of the last events during the life of Christ. And it happened a week before Easter - Bright Resurrection. Why Palm Sunday? As Jesus entered the Holy City, people covered his path with freshly cut palm branches. This tradition was adopted in the East during meetings of important persons. In Russia, in the absence of palm trees, willow is used.
But on this day, not only willow and palm trees are blessed in the church, but also olive, boxwood, and laurel branches. There is a tradition of decorating large branches with sweets and fruits, as well as colored ribbons. They installed illuminated branches at the head of the room, near crucifixes, near fireplaces and...
So, a year has passed, Palm Sunday is coming up again, fresh willows need to be blessed. What should we do with the old ones from last year? And when should you get rid of them? A consecrated willow is no longer just tree branches, but a real shrine. You can't just throw it in the trash. It is believed that willow retains its magical properties until next spring.
There are several options for getting rid of willow.
Throw old willows along flowing water into any body of water.
Burn dried willow branches. In this case, the ashes need to be poured out in a place where they will not trample on them. You can pour the ashes into the river.
If willows sprouted in water, it is best to plant them in a forest or near a river.
Willows can be stored for several years. But at the same time, celebrate the holiday with fresh branches every year.
If someone dies in the coming days, then the willow is placed in the coffin.
Some older people collect willows to take to their graves.
A lit willow branch can cleanse a house, sanctify...
There are Orthodox holidays that are especially loved by the people. This is the day of Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem. People threw palm branches at his feet. This is how the most important people were greeted in the East. In our area they usually use willow.
But every time a problem arises: where to put these fluffy branches after the holiday? You can't just throw them in the trash. They are consecrated in the church. There are houses behind icons, near crucifixes, near fireplaces and stoves. In pet stalls. Or in vessels with water. Willow protects your entire home from various misfortunes, illnesses, and quarrels. And so on for a whole year.
The main thing is not to sin
However, not everyone knows what to do with willow after Palm Sunday. It is generally accepted that it does not lose its wonderful medicinal properties until the spring of next year.
What is the right thing to do? Get rid of last year's branches on the holiday or on the eve of it? And when should the newly cut ones be brought to the consecration? These are not formal questions. People want to do things by the rules. According to the laws...
It is believed that a consecrated willow is not just some pieces of wood, but a real shrine. Therefore, it is impossible to simply take these sacred branches and throw them into the trash.
There are special rules about what needs to be done with last year’s shrine:
1. Set it adrift in any body of water;
2. Burn it and put the ashes where people don’t go. Or simply throw the ashes down the river;
3. If the willow has already taken root, then it will be very useful if you plant it outside;
4. There is no need to throw them away anywhere. Just keep them at home, adding fresh branches to them every year;
5. If someone dies, then the willow can be placed in the coffin along with the deceased;
6. Many elderly people have been specially collecting them for years so that their relatives will put the willow in their grave;
7. With a lit willow you can cleanse the house while reading prayers;
8. Many are simply taken to the Church, where they are then burned;
9. Go into the forest and leave them between the willow bushes;
10. …
And I would also like to note that the temperature values at which
It is necessary to take antipyretic drugs:
For adults – 38.5 and above.
For children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases - 38
Almost always, to relieve fever, it is enough to use 10 basic methods (instructions here - http://nawideti.info/zdorove-rebenka/10-sposobov-snizit-temperaturu.html).
1. Keep it cool.
2. Drink more water.
3. Cool bath.
4. Vinegar rubdowns.
5. Wrapping.
6. Enema.
7. Compress.
8. Hypertonic solution.
9. Enema with chamomile decoction.
10. Antipyretics…
Why willow?
According to the Gospels, 6 days before the Old Testament Easter, Jesus Christ arrived in Jerusalem, where he, as a prophet and resurrector of the righteous Lazarus, was greeted by the Jews. They placed their clothes and palm branches (from Greek - fronds) under the feet of the donkey on which Christ rode. Since ancient times, only great rulers were greeted in such a solemn way; among the ancient Jews, the palm tree personified beauty, fertility and fun.
The Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem began to be celebrated by Christians in the 3rd century, and in Rus' - starting from the 10th century AD, while the tradition of offering palm branches was replaced by the offering of willow. This is due to the fact that in the climatic conditions of Russia, the first trees that “woke up” after winter were willows.
How, where and how long is consecrated willow stored?
Article on the topic
The consecration of the willow takes place on Saturday evening during the festive service (All-Night Vigil), after the reading of the Gospel. The priests read...
23.1. How to bless a car?
– In order to consecrate a car, you need to drive it to the temple and make a request to the priest. The car must be pre-washed. And it should be remembered that the sanctification of any thing is its dedication to God.
23.2. What is needed to consecrate an apartment?
– We need to contact the priest and agree on a time convenient for him. The apartment should have a corner for prayer (a shelf with icons), tidy up, holy water and church candles should be prepared. When consecrating an apartment, the prayerful participation of everyone who lives in it is desirable.
23.3. Will consecrating an apartment get rid of thieves, or consecrating a car from an accident?
– The consecration of an apartment, a car, an icon, a prayer is not a pagan amulet, not a spell against trouble. This should be a change in the inner world, in particular the attitude towards the thing that was consecrated, towards God, to whom they turned in prayer. The man blessed the car and stopped smoking, swearing, and rioting in it...
What to do with last year's blessed willow branches
A week before Easter, Palm Sunday is celebrated. What is the symbol of the willow and why are these branches illuminated and stored for a year? What should you do with the willow then? I heard that the branches need to be burned?
The service of the last resurrection before Holy Easter is dedicated to the remembrance of the most important New Testament event - the solemn entry into Jerusalem of Jesus Christ. This twelfth holiday was established in ancient times. The people greeted the Savior of the world as King with the branches of a date or Palestinian palm tree (vai). Therefore, this holiday is called in the Triodion the week of Vai, Flower-bearing or Tsvetnoya. In Rus', the branches of the date palm are replaced with willows, since buds appear on the willow earlier than other trees. Standing with willow branches and lit candles, we symbolically meet our Savior as the King of Glory, voluntarily coming to redemptive suffering.
Until the holiday old...
Library: Holidays. Bibliothek: Feiertage. History, traditions, congratulations Geschichte, Tradition,…
How to plant willow
Every time before Palm Sunday, Orthodox Christians have a question: what to do with last year’s willow, which they kept all year? And when should you get rid of it? On the eve of the holiday or on Palm Sunday itself?
A few words about the holiday itself: Palm Sunday is a holiday dedicated to the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. This is one of the last events during the life of Christ. And it happened a week before Easter - Bright Resurrection.
Why Palm Sunday? As Jesus entered the Holy City, people covered his path with freshly cut palm branches. This tradition was adopted in the East during meetings of important persons.
In Russia, in the absence of palm trees, they use willow. But on this day, not only willow and palm trees are blessed in the church, but also olive, boxwood, and laurel branches. There is a tradition of decorating large branches with sweets and fruits, as well as colored ribbons.
They installed illuminated branches at the head of the room, near crucifixes, near fireplaces and...
Palm Sunday in 2014: signs, traditions and customs. When is Palm Sunday in 2014, what can and cannot be done on Palm Sunday, what can you eat, what to do with last year's willow.
On April 13, 2014, Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday - the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, which Western Christians call Palm Sunday. This is a Christian holiday celebrated on the Sunday preceding Easter Week, that is, the sixth Sunday of Lent. This year, the dates of Orthodox and Western Palm (Palm) Sunday coincide (all Christians will also celebrate Easter at the same time - April 20).
When is Palm Sunday in 2014?
Palm Sunday is celebrated in the sixth week of Lent, its last Sunday. This year Palm Sunday falls on April 13, 2014.
Palm Sunday in 2014: signs of tradition and customs.
According to legend, on this day Jesus, approaching Jerusalem...
