Tag Archives: Jesus

A Palm Sunday Primer

25 Thursday Mar 2021

Posted by in News, Special Events

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Regular churchgoers know certain services stand out during the liturgical year: Easter, Christmas and the upcoming celebration. Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, is this Sunday, March 28. The concept behind the church holiday remains the same year after year except, of course, in 2020 when many churches were closed due to the pandemic. To prepare you for this Sunday, here’s a primer on the celebration.

Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Lent and the official start of Holy Week. During the service, palm branches are distributed to parishioners as they commemorate Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, which took place before the crucifixion and resurrection.

In the story of John, people in the streets graciously met Jesus because they believed he would overthrow Rome. They greeted him by waving palms and laying them as a path. Palm Sunday is celebrated in several churches, including Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Reformed Christian and Roman Catholic.

It’s important to remember that the palm branches from Palm Sunday are sacramental, and therefore, cannot be thrown away after the service. Many churches will collect them to be burned on Shrove Tuesday of the following year and used as the following day’s Ash Wednesday services.

Others keep their palm as a reminder of Jesus’s triumphant ride into Jerusalem. They are commonly displayed near a crucifix or tucked into a bible. If you are looking for a more unique way to use your palm, you’ll want to see these beautiful craft ideas.

Do you like to keep your palm after Passion Sunday Service? If so, let us know how you use it in the comments below.

Happy Palm Sunday from Lions Pride!

Worldwide Traditions of Epiphany

04 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by in Holidays, Special Events

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Here we are again, the first week of a brand new year. It’s so hard to believe ChristmasGalette des Rois and New Year’s are already behind us. After much planning and preparation, the holiday season is almost over. Yes, you read that line correctly as we have one more holiday to get through before we say goodbye to the season.

Epiphany, or the Feast of the Three Kings, is observed 12 days after Christmas. The celebration is for Christians to remember the three wise men who visited Jesus, and for churches to remember when Jesus was baptized.

Epiphany means ‘revelation’ – appropriate since both of these occasions reveal that Jesus was an important figure in history. The holiday is primarily observed by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but is celebrated all around the world:

  • In Spain, the Festival of the Three Kings is when children receive presents from their parents.
  • In France, observers might eat a flat, almond cake called “Galette des Rois.” Each cake is baked with a toy crown inside and a gold paper crown placed in the center.
  • Mexico has a celebration similar to that of France, but their cake is called “Rosca de Reyes.” In this special cake, a small figure of baby Jesus is hidden; whoever finds the figure in their cake is the ‘Godparent’ of Jesus for that year.
  • In Austria, some people create a special chalk sign as a reminder of the wise men. The inscription of the sign is made by splitting the year into two and writing the initials of the wise men (Casper, Melchior and Balthazar.) This year’s sign would read 20*C*M*B*18. This tradition is believed to protect the household for the next year.
  • In Belgium, children take part in activity similar to that of US trick-or-treating. Kids sometimes dress up as wise men and go door-to-door singing songs. In exchange for music, residents give the children money or candy.
  • In Ireland, Epiphany can be known as “Nollaig na mBean” or Women’s Christmas. On this day, women would take the day off, and men would tend to the housework and cooking. (We like the sound of this one!)

Click here to see more worldwide traditions from WhyChristmas.com.

For many of us who don’t celebrate the holiday, Epiphany is seen as the perfect day to take down decorations and settle back into the usual routine.

From all of us at Lions Pride, we hope you had an enjoyable, restful holiday season.