What is Palm Sunday for kids. Palm Sunday. Story for children. History of Palm Sunday

Synopsis of the GCD "Palm Sunday".

Subject: "Palm Sunday".

Target: To promote the development of emotional responsiveness to the spring manifestations of nature, the traditions of Palm Sunday.

Tasks:

Give an idea about Palm Sunday.

Develop curiosity.

To enrich the speech of children with emotionally colored vocabulary.

To consolidate the ability to create an image of a willow.

To educate and develop in children a sense of patriotism and respect for their homeland.

To instill interest in the spiritual heritage of the Russian land, in folklore, respect and love for the customs of our ancestors.

Integration of educational areas

cognitive development.

Speech development.

Artistic and aesthetic development.

Physical development.

Equipment:

Willow twig, willow illustrations, musical material for listening, dry tree branches, cotton swabs, plasticine, napkins.

Lesson progress:

(conversation with children sitting on chairs on the carpet)

Educator: Our Earth is beautiful in all seasons and every season is beautiful in its own way. But there is a time of the year in nature when nature wakes up from its winter sleep and everything comes to life, waiting for warmth and sun. Guys, look out the window. How brightly the sun shines, warming us with its rays. Can you please tell me what time of the year this sun is typical for?

Children: For spring.

Educator: What a gentle and affectionate word "Spring"! Guys, what tree reminds us of the coming of spring?

Children: That's right, willow.

Educator: In February, buds appear on the willow, plump, closed with brown caps. In March, the willow drops its caps, and its earrings become first gray and then yellow.

Educator: Guys, what holidays are celebrated in spring?

(children's answers)

Educator: In the spring, all Christians celebrate the Bright Sunday of Christ. And a week before Easter - Palm Sunday. On one of the spring days, Jesus Christ with his disciples came to the holy city of Jerusalem. People greeted him joyfully and threw palm branches at his feet. So in those days they met heroes and winners. After all, Jesus Christ conquered death. In Russia, palm trees do not grow, and willow is the very first tree to bloom, which is why people bring willow branches to temples to express their joy. The willow is illuminated, and then stored for a whole year. It is believed that she has the power to heal and protect people. That is why on Palm Sunday, with branches brought from the church, they whipped each other - and first of all children, saying:

Willow, willow, willow whip,

Willow whip - beats to tears,

Willow blue - does not hit hard,

The willow is red - beats in vain,

Willow is white - beats for the cause,

Willow whip - beats to tears!

Be healthy like water

Be rich like the earth!

Willow came from the sea

Willow brought health!

I will touch each of you with a willow branch so that you grow up healthy, obedient and smart. Guys, do you want to play with willow?

Russian folk game "Take a place":

(One is chosen as the leader according to the counting rhyme, they give him a willow branch in his hands. The rest form a circle. The leader walks around the circle and says:

With willow, with willow

I'm coming for you.

Touch the willow

Run after me. Hop!

Having said “hop”, the leader hits one of the players with a twig on the back. The one who was hit runs in a circle towards the driver. Whoever runs around the circle first takes an empty seat, and the rest becomes the driver.

Educator: This is what a cheerful willow we have. And now let's go to the tables where they are waiting for you - twigs, cotton swabs and plasticine, each of them will make their own willow branch. Show stages of work.

The children are doing the work.

Educator: Well done! You have very beautiful work.

The teacher invites you to make a circle.

Educator: After this Sunday, Holy Week began, in which every day is called “Great”. For example, "Good Monday", "Good Tuesday" and so on until Easter.

Educator:

And now guys, let's remember what we talked about?

Why is this holiday called “Palm Sunday” in Russia?

Why did people consider willow a miraculous plant?

Educator: Our lesson is coming to an end, but before we leave, let's put all the willow branches in a vase. Children put willow in a vase.

The sixth week of Great Lent is coming to an end. And with that, the post itself comes to an end. The sixth Sunday, Palm Sunday, is coming. In Slavic, the sixth week is the Week of Vay, that is, branches, and another name for it is Flower-bearing. Such a special holiday. Preparations for Holy Week and Easter have already begun.

And we tell our children about it in advance.

Entering Jerusalem - a story for children and about children

We open the Bible, preferably with good illustrations, and talk about how the Lord began His journey to Jerusalem, to suffering, crucifixion, death and Resurrection. You can, of course, tell in your own words and use “pictures” on the Internet as illustrations. First, we tell about the friend of God Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. How Lazarus fell ill and died, and how Christ resurrected His friend: "Lazarus, get out!" And then, actually, about the entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. And about the colt, which no one had sat on before. Here you can also remember the old riddle: "I have not been to paradise, but I wore Christ God on myself." It's a donkey, of course.

We also tell the children about how people greeted the King-Christ with cries of "Hosanna in the highest." And of course - about the children, about the kids, who also greeted the Savior.

In our home books and just on the Internet we find icons of this holiday. And of course those where there are these kids. On the icon of the Entrance to Jerusalem, babies in white shirts are everywhere: they spread their clothes on the road, and in their parents' arms they wave palm branches, and even sit on trees - to pick branches to meet Christ, or maybe to get a better look at Him ... At Vespers on Saturday, our children will see this festive icon on a lectern in the middle of the temple. And even kids will recognize this image. They recognize the donkey on which the Lord rides to Jerusalem, and they recognize these children with twigs in their hands. But our children will also have twigs in their hands at this time ...

This is how we prepare children for the meeting of this feast, the twelfth - one of the twelve greatest church holidays.

Children who greet Christ are one of the miracles of Scripture

All our church holidays are, of course, special. And, of course, they mean a lot to every person - for a family and a monk, for an adult and a child. But this particular holiday - - especially "children's". Just because of the kids on the holiday icons. After all, these children are one of the miracles of Holy Scripture.

I didn't pay attention to this before. It seems that she herself grew up in the Church, and received some kind of education. And for some reason this miracle passed me by. That is, it would have passed by if it were not for St. John Chrysostom. In his interpretations of the psalms, he dwells in detail on the well-known words of King David: “From the mouth of a child and pissing you have made praise” (Ps. 8: 3). That is, babies and nursing suckling mother's milk glorified God. For some reason, I perceived these words abstractly, in general - sort of like "every breath praises the Lord." But it turns out that we are really talking about a miracle, and a miracle that happened once in the entire history of mankind. It happened precisely at the time of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem, and several thousand years before that, the king-psalmist had just predicted it.

This is not an image, this is a reality: when Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, newborn children, who still could not speak, began to speak. They spoke words that were understandable and clear to everyone.

“So great and powerful is this sign.

…is he<царь Давид>he did not only say: "infants", - so that no one would understand by them people who are gentle and simple, but he added: "breasts", - indicating their age by pointing to food; He did not only say, "infants," but he added: sucklings, who had never yet taken solid food. In fact, it is amazing not only that they uttered words, and clear words, but also that countless blessings were expressed by these words. What the apostles did not yet know, the children sang.

In addition, the prophet here inspires something else, namely, that those who approach the Divine teaching should be children in their souls. Indeed, whoever does not turn to the Kingdom of Heaven like a child, says the Lord, cannot enter it (Matt. 28: 3) ”( John Chrysostom, saint. Conversations on the Psalms. Conversation on Psalm 8).

So the upcoming holiday is really a holiday for kids. And we definitely pay special attention to this fact for our children. And so we make this holiday closer, more understandable for children. And most likely, not only for children.

And we can also pay attention to other important points. For example, that the people met the Savior, glorifying Him as the King. And just a few days later, people shouted: “Crucify, crucify Him” and “We have no king but Caesar,” calling for the execution of the painful death of the One Whom they so enthusiastically welcomed. This is a solemn, festive story - and a story of infidelity, a story of betrayal.

You can talk about this with older children. If there is something to think about, then think aloud, together with your children, discussing with them the sermons read or heard in the temple about this holiday. And so we will not only teach children, but we ourselves will once again learn something and comprehend.

When we teach something to our children, we teach ourselves with our teaching

After all, when we teach something to our children, we teach ourselves with our teaching. We, trying to prepare children for the holiday, are preparing ourselves in this way, shaking ourselves. So, little by little, the whole family is approaching both the Church and the holiday.

Lazarus Saturday

It is not without reason that we begin our conversation about Palm Sunday with the story of Lazarus the Four Days. These two holidays are really very closely related. The entire liturgy of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is permeated with the memory of the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus.

And now, on the evening of Friday of the sixth week of Great Lent, when the day of commemoration of the Resurrection of Lazarus comes, we sing the troparion to the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem:

“The general resurrection / before Your Passion, assuring, / You raised Lazarus from the dead, Christ God. / The same we, like the children of victory bearing the sign, / We cry to you, the conqueror of death: / Hosanna in the highest, / blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

And so that the children can sing this troparion with us, so that we can sing this festive hymn at all, we, as usual, prepare the text of the troparion in advance. We write these words in Church Slavonic, beautifully (preferably, of course, beautifully, but it depends on who writes). Clearly, in large letters, with a beautiful first letter "O". We decorate with an ornament or whatever the children want. This time, a donkey peeps out of the initial letter - the same one that "carried Christ the God on itself." And, of course, there are palm branches or willows around.

With the help of such “crafts”, children prepare for the holiday, and remember (or learn) the words of the troparion, and master Church Slavonic to some extent. We hang this troparion next to the icons, we will sing it after evening prayers on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And we will sing instead of "Our Father" before eating. So we will quickly remember it. And most importantly, in this way we will constantly return to the memory of what events we are celebrating, how our Church lives now. This is how it turns out that a church holiday comes to our house and becomes a part of life, a part of the life-existence of the family.

And in the morning we read today's Gospel. Children are already familiar with the plot, so you can read in Church Slavonic. And then instead of the stingy one: “Lazarus, come out!” - we will hear this powerful: "Lazarus, get out."

And, of course, on Lazarus Saturday we eat fish caviar. It doesn't matter which one - red, or capelin, or pollock. It is important that it be caviar. After all, this is not just a “relaxation of fasting”. Caviar in this case plays the same role as an egg for Easter. Indeed, from an egg, from a small ball, in comparison with living beings - a dead one, a new, living fish grows. This miracle of the birth of the living from the dead is just reminiscent of the event of Lazarus Saturday, of how Christ resurrected a dead, already “stinking” (children say: “completely, completely dead”) person, made alive.

And we remind our children of this. And we read something at the table. For example, if for some reason we didn’t make it earlier, then better late than never, we talk about the resurrection of Lazarus and the entry of the Savior into Jerusalem. And if everything is according to plan, then we read, for example, the life of the saint himself, a friend of Christ Lazarus. Or some fragments from the sermons of saints or modern priests about this holiday. But if something with a plot, like the same life, can be read for a long time, in its entirety, then one cannot read more than a couple of phrases, a couple of paragraphs from sermons. This is already too difficult food, which, like medicine, must be clearly dosed.

Palm Sunday

We remember the resurrection of Lazarus - and we are already preparing for tomorrow's holiday. The brightest and funniest thing about this is the preparation of willows, our Russian fronds.

Be sure to talk with the children why we are preparing willows. Because the Lord was met precisely with branches. And since then, on this holiday, the people also meet their King-Savior with beautiful branches and also sing: “Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord.” In warm regions, people prepare palm branches for this holiday. In many countries this day is called "Palm Sunday" - Palm Sunday, for example. And we have palm trees growing in limited quantities. And the branches of our trees in the spring are very unsightly and bare. But just now the willows are blooming with beautiful fluffy "bunnies". It is these beautiful branches that are available to us that we bring to the temple to meet our Lord.

Remembering other countries is a must: it shows children Christian culture as the culture of the whole world

We remind you of other countries for sure. This shows our children Christian culture as the culture of the whole world, and not only as “our Russian folk custom”, “our folk faith”.

Therefore, it may be interesting and appropriate to search the Internet with your children for information about how Palm Sunday is celebrated in different countries. Think about what in these traditions is the preservation of the Christian faith, and what is just folk customs, sometimes alien to our faith.

And if we look “like they do”, then it’s time to remember our unique Russian Orthodox traditions. And there are. First of all, you can tell the children about the “March on the Donkey”. The main version of this "procession" is a real "living icon" of the holiday. It took place in Moscow, on the Cathedral, and later - on Red Square. The Metropolitan of Moscow or the Patriarch, representing a living image of Christ, sat on a donkey. This donkey was led by the bridle by the king, showing his humility before Christ. Children sang "Hosanna in the highest", people spread their clothes in front of the donkey. This tradition turned out to be one of the main and most impressive annual events in medieval Moscow.

We remembered the traditions of our native antiquity - and we will return to the present day. Namely: let's prepare our willows, with which we, like our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, will welcome the entry of the Savior into Jerusalem.

Many of our friends on Lazarus Saturday go with the whole family to the forest in search of beautiful twigs. A great reason to take a walk together in the spring forest. But we have these walks, unfortunately, are obtained very rarely. In addition, for some reason, you are always unlucky: solid willows come across, with green branches. But bright dark red willows with white or gray-white “tails” are still not found. Therefore, with us, wild people, everything happens uninteresting and prosaic: we buy ready-made bunches of these beautiful twigs. We take a little (for each bunch it turns out to be too expensive, and why so much?). And at home we divide everything bought into the required number of bunches. We tie the branches with ribbons, each has its own color.

Once we could not find a willow anywhere. And already on the way to the temple they bought flowers - they gave each child a small flower. Week something after all "Flowering". And in the temple, one person shared with us a willow, another - and now almost all the children ended up with willows.

These branches are consecrated in the temple during the vigil (Saturday evening), as well as on the very day of the holiday. When the willows are consecrated, everyone raises them above their heads - as if a garden is being formed. Almost like on the Trinity: in the temple - trees.

Ivan Shmelev describes the path of the willow on this day in this way: “They will sprinkle it, it will glow in candles, and they will take it apart, take it home, take it home ... - they will put it behind the icon and will remember it.” By the way, Shmelev's memoirs can be read to children at night, on Saturday evening. One can also recall Blok's poem "Boys and girls carried candles and willows home." This poem, even without any home education, children should know: it is passed through the program "School of Russia" in the elementary grades at the lessons of literary reading. And our children also love to sing it.

Like Shmelev, like our Russian people, we put these willows to the icons at home. Then, on Easter, we decorate our holiday installations with these willows: we put them on the window, where we put painted eggs on the grass, to our Easter tree. When I began to go to church on my own, without my parents (and this marked the short period of my "youth"), I put my small bunch of willow at the foot of the big cross. I thought: as if I were putting these branches under the feet of Christ, who is going to suffer in Jerusalem. And then I came to the same temple for the twelve Gospels, when the cross is brought to the middle of the church. And I saw this bunch of mine: they left it in the same place where I put it. For me, it was like the Lord accepted my willows ...

True, where to put the willow after consecration is not a matter of primary importance. It is more important to convey to the children the meaning of the celebrated event. After the evening prayers, we will read the Gospel that will be read tomorrow at the Liturgy. In Russian or Slavonic. The main thing is to read at all. To once again prepare the children for the holiday, to prepare ourselves once again, and so that tomorrow the children will meet and understand the Gospel reading at the service.

On the morning of the holiday, we go to the temple.

And the awakening itself today can be special. According to the memoirs of Klavdia Lukashevich, a children's writer of the early 20th century, on the day of the holiday, children were awakened by a light pat on the cheeks of willows: “The willow whips, beats to tears!” So we can wake up children. Unless, of course, they jump out of bed before their parents. We get dressed, hurry up. Do not forget the cooked willow, which was put into the water at night.

Usually on this day, as on every twelfth holiday, we all take communion. And then home. Where we are waiting for a festive table. Special - fish, because today is again an indulgence in fasting. As usual, we read something about the holiday at the table, and, as usual, very little.

On this day before the revolution (or, as the believing grandmother of Academician Sakharov said, “in peacetime”), special pre-Easter fairs were held in Russia. As Ivan Shmelev recalls, “there is a great deal of bargaining - festive goods, Easter toys, images, paper flowers, all sorts of sweets, different Easter eggs and - willow ... it has become so customary from antiquity: you need to stock up on the Bright Day." Today in Russia such fairs are more exotic than usual.

So we do not go to fairs, but at home we carry out the last revision: is everything ready for the holiday? We take out all the old stocks: last year's crafts, wooden eggs collected over the years of our family life, all the towels, embroidered napkins, Easter inscriptions, pastries and forms for Easter cakes. We also write a list of what we need from the products for Easter. If possible, we buy everything that does not spoil in advance in order to spend Holy Week calmly and without fuss. , I already wrote, and this is a completely different story.

Meeting with the holiday is not the result of our “correct” labors, but the grace of God

In the meantime, we are celebrating the wonderful feast of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem, the eve of the suffering and resurrection of Christ. We celebrate it with the whole family, together with the children. To then live together and survive the coming great days of the passions and death of the Savior. To then come together to the most important holiday of the year, to the most important event in our life and in the life of all mankind - to the Resurrection of Christ. What we pray for all these days. After all, meeting with the holiday is not the result of our “correct” labors, but rather the mercy, the blessing of God. That’s why it happens: everything seems to have been done “correctly”, but there is no joy in the soul, there is no meeting with God ...

After all, looking at icons with children, singing troparia, preparing bouquets of willow is not difficult. These are only means. This is preparation. And the task is to live with God, to enter into the joy of your Lord. Together with children.

And only the Lord can give us that. And hardly for the fact that we brought the children to the service. Rather, it is how we ourselves meet the Savior, both today and always, that matters. And we have to remind ourselves that not willows, not Easter cakes and painted eggs, not holiday scarves and not even read rules are needed by our Savior, but our heart, contrite and humble. Which God will not despise and to whom He will give His grace. Grace that will cover our children and enlighten us. After all, only with God's help can we really enter the feast, enter the Church and bring our children to God.

Like a willow spring calls

Grandfather Mazai with us - a picture on a roll of toilet paper - was left over from a recent game based on the poem "Grandfather Mazai and Hares". You need to go to the river for willow branches, and the village in which grandfather Mazay lives is right on the river, so we remembered him again.

Grandfather Mazai: Friends, how glad I am that you have come to visit me again. Interested in Palm Sunday? Believers love this holiday both in the village and in the city. Everything I know, I will tell you about him and even show you.

According to Scripture, a week before his resurrection, Jesus Christ solemnly entered Jerusalem. He was greeted as the Son of God, since the day before he performed a miracle, resurrecting his recently deceased friend Lazarus (Lazarus Saturday before Palm Sunday is dedicated to this event). On this day, believers feel a slight sadness, because Jesus came to Jerusalem voluntarily, knowing that he would soon have a tragic death. Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey, as victors and rulers entered the city, and the jubilant people met him with a wave of palm branches. In our country, palm trees do not grow, and willow blossoms first in spring. So the day of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem began to be called Palm Sunday.

Often in Russia they said: "Without a willow, there is no spring." And really, baby, this year it became warm in spring only on palm week. Listen:

Willow, willow, willow,
The willow blossomed.
This means, right
that spring has come
This means, right
That winter is over.
The very, very first
The starling whistled.
Whistled in the birdhouse:
Well, now I'm here.
But don't believe in spring
The whistle of the wind is heard.
Wind, wind, wind
Turns on the roads
last year's sheet.
All April jokes!
Rural Kindergarten
In the morning he took off his coats,
Snowfall at noon.
But not so bad
Things are going,
If willow, willow - willow blossomed.
(A. Barto "April")

And they also say that the willow leads the thaw, drives the last ice from the river. Well, yes, we are not afraid of dirt, we will go down the mud road to the river - we will break willow branches. Usually they did this on Lazarus Saturday - the day before the holiday. Put on your rubber boots and let's go. Only, look, do not step into very deep puddles, otherwise you will fail for a short time.

She laid out puddles cut out of blue, brown, blue cardboard on the floor. To get to the willow (twigs placed in a vase), you had to bypass them. Having reached the branches, they counted them. Enough for everyone. And even a guinea pig will remain.

Grandfather Mazai: Kid, and on the way back, let's find out how the willow was called in Russia. We looked under the puddles, under them were cards with letters and numbers.

We put the numbers in order, we got a “rakita”.

Grandfather Mazai: Baby, and also willow in Russia is called differently by willow, and willow, and willow, and willow. Baby, let's play one more game with you. Who, at the same time, will have more earrings on the branches, spring will come faster for him.

For the game, we needed twigs drawn on two sheets of paper, and instead of earrings, pasta in the form of shells. They can be dyed white or yellow, but we used them as is. With the help of an hourglass, time was recorded and pasta earrings were laid out on branches. Whoever had more, he won.

Willow branches and health

Grandfather Mazai: Willow branches broken on Lazorev Saturday were carried to the church to consecrate, and then presented to relatives and friends, and those that remained were placed in the front corner of the hut behind the icons and kept all year.

Boys yes girls
Candles and willows
They carried it home.
The flames are glowing
Passers-by are baptized
And it smells like spring.
The wind is distant
Rain, little rain
Don't blow out the fire.
Palm Sunday
I'll be the first to get up tomorrow
For a holy day.
(A. Blok "Verbochki")

The people believed that willow protects the house and those living in it from everything bad, from poverty, illness, adversity. And willow branches left over from last year were swept over the house, and then they were burned.

We did not find willow branches left over from last year, so this tradition was skipped.

Grandfather Mazai: On Palm Sunday morning, all the inhabitants of the house were lightly hit with a willow. It was believed that this would give them health and strength, which the willow has in abundance: the willow has always been considered a strong, strong and tenacious tree that could grow in any soil. Baby, let's try to keep this tradition?

She lightly tapped on different parts of her son's body under the call:

Willow, willow, willow whip,
Be healthy! Be healthy!

Then he himself tapped on the rest of the family.

Grandfather Mazai: And now I will hit you lightly, and you will count. And then we compare whether we get the same numbers.

The son closed his eyes, I lightly hit him on the arm. He thought. If he guessed right, they switched roles.

Grandfather Mazai: Now let's play with confusion. You will name a part of the body, and I will lightly knock on it. If I'm wrong, you should notice.

They played this game with their eyes closed: I named parts of the body, but hit completely different ones. The son needed to notice the discrepancy.

Grandfather Mazai: Kid, they also say that wishes that are made on Palm Sunday come true. But only if they are kind and bright. Mom and I will make a gate out of willow twigs, and you will go through them and make a wish.

Together with the eldest son, they made a gate out of two branches, the youngest had to go under them and make a wish.

Grandfather Mazai: You see, Baby, what a willow. No wonder she was affectionately called in Russia: "Verbushka". Love the villagers and other trees. Let's call them affectionately too.

My son and I came up with affectionate names for other tree species. which grow in our forests:

• birch - birch,
• poplar - poplar,
• oak - oak
• pine - pine,
• spruce - herringbone, etc.

Grandfather Mazai: Baby, listen to a poem:

Anastasia Orlova collection "Apples-heels"

Grandfather Mazai: Baby, do fluffy buds look like little chickens?

Willow and animals

Grandfather Mazai: Willow not only gave health to people, but also to animals. Therefore, willow branches were hung, and in the barns where the cattle lived. Small breads were baked with willow buds, they were given to pets so that they were healthy and brought a rich offspring this year. Baby, can you help me knead the dough?

Willow buds were rolled up from plasticine, and the dough was made from wet wipes.

Grandfather Mazai: Willow branches hung in the barn for a long time, and before the first pasture in the field, these branches were fed to the animals so that they would not be poisoned by poisonous herbs, so that they would not get sick and the predator would not attack them, but a few branches were left - they drove the animals into the field. The willow twig, although thin, is strong; its animals obey very well. Kid, will you try to drive the animals out of the barn with a willow branch?

We had several balloons for animals. First they put them under the table - this is a barn, then they drove them into the field with a willow branch. Tried not to burst.

Grandfather Mazai: Well done baby, well done.

Creativity "Palm bouquet"

Grandfather Mazai: Kid, on Palm Sunday, the kid gave consecrated willow branches to each other. Let's pick up bunches of willow twigs with you, arrange them beautifully, and you will give it to someone.

For crafts "Palm bouquet" we needed:

• paper;
• a brown felt-tip pen to draw a twig;
• scissors;
• white or yellow napkins;
• PVA glue;
• self-adhesive film for wrapping books (sold in office supply stores);
• colored paper (we have glossy double-sided) for confetti;
• hole puncher;
• ribbon for tying a bouquet.

I drew willow branches on a sheet of A5 paper. Cut them out in the shape of a bouquet. Crumpled small pieces of paper napkins, we made willow buds and glued them to the branches with PVA glue.

Confetti was made from colored paper with a hole punch (it is more convenient to fold colored paper several times). I cut out a piece of self-adhesive film to the size of the album sheet, removed the protective layer of paper and poured confetti. Confetti stuck and turned out to be a beautiful wrapping paper for our bouquet.

The bouquet was wrapped in wrapping paper with the sticky side out and glued to the mirror. The beauty!

Palm Sunday in verse

While the craft was being done, they read poems about Palm Sunday, and after that they made a booklet with the first poem with their own illustrations:

The willow is all fluffy
Spread around;
Spring is fragrant again
She waved her wings.

The clouds are rushing about,
warmly illuminated,
And again they ask to the soul
Captivating dreams.

Everywhere diverse
The eye is busy with the picture,
Noisy crowd idle
The people are happy about something ...

Some secret longing
The dream is inflamed -
And over every soul
Spring is passing by.
(A. Fet “The willow is all fluffy”)
Willows are fanned
heated by the wind,
tenderly cherished
Morning light.

easter branches,
tenderly sad,
They look cheerful
Whispering with bees.
(K. Balmont "Willows", excerpt)

Guessing the weather on Palm Sunday

Grandfather Mazai: Baby, in nature, nothing just happens. Everything is connected to everything - people have noticed this for a long time. Here, for example, according to the weather on Palm Sunday, they guessed for spring:

• if it rains on Palm Sunday, there will be a good harvest;
• and if the weather is dry, then the harvest will be so-so;
• and if there are clouds in the sky, it is cloudy, but there is no rain, then the harvest will be neither good nor bad enough - normal.

Grandfather Mazai: It was also believed that the willow could protect the house from the elements. A house in which there is a consecrated willow branch will not be struck by lightning. If, during a fire, a willow is thrown into the fire, it will go out faster, and the flame will not go to another building. And the branches thrown into the water during the ice drift will help to avoid large floods. This is just important for our low terrain.

Baby, I hope all the bad weather will bypass my, your house. Well, in order to weather the harvest, we will wait for Palm Sunday.

We thanked grandfather Mazai for his wishes and said goodbye to him.

This is how we got to know Palm Sunday. Happy holiday to you!

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Palm Sunday is a transitional holiday (depending on the date of Easter) - and this year the date of its celebration falls on April 8th. Palm Sunday is celebrated 6 days before the crucifixion of Christ and a week before Easter.

What is the meaning of Palm Sunday, and what is its history?

History of Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is associated with the famous entry of Christ into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, from which his suffering on the cross began. Stories about this event can be found in the Gospels of all four evangelists - Mark, Matthew, Luke and John.

Palm Sunday is so important to all believers because Jesus' entry into Jerusalem symbolized the beginning of his voluntary suffering for the people. And his entry into the city on a donkey was due to the fact that at the time of Christ, all earthly kings and conquerors entered Jerusalem on donkeys or horses, and the people met them with shouts and waving palm branches. But Christ did not enter as a conqueror or earthly king, but as the king of the heavenly kingdom and the Conqueror of sin and death. And he knew what awaited him, consciously going to his death for the sake of all living.

In Russia, this holiday was called Palm Sunday, because its symbol is the first blossoming branches - branches of willow, willow or willow (willow plants). What customs associated with the Palm Sunday holiday were in Russia?

Palm Sunday Holiday: Customs

The branches of willow plants (usually willows) on Palm Sunday symbolize those branches with which the Jews met Christ during his entry into Jerusalem.

On the holiday of Palm Sunday, willow branches are consecrated in the church and placed at home next to the icons until the next Palm Sunday. In Russia, it was believed that the illuminated willow branches have mystical power and help drive away evil spirits from the house, its inhabitants and livestock. A willow twig was a sure remedy against the evil eye, damage, attacks of predatory animals and various other troubles of life.

In general, a lot of signs and customs were associated with willow and the Palm Sunday holiday. For example, such “entertainment” was considered useful: after the morning service, children, acquaintances and relatives were lightly hit with a consecrated willow with the words: “Willow is a whip, beat to tears. I don't hit, the willow hits. Be healthy like a willow." Before the first pasture, cattle were allowed to eat several willow branches, and a few more willow branches were placed in the barn. It was believed that such rituals bring good health and drive away evil spirits. And unmarried girls or those who had just married were hit with a consecrated willow so that they would have many healthy children. By the way, the willow was not chosen by chance for this - in Russia it was believed that the willow was one of the most tenacious and strong trees. There was even a belief that no matter what land and no matter how you stick a willow branch, it will still be accepted and will grow. Therefore, what, if not willow, could give health and well-being?

Willow on Palm Sunday also helped to solve important tasks and affairs. To do this, it was enough to eat 3 willow buds, lit in the church on Palm Sunday, and drink a “meal” with holy water with thoughts about a business in which good luck is needed. True, it was not recommended to often resort to the help of willow - once again it was not necessary to disturb the higher powers in order to avoid problems.

Willow on Palm Sunday could even help love affairs. It was believed that if from the very morning on Palm Sunday a girl began to think about her beloved, who, unfortunately, in turn, did not pay attention to her, then in the evening he would come to her house and invite her for a walk. Perhaps the fulfillment of a wish on Palm Sunday is somehow connected with the power of willow, but perhaps this is another manifestation of the thesis that thought is material. But, one way or another, on Palm Sunday, wishes come true faster!

Willow was sold in Russia at willow bazaars, which were very fond of children. After all, in addition to willow twigs, on Palm Sunday, one could buy interesting toys, books or goodies at palm markets. And a figurine of an angel - a willow cherub - was necessarily tied to a bunch of willow.

On Palm Sunday, despite the fast, it was allowed to eat fish. In addition, on Palm Sunday they cooked porridge, adding palm earrings there.

Signs for Palm Sunday

Many different signs were associated with willow and Palm Sunday. For example:

“Cattle are driven out into the field for the first time (on Yurya) by willow since Palm Sunday”,

“If the palm week is bucket, with matinees, then the yari will be good”,

“On palm frost - spring bread will be good”,

"Verba leads the thaw, drives the last ice from the river".

And if suddenly on some day after Palm Sunday a thunderstorm began - people took the illuminated willow branch, standing near the icons, and put it on the windowsill. It was believed that in this way it is possible to protect the house from being hit by lightning.

The Palm Sunday holiday has an interesting history and is rich in customs and omens. And its significance in a series of Orthodox holidays is not in doubt. By the way, the Palm Sunday holiday is another reason to go to the forest with the whole family for willow branches or just take a walk in the park and get some fresh air!

1. Opponents

In the city, Jesus overturned all the tables of merchants selling their goods in the temple of God. He said that this place was for prayer and not for trading, and drove them out. Then he told people about his future fate and told about the almighty God.

Such love of the people stirred up a wave of hatred among the Jerusalem high priests, and they decided to kill him.

Even though Jesus knew about it, he did not change anything, as he was doing the will of God.

1. Mention

The first images of Jesus were found in the 4th century on sarcophagi, although the custom known as Palm Sunday was established in the 7th century. According to some reports, this holiday was established in Jerusalem.

In addition to Orthodox Christians, it is celebrated by Catholics and Protestants, as well as ancient Eastern churches.

Palm Sunday has been celebrated in Russia since the 10th century.

1. Meaning

Palm Sunday is of great importance for Orthodox Christians. This day every year reminds believers of the deed of Jesus for the sake of people. This symbolizes voluntary suffering, self-sacrifice for the benefit of everyone around. He knew in advance what awaited him, but he went to the suffering anyway.

1. What can't be done?

On this great holiday, physical labor is prohibited. In the old days, women's needlework was not allowed: knitting, sewing, yarn. Do not wash, clean, cook, work in the garden or garden. Therefore, hot dishes are prepared in advance, on Saturday. The only exception is the care of livestock.

Also on this day it is not allowed to comb.

1. What can be done?

This day should start with a visit to the church, where you can buy willow branches. On this day, you can ask for healing, as well as for the conception of a child. Arriving home, it is worth decorating the house with them and gathering the family at the table.

Unlike ordinary days of fasting, on Palm Sunday it is allowed to sit down for a meal twice.

1. Palm tradition

According to the gospel texts, people were so struck by the resurrection of Lazarus that they greeted him royally, covering the road with palm branches. Since then, there has been a tradition with palm branches.

Since palm trees do not grow in our area, Christians replaced it with branches of a tree that blooms before anyone else. So the holiday began to be called Palm.

1. customs

A flowering branch with fluffy buds is an ancient attribute of a holiday that has many customs. On Saturday evening, it is customary to take the branches to the church, so that after the night service they will distribute the consecrated willow to people. They need to be kept at the icon all year, until the next Palm comes.

Christians believed that the illuminated plant protects the house and its inhabitants, brings good luck and prosperity. Willow from last year cannot be thrown away. It is advisable to burn it or take it to the temple. It is also allowed to plant in the ground, but not on a holiday.

1. Signs

According to folk signs, Palm Sunday will "tell" the weather for the year. If that day is warm and sunny, then everything will be fine. And if the weather is not successful, then you should expect surprises and be ready.

Another well-known sign is associated with illuminated willow branches. In the old days, they believed that if you eat a bud of willow lit in the temple, then the next year will do without illness. Some even crushed dry kidneys and added them to food.

1. Food

Between Palm Sunday and Easter, Holy Week lasts, which is the strictest for the Orthodox. For such training, some indulgences are allowed, allowing you to gain strength before the test. On this day, it is allowed to eat fish, add vegetable oil and drink some red wine.

In the old days, women baked cookies using permitted ingredients. Buds of illuminated willow were baked as a special filling.

Palm Sunday is one of the most important days for Christians. On this day, faith is strengthened, and all evil thoughts disappear.