Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-08
CHURCHES PREPARE
.. FOR PALM SUNDAY
Observance Tomorrow Has
Intimate Association With
| Vital Historic Event.

Throughout the world of Christen-
dom, even among those who do not
profess any religious belief, tomor-
row Is known in the calendar of
civilization as Palm Sunday. To the
many millions of Christian believers
everywhere it marks that day on
which Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem
and was acclaimed by the multitude,
Iiwho strewed palm branches in his
'ipath. 1t is the day which marked
1.-THE beginning of the end OF the mis-
sion of Christ on earth. and which
was to lead. five days later, to the
iItfagedy on Golgotha.
HI There is real meaning to the
day. therefore. inasmuch as it has
this intimate association-whether
one believes in Him or not-with
man whose brief life to q greater de-
gree than any other has profoundly
Influenced the whole course OF the
worlds history. Riding down into
iMerusalem on the humblest of all the
lbeasts of burden. symbolical of the
thickness and simplicity of the doc
Milne which he preached. the t.-ronss
(which had already accepte:! him
,ISSrewed his path with palm branches
IlAhd cried. "Hosannah to the Son of
David! Blessed Is He That CoMeth
In the Name of the Lord
ft Remained Fixed Event.
With the day and it's designation
thus established. like many other
their place in the secular calendar. it
has remained through the ages fixed
and recognized event, which is OBJ
served in various ways by Episco-
palians. Roman Catholics and other
religious bodies, according to their
60cfrinal
Many quaint and interesting cere-
monials have arisen in connection
with Palm Sunday. Throughout the
history of the world the palm has
ever been to all nations the emblem
of joy and of triumph over foes. Its
specific use by Christians in this con-
nection is in token of victory over
the flesh and the world. So it was
that when the founder of Christianity
rode this day into Jerusalem it was
with this emblem of triumph that he
was joyfully greeted.
The formal observance of Palm Sun
day by professions and other celebra-
tons has been traced by historians
back to the sixth century. The Greeks
observed it with great solemnity. as
did the other churches of the east.
With the spread of Christianity to the
west some of the more rigid forms of
the observance gave way. particularly
in the Latin countries. to a more joy
Gus ceremony, and the day took on
the nature of a floral festival second
only to Easter itself. Thus. among
Florida. and Spanish explorers having
on Palm Sunday, 1879, discovered
what is now the state of Florida. that
name was given to the land in honor
OF the festival of Pasqua Florida,
which was being celebrated that day.
The medieval chronicles abound in
quaint references to the observance
of the day among the Armenians,
Lithuanians, Serbs and Croats, as well
as in England and in Germany In
England the day was called Olive or
Branch. Sunday, and the observance
took the form of long procession,
symbolical of the entry into Jeru-
salem. in which the participants car
rled palm and olive branches, and at
the head of which was carried the
figure of child seated on an ass.
quantity carved in wood. Thus the
observance of the day spread through
out the world. and 1t came about that
in those countries where it was diff
f1cult to secure palm branches, the
olive branch, the willow and the yew
were substituted.
Custom in Jerusalem.
According to an ancient chronicle.
the faithful in Jerusalem were wont
on each recurring Palm Sunday, aft
er all the customary exercise from
cock crow till noon, had taken place
~ ShS AAaihsid anu at the cross, 10 20
to the greater church behind the
cross on Golgotha. called the Mar
tyrium. Here the ordinary services
were held. At the seventh hour
Il p.m.). all proceeded to the Mount
of Olives and to the cave in which
the Lord used to teach. and for two
hours hymns, anthems and lessons
were recited.
About the hour of none g pm), all
went. singing hymns, to the Imbomon,
whence our Lord assembled into heav-
en-. Here two hours were spent in
devotional exercises. until about 5
O'Clock, when the passage from the
gospel relating to how the children,
carving the branches and palms, met
the Lord, saying, Blessed Is He that
cometh in the name of the Lord" was
read. following which the procession
dispersed amid shouts of "Hosannah
to the Son of David"
In some places in France and Ger
many 1t is customary on Palm Sun
day to strew flowers and green boughs
about the crosses in the churchyards.
On the lower Rhine graves are deco
rated with palms which have been
blessed. Palms blessed on Palm Sum
day and used in the professions were
later taken home by the faithful and
used for devotional purposes In
some of the eastern countries they
were preserved in houses and barns
and thrown on the fire during violent
storms. In many places it was from
the blessed palm that ashes were pro-
cured for Ash Wednesday.