Posy Making for Palm Sunday.

Sunday 17th April 2022 is Palm Sunday in the Greek Orthodox Church and I feel truly blessed to have been asked to make posies with a few local villagers, for this special day.

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy week and the last Sunday before Easter (Pascha) in the Christian/Greek Orthodox  religion.

The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace and eternal life.

The feast of Palm Sunday commemorates Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the Resurrection of Lazarus on the Saturday. 

The faithful usually burn the old palm before lent then attend church on Palm Sunday where they are given a fresh posy of blessed herbs containing bay leaves, palm, olive sprigs, sage flowers and rosemary and then placed in their home for the upcoming year.

Many people believe that bay leaves blessed on Palm Sunday and later burnt, could restore health to those that had fallen sick and also safeguard the health of farm animals.

Villagers cut the branches off bay trees, olive trees and gather wild sage and rosemary. 

These are then cut into smaller sprigs and together with the other herbs and a 'palm finger' they are bound by the women and children with natural string into small posies.

In ancient times on this holy day, palms were given to people in the shape of the moon, ships, donkeys' and fish but most common was the Cross.

The baskets are placed in the church ready to be blessed by the priest on Palm Sunday. All those that attend church will receive a blessed posy made with love. 

On Palm Sunday faithful Greeks are also allowed to consume fish, oil and wine, even though it is still Sarakosti (Lent).

Preparing for Good Friday our neighbours grandchildren also visit the community in the evening with a basket decorated with flowers. This is a collection of money which is used to purchase the flowers to adorn the epitaphio, an ornate structure covered in flowers used to represent Christ's tomb. 

Kronia Polla.