www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Pussy Willows and Palms

I invite everyone to share their knowledge and insight into the use of the various plants for Flowery Sunday/Palm Sunday. I figure if we all remind eachother of the significance of the uses of these plants, we will all be better prepared to celebrate our Lord's entrance.

I am particularly interested in being reminded of the various aspects of Pussy Willows. Especially the buds.

Because the seasons down under are the reverse of Europe, Asia and North America we have to take the covers of the buds of the pussy willow by hand. Mind you there are no shortage of palm trees of every variety here.

I would like to know why pussy villows are the plant of choice on Palm Sunday.

ICXC
NIKA

IIRC, Pussy Willows are only the plant of choice in Slavic countries - flowers not having appeared by then in the cold climates.

Constantinople and the Levant, if my memory is to be relied on, used flowers, and 'Flowery Sunday' is another name in those lands for Palm Sunday.

Found this on an Orthodox site.

"There are no palm trees in Russia, and other trees do not leaf so early due to the harshness of the climate, only pussy willows reveal their tender catkins. The pussy willow � is a sign of spring, characteristic of this time of year�s spiritual rebirth. It harbors leaves in itself, but does not yet put them out, and thus gives us to understand that our joy from the feast of the Lord�s Entrance is not complete, but conceals in itself the beginnings of the great joy of Pascha."

So there we are in Australia doing all (and I mean all) the buds by hand to imitate the actions of spring.

ICXC
NIKA

"It isn't I who strikes you, it is the Pussy Willow, one week till Pascha!"

Ungcsertezs

Give someone a stick and all they want to do is hit someone

One week for RCs and 2 weeks for the real MacCoy (old calendar...can't you tell ).

ICXC
NIKA

That's a popular saying among Subcarpathian Rusyns, Lemkos and other Galicians. The saying is still used on Willow or Flowery Sunday!

Ungcsertezs

I have heard it before as the stick struck me

ICXC
NIKA

Bishop John of the Eparchy of Parma had pussy willows and palms passed out at Divine Liturgy this evening in St. Louis. I only expected the former, but I graciously accepted both as I am just a guest.

What is the Byzantine tradition concerning the willows and/or palms a year from now. Roman Catholics bring the palms back to Church before Lent begins so last year's palms can be burned and distributed as ashes on Ash Wednesday.

I asked one of the Byzantines at Church who said they just throw them away a year from now. I did not question him further, but thought I would ask you good folks about the tradition concerning disposal of year-old willows and palms in the Byzantine Church.

It seems to me that it would be more appropriate to do something a bit more respectful than putting them at the curb for the trash service to pick up.

I would love to hear your input.

JP

People put them in vases or behind icons.

As with anything holy they should be burnt and the ashes put into the earth.

ICXC
NIKA

Many thanks.

I knew that throwing them out with the garbage was somehow wrong.

Again, many thanks,

JP

Dear Friends,

The use of pussy-willows among the East Slavs has NOTHING to do with the weather, but is a Christianization of their love of the pussy-willow.

The springing forth of the pussy-willow buds has been understood by the East Slavs to be an appropriate symbol for the Resurrection of Christ and so it is used exclusively on Palm Sunday which, on the Julian Calendar, is next week.

The symbol of the Resurrection of the pussy-willow is also related to the above saying when touching someone with blessed willows: "one week from today is Pascha . . ."

These pussy-willows are taken home and are placed in one's icon corner until the following year.

They are often shorn of their buds and are then glued together to form Crosses, even three-bar Crosses with slanted foot-rests.

Alex