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Horrorlandian State Wishes Everyone Of Catholic And Christian Faith A Very Peaceful Palm Sunday, 2024.

This is one of the most Holiest of weeks in the Catholic and Christian traditions as we commemorate the special events and dates in The Life Of Our Lord And Saviour Jesus Christ that precede Easter. May You All Be Blessed And At Peace At This Time And Always.🐣

To celebrate, we have changed our flag. We are also sending palm trees and doves to every nation on NationStates as symbols of peace. 🌴 🕊

Facts About Palm Sunday:

1. There’s no fixed date for Palm Sunday.
The date of Palm Sunday changes every year. That’s because it is traditionally set the Sunday before Easter – which, again, is likely to change each year too. Don’t let this confuse you!

2. Palm Sunday itself marks a very special event in the Christian calendar. It is said to be the date when Jesus Christ first rode into Jerusalem via donkey. It is not long before he was put to execution, and before his rising. Therefore, Christians will celebrate Palm Sunday as the beginning of the Easter period.

3. Palm Sunday also marks the end of lent. Lent is a fasting period in the Christian calendar where observers will give up things they love for a period in the name of worship.

4. Palm Sunday is celebrated in many different ways. One of the more traditional offerings you may find at celebrations and services include the burning of palm leaves, following a blessing.

5. Palm Sunday is also important to observers as it is thought to fulfill an important prophecy. That prophecy referred to the Messiah, whom Jesus Christ is referred to by millions, or as the Saviour.

6. Palm Sunday known by a few different names.
Some churches and establishments may refer to Palm Sunday as the ‘Entry of the Lord Into Jerusalem’, which remains a literal interpretation.

7. Palm Sunday is open to interpretation, too.
Many churches across the world interpret and celebrate Palm Sunday in many different ways. For example, Russian orthodox Christians will mark the occasion by hosting donkey walks across towns and cities.

8. What does ‘jack o’lent’ mean?
English Palm Sunday traditions included burning ‘jack o’lent’ figures, which are quite different from ‘jack o’ lanterns’! These straw figures were burned in an effort to, it is thought, fight back against the traitor Judas Iscariot, who arranged for Christ’s arrest and crucifixion.

9. Donkeys are connected with Palm Sunday.
In many cultures, a donkey is seen to be a symbol of peace – and it is one of the most enduring symbols of Palm Sunday for obvious reasons.

10. Keep your palms!
Palm leaves and crosses must never be cast away. Once they receive blessings, they must be burned to ash, and then used to mark the heads of those attending service. The ash-marking will not occur until Ash Wednesday the next year, which also marks the beginning of lent once again.

11. Passion Sunday?
Some people and observers may also refer to the day and occasion as Passion Sunday or Branch Sunday.

12. The emergence of the Easter Witch!
There are even more cultural differences in Scandinavia. In Finland, for example, Palm Sunday marks the emergence of ‘Easter Witches’, as children dress up and offer willow branches for sweet treats. It is somewhat similar to trick or treating – without the tricks.

13. Palm Sunday is about peace and salvation

Each year during Passover, the then-Roman Governor Pontius Pilate would enter Jerusalem with his soldiers to show his strength through the arms his men carried. The presence of Pilate and the Roman soldiers was to thwart protests against Roman rule. Jesus, however, came on a donkey with all His disciples unarmed, to demonstrate the Kingdom of God and His peace.

It was customary that during a time of peace a king would ride on a donkey, while a king would come sitting on a white horse after the victory in a battle, as suggested in Judges 5:10 and 1 Kings 1:33. So Jesus came as King but not to judge the people. He came to demonstrate God's grace.

14. Palm Sunday is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy

Matthew 21:4-5 notes, "This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 'Tell the people of Zion, 'Look, your king is coming to you, unassuming and seated on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey,'" referring to Zechariah 9:9 in the Old Testament.

15. People accepted Jesus as Messiah

Through the way in which Jesus entered into Jerusalem, He publicly declared Himself as the Messiah — the Savior that God had promised to the Jewish people. And He was accepted, at the time, by the people.

John 12:12-13 records, "The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!'"

16. Palms represent immortality

In Egypt, there was a tradition of people carrying the palm to funeral processions as it represented eternal life. The palm branch was also a symbol of spiritual triumph over death.

17. The reason why Jesus rode a donkey is that in those times, it was common for kings or important people to arrive by a procession riding on a donkey. It also fulfilled prophecy from the Old Testament about the Messiah, the saviour of Israel.The donkey is a symbol of peace so riding on it showed the person has peaceful intentions.

18. Palm Sunday Celebration and Traditions in Church History
Palm Saturday was started at the Jerusalem Church around the end of 3rd Century. During the visit, the participants sang hymnal prayers, and sung the Bible. At the last place, the place where Jesus rose to heaven, it will be cited as the biblical passage from the victory over Jerusalem. As night approached, the crowd swarmed in a circle stating: “He is blessed by God” (Malachi 21:8). These traditions were continuing until the fifth et seventh centuries with ceremonies of blessing of hands.

19. Jesus wept for Jerusalem
While coming into Jerusalem, Jesus already knew it wouldn’t be long that those same people who wave at him would turn their backs on Him, betraying Him and crucifying Him. Exactly like Mary wept with others the death of her Son, Jesus Christ wept over the city of Jerusalem.

20. Many Catholic Churches Celebrate Palm Sunday with Reenactments.
In order to honor the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, many churches celebrate Palm Sunday with reenactments of that day. Catholic priests bless palm and olive branches with Holy Water and then distribute them to congregants.

Thank You For Reading!