Today is Palm Sunday. Christians around the world mark Jesus' "triumphal entry into Jerusalem."
And Jerusalem is THE place to celebrate this first day of Holy Week!.
However, today my one-year-old grandson Eyal made his triumphal entry into my house and we had a great day together, just the two of us. So I could not cover the prayer services and the procession for you. But things don't change much from year to year, only the faces of new pilgrims from abroad; so I offer you my photos of Palm Sunday 2007.
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On Palm Sunday morning, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional place of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, each of the various Christian communities has a time for their public worship. I hope you can feel the spirit (or Spirit) of the joyful throngs in the church through my photos in the Picasa album.
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In the afternoon everyone gathers on the Mount of Olives to begin a joyful procession all the way down to the Old City, entering the city walls through the Lions (St. Stephan's) Gate, and gathering again at the old Crusader church of St. Anne's. En route there is singing and dancing and waving of palm fronds and olive branches. (And lots of security.) Click here to zip through a slideshow of the colorful scenes of pilgrims, monastics, clergy, and mounted police.
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If you still have time, you might enjoy my story about a donkey in the Garden of Gethsemane.
If you still have time, you might enjoy my story about a donkey in the Garden of Gethsemane.
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Happy Palm Sunday to all the Christian friends (except for the Greek Orthodox who celebrate it one week from today).
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happy palm sunday!
ReplyDeletemust be a joyous time there!
Wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteVery nice pictures.
ReplyDeleteIn France, box tree branches are sold outdide the church to commemarate this same day.
ReplyDeleteI was going for a walk this Sunday, and saw many, many scouts selling branches.
Happy Sunday, Dina with Eyal.
Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteNow the Holy Week begins.
Nice photographs.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I forgot to tell you, when I was in Japan (1953) a Japanese man came around once or twice each week and pulled a cart filled with trash. Mostly glass cans and rags. I don't know what they did when them.
We never had a refrigerator either. We did have an icebox but seldom had the 25 cents or quarter to buy a half of block of ice. When we did the ice man who let me have a good size piece to suck on. Oh that was heavenly.
Thanks for a 'Jerusalem view' of this special day. Glad you had a great time with Eyal too.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Fascinating post, Dina. I very much enjoyed looking at your Picasa album and reading the story about the donkey.
ReplyDeleteTerrific photos, Dina. I'm so happy you're having this special time with Eyal! What a memory this will be for him to hold in his heart. I do remember seeing a lot about this in that PBS show you recommended.
ReplyDeleteShalom Dina, and thank you for this post! I also loved the little donkey story....and the views across the valley to the Gate Beautiful with Mr. Donkey heading off on his assignment. It has been many, many years since I was standing outside Jerusalem looking at that same view, so it was a special treat to see it today, when I am celebrating Palm Sunday.
ReplyDeleteSara
Happy Holy week XXX Don
ReplyDeleteHello Dina
ReplyDeleteI have come to you through Nihal via Lola - a rather circuitous route, attracted by things Hebrew and by things Japanese.
I have a sister and family living near Tiberias and spent a few weeks driving around Israel with a friend in the early 1990s.
I also have a daughter living in Japan and have visited Japan myself a number of times and am besotted by all things Japanese.
Today I wrote about a walk a did there last year.
And I live in Australia!
It is nice to meet you.
Happy Days
Delwyn
Thanks, all you commenting friends, for your good wishes and good contributions.
ReplyDeleteHey Delwyn, isn't blogger-friend-finding great? Welcome!
Abe, the iceman cometh. I remember the same happening when I was little, in Chicago.
Thank you, Dina!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and very interesting to know what is happening in Jerusalem during Holy week. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCaprice
Beautiful blog and fotos,greeting from Belgium.
ReplyDelete