One of the most revered holidays in Christianity is the celebration of the Entry of the Lord and Jerusalem, or, as is customary among the Slavs, Palm Sunday. There is no fixed date for this holiday, but its celebration precedes the Bright holiday of Easter.
The biblical story says that after the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus decided to visit Jerusalem, where he was solemnly greeted by the locals, while praising and throwing palm branches at his feet. Neither the local priests nor the Roman procurator liked this procession, and, as you know, Jesus was doomed to death for this.
The climate of Kievan Rus did not allow the use of palm branches, and since the pussy willow among the Slavs is a miraculous plant, it was the willow that became the symbol of the holiday. Palm Sunday has been celebrated in Russia for more than eleven centuries, and during this time many legends, customs and superstitions have been born.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of the arrival of spring, and the Slavic peoples are preparing for the holiday with special trepidation, watching the awakening of the palm tree. And if the spring is cold and the pussy willow is still asleep, then Orthodox Christians brought pussy willow twigs into the house in advance and put them in the water so that by the right day the fluffy lumps could fill the bright holiday of Palm Sunday with spring warmth.
Willow branches are illuminated in churches, after which church parishioners try to lightly lash off relatives and friends with consecrated branches, since this custom carries the wish of health and well-being for the household. Icons in houses are decorated with willow twigs, and they are attached to buildings. Family amulets are made from pussy willow twigs, which, according to legend, protect homes from all kinds of misfortunes. It is customary to illuminate as many willow branches as there are people in the family. Palm branches are also credited with healing properties that can protect a person from diseases throughout the year. Decoctions and powders are made from twigs and buds.
It is believed that the willow helps a person to get rid of insomnia and anxiety, the energy of the sacred pussy willow helped women to become mothers. It is customary to store willow twigs for a year, until the next willow festival, and only the day before to burn them or let them flow along the river. If the branches of the willow have taken root, then they should be planted and the tree should be nurtured, because the willow is an attribute of vitality and spring awakening.