Palm Sunday

The Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III and other clergy celebrated Palm Sunday with a procession leading into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus is believed to be buried. Fewer pilgrims attended this year due to the war in Gaza. [AP]

The Feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, also known as Palm Sunday (Tsvetnitsa), recounts the historical events that preceded the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It ushers in Holy Week, especially emphasizing the suffering of Good Friday. The feast is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter and has a variable date.

Lazarus Saturday is a Christian holiday dedicated to Lazarus of Bethany and his miraculous resurrection by Jesus Christ and celebrated on the Saturday before the feast of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. Traditionally, green willow branches are broken off on Lazarus Day to adorn the doors on the following day, Palm Sunday.

The last week of Jesus Christ's earthly life is called "Great" or "Holy Week", i.e. Week of suffering, prelude to eternal life.

Raised Lazarus on Saturday, solemnly welcomed, entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Christ willingly walked step by step towards his predetermined inevitability.

The Orthodox world celebrates one of the great Christian holidays - the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. Days before his death on the Cross, Jesus Christ was solemnly welcomed in the holy city. The crowd greeted him with palm branches. This is how the tradition of distributing consecrated willow branches in temples was established.

Pope Francis will preside over mass in St Peter's Square Sunday as he kicks off events leading to Easter, just a day after leaving hospital following a bout of bronchitis.

The 86-year-old's admittance to hospital on Wednesday with breathing difficulties sparked concerns he may not be well enough to attend a series of rites in what is the most important week in the Christian calendar.

Today is Lazarus Day (Lazarovden/Лазаровден), the first of three major holidays associated with the miracle of the resurrection along with Palm Sunday (Tsvetnitsa/Цветница) and Easter (Velikden/Великден). Name day is celebrated by Lazar, Lazarin and Lazarinka.

The name has ancient Jewish origins and means "God's help".

Catholic believers celebrate Palm Sunday, a day of reminiscent of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds carrying palm branches. "Traditionally, on Palm Sunday, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest organizes a procession on the streets of Bucharest, which this year, for the second time, cannot take place due to the pandemic.

Catholic faithful this weekend celebrate Palm Sunday, a feast that commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds that strewed palm branches before Him. "The traditional Palm Sunday procession organized by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bucharest on the city streets had to be canceled for the second year in a row because of the pandemic.

The Holy Week for Orthodox Christians begins on Monday after Palm Sunday.

The last week of Lent is called the Holy Week because it is dedicated to the memories of the last days of the earthly life of the Christian savior Jesus Christ - his sufferings, the death of Jesus by crucifixion and his burial.