Wednesday 11 April 2012

Palm Sunday in Moscow



The second video follows on from the first, in which clergy are elevated in rank by the Patriarch. Palm Sunday in the Orthodox church is linked with the Celebration of Lazarus Saturday, at which the Liturgical colour is White in the Greek Tradition and Green in the Russian, affirming the day's festal, and indeed, resurrectional, character. At the Liturgy on this day the Baptismal verse from Galatians is sung instead of the Trisagion. The principle Troparion is the same on Palm Sunday ("The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem") as on Lazarus Saturday. Palms are blessed at Matins of the All Night Vigil on Saturday evening and are carried throughout the feast. The readings of Matins are the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, and the Gospel is the account of the Entry into Jerusalem. I understand that some European rites, such as the Ambrosian and Bragan rites, also share this festal character of the day to some extent - at Braga the Deacon and Subdeacon wearing Dalmatic and Tunicle for the Procession before changing into folded chasubles for the Mass.

1 comment:

  1. I loved the hand that pushed one of the soon-to-be mitred priests into a lower bow before the Most Holy Patriarch of All Russias.

    It was good to see all three colours of mantiyia in evidence at one celebration too. Highly edifying.

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