Not much is known about Palm Sunday: that’s why there is no way to utter a verb

– People know the meaning of Christmas or Easter, but I suspect that when a frequent Lithuanian, especially younger, is asked what we celebrate on Palm Sunday, many do not respond. So what is this celebration, what is its true meaning?

– Verb Sunday is inseparable from the main attribute: verbs. In its conception two planes can be seen: the natural one and the one related to Christianity. The New Testament describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and how the people put palm branches under his feet to greet the Messiah. Therefore, the verb is associated with this religious narrative, but the verb also sees another more archaic meaning related to the intuitive feeling of nature and human rebirth in the spring.

– So, Palm Sunday is not just a religious holiday? Is this a celebration of spring awakening?

– Yes, it is one of the celebrations of the spring awakening, because in spring we have more than one celebration associated with the rebirth of nature, the renewal. First it’s Mardi Gras, then in March, after the equinox, there are storks. The stork is then considered a prophet of spring, and soon, on Palm Sunday, a verb in which it is believed that the vital forces are concentrated becomes a symbol of celebration and a necessary attribute.

– What should a traditional verb look like? Is it a coniferous twig or is it a showy and ornate verb that is sold at the city’s fairs?

– In Vilnius we usually see juniper verbs. Sometimes bouquets made of juniper and willow are made. Willow and juniper are considered to be the most typical essential plants to which the verb is linked. Even in ancient times in Samogitia and Dzūkija, bouquets of flowers were decorated with colored paper and ribbons. Verbs made from dried plants and colorful verbs are also made in the Vilnius region. They are later, but they also symbolize the spring rebirth of nature, man and the world.

– Where does the name Palm Sunday come from?

– Lithuanian comes from Belarusian, East Slavic languages. Belarusian verb, Russians call not only such a bouquet, but also a certain tree, namely willow, the raw material of the ceremonial bouquet. And in Lithuanian songs, the word “verba” is often used to call a tree. It is a verb that grows in a great mansion, behind Marius, behind the Danube. It is sung that there is a golden dew on that tree, which was shaken by three birds. Thus, even in songs, that plant is idealized, mythologized, and has long been considered special, sacred. Willow with its buds, kittens – one of the first plants, its expression is a sign of spring, in which the life force is especially concentrated.

– Is the modern celebration of Palm Sunday very different from the one that took place at that time? Can we say that we are losing old traditions?

– Yes, now we really sometimes forget the traditions and don’t really understand their true meaning. I believe that at a time when the situation is so difficult and we want to be healthy, protected from various dangers and diseases, this tradition must be relevant and be able to be reborn. Since time immemorial, as I mentioned, it was believed by the magical power of the verb that by touching the ground, man can give them vital force, health, strength. Not unnecessarily, on the morning of Palm Sunday, the first members of the family beat each other by spanking each other, saying: “I am not striking, I am striking, I wish you health, be happy.” Faith, however, has a very strong power and strength. Although symbolically, we now realize that it is a symbol, a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation, but faith can work wonders in every human being. We can update this vacation now.

– Is it necessary to celebrate the verb according to ancient traditions?

– It depends on the beliefs of the person: some go to churches, they can even sanctify. Others may just keep it at home, because willow, blind, and juniper have been considered sacred in their own right. As early as the 17th century, the historian Matas Pretorijus wrote that the Prussians, the Samogitians, and the Artemis considered juniper to be a sacred plant, associating it with some of their gods, namely the god Puškītis, the god of natural nature who associated with forests. Thus, in themselves, these plants are sacred, as sacred and all nature, especially when it propagates, regenerates when such vital forces are born in it.

– In the end, is it true that last year’s verbs shouldn’t be thrown away?

– No, verbs cannot be discarded. They had a strong protective function, they protected the house from various dangers and looked after the residents of that house. Previously in the village it was believed that the verb protects against thunder, fire and evil spirits. People kept the verbs all year round and it was only possible to burn them as the next Verbal Sunday approached, in no way could the verbs be thrown away.