Christian: Palm Sunday (& Sunday of Orthodoxy)

Palm fronds woven into crucifixes. Photo courtesy of FlickrSUNDAY, MARCH 24: Holy Week kicks off for Western Christians with waving palm fronds reminding modern churchgoers of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Described in all four Gospels, Jesus’ ride was a popular event. Those who had gathered to greet him lay down their cloaks and small branches in his path, in imitation of a custom used only for those of highest honor.

WHAT’S IN A PALM? Although today bears the theme of palm fronds, only one Gospel—John’s—specifically identifies palms in the procession. In the ancient world, palms were symbols of high esteem and victory; they sometimes appeared on coins; ancient Egyptians carried palms in funeral processions as a symbol of eternal life. Even Solomon had palm branches carved into the walls and doors of the temple, and to this day, palms are one of the Four Species for the Jewish festival of Sukkot. (Wikipedia has details.)

In Christian churches today, the faithful will receive blessed palm leaves (or a substitution that can be found locally), and many will carry them home to display. In Mexico and Italy, especially, many will weave the palms into elaborate patterns and shapes and hang them above holy pictures, behind a crucifix or on the wall. (Learn to weave palms with help from this site.) In Elche, Spain—the site of the largest palm grove in Europe—palm leaves whitened and dried, after which skilled craftsmen braid them into extravagant shapes and figures.

PALM SUNDAY AROUND THE WORLD

The BBC issued a widespread plea for a new donkey this year—for a Palm Sunday service in Wiltshire. Reenactments are common around the world. In one community in Belgium, 12 actors imitate the apostles and carry a wooden statue of Christ through the streets; Filippinos tote their own statue of Christ through villages on a donkey, before which elderly women spread heirloom aprons in its path. Italians offer blessed palms to one another as gifts of reconciliation, while in Ukraine and Poland, pussy willow branches are playfully struck on others. (Get more customs and information from FishEaters, a Catholic site.)

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS: SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY

Each Sunday of Lent represents a theme in Eastern Orthodoxy, and this—the first Sunday of Lent—recalls the historic victory of icons.

While most themes are spiritual, this one is historical, as the Triumph of Orthodoxy occurred at this time in 843 CE. Learn more from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. More than a millennia ago, an iconoclastic controversy had been raging for decades. What began in 726 CE had forced a rift among Christians, with Iconoclasts believing the miracles and worship attributed to icons was a dangerous form of idolatry; Iconophiles, or Iconodules, argued that boundaries needed to be set but that icons remained an important part of man’s expression of the divine. The Seventh Ecumenical Council of 787 deemed icons objects worthy of veneration, but not worship. In 843, icons were restored and their place reestablished. (Read more at Orthodox Wiki.) The spiritual theme of this Sunday is the victory of True Faith, and the texts sung on the Sunday of Orthodoxy reflect those official teachings about icons.

Eastern Christians will observe Palm Sunday on April 28 this year.

Orthodox Christian: Let Lent begin on Clean Monday

Greece abounds with kites, Lenten dishes and springtime fervor on Clean MondayMONDAY, MARCH 18: Kites fill the sky, seasonal dishes abound and a sense of spring fills the air in Greece today as Eastern Christians begin Lent with Clean Monday.

It may seem ironic that these Eastern Christians enter this period of very strict fasting with such a joyous feeling. From an Orthodox perspective, these millions of famlies are following the Gospel’s precise instructions on fasting: When ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance … But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret … (Matthew 6:16-18)

While trying to abandon sinful attitudes—along with meat, dairy products, wine and oil—Eastern Christians take to parks and open fields on Clean Monday, visit with family and friends and pack picnics with Lenten foods. As a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, Lent begins with the masses outside and enjoying the day. (Wikipedia has details.)

Although meat products are forbidden during Lent, shellfish and fish roe are not and thus, elaborate shellfish and roe recipes are saved and prepared. Special breads such as axyme (no yeast) bread and lagana are also baked solely on Clean Monday. (Access recipes from the New York Times and this Greek blog.) The entire week following Clean Monday is known throughout the Church as Clean Week, and it’s customary for men and women to attend Confession and clean their homes during this week.

Merrymaking takes on a new meaning on Clean Monday for most Greeks, in part because of the mock traditions that accompany picnics and kite flying. (Learn more at Visit Greece.) On Karpathos Island, a Popular Court punishing Immoral Deeds elects a judge for the day, and obscene gestures are exchanged among villagers; mock police then break up the foolishness, and the accused are set before the “judge of the day” for a trial! Meanwhile, in Vonitsa, Aetoloakarnania, a fisherman is made of straw and tied to a donkey, later to be paraded through the streets and then placed in a boat and set afire. A man disguised as a Turkish chieftain meanders the streets of Alexandroupolis on Clean Monday, warding off evil spirits; in Nedousa, the acting continues with a group devoted to “popular theatre,” whose members dress up as goats and perform their own rituals to ward off evil.

Opa!

Orthodox Christian: Ask forgiveness on Cheesefare Sunday

SUNDAY, MARCH 17: Great Lent commences for Eastern Christians with tomorrow’s observance of Clean Monday—but the faithful already are cleaning their slates by asking forgiveness today, on Forgiveness Sunday—also known as Cheesefare Sunday.

Western Christians have all but given up on the ancient traditions of a Lenten fast, so the Eastern Church is a fascinating community to watch in this season each year. These Christians take fasting very seriously!

Meat hasn’t been consumed since last Sunday, called Meatfare Sunday, but dairy products will be consumed for the final time today. (Get tasty dairy recipes from National Dairy Council, cheese recipes from Country Living and yogurt recipes from Stonyfield.) Throughout Great Lent and until Pascha (Easter), Eastern Christians will observe these fasting customs with only occasional exemptions for oil and wine—but never meat or dairy. (Get details from Orthodox Wiki.)

Starting tonight, the Vespers of Forgiveness will signal the first liturgy of Great Lent; the service will end when attendees ask forgiveness from both fellow congregation members and the priest. (The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has more.) If you have Orthodox friends and colleagues, this is a moving liturgy to attend each year. The process of forgiveness often is deeply personal for the faithful.

EASTERN CHRISTIANS GRATEFUL TO BENEDICT

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I—the chief hierarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church—recently honored His Holiness Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus. Before Benedict stepped down, Bartholomew issued a statement that expressed his immense respect for and appreciation of Benedict’s friendship. (Read more from the Catholic World Report.) While the Eastern and Western Christian Churches have been in disagreement for many centuries, Benedict and Bartholomew signed a commitment to unity in 2006; their work began in 2007. When news of his retirement circulated, the Russian Orthodox Church publicly thanked Benedict for his efforts—in hopes that his successor will follow in his footsteps.

Christian: Don ye shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day

SUNDAY, MARCH 17: Pin a shamrock to your clothing today in solidarity with the Irish on the feast of St. Patrick’s Day. As the smell of corned beef and cabbage floats through the air, global citizens the world over wear green and make a toast to this ancient saint. For more than 1,000 years, the Irish have lifted the restrictions of Lent on March 17 to indulge in St. Patrick celebrations—and since then, thousands of other Christians have followed suit. So dance, feast and raise your glass to St. Patrick! (Find recipes at AllRecipes and Taste of Home, or for a healthier slant, at Eating Well.)

ST. PATRICK—IN CHURCH AND IN IRELAND

Historical records are unclear, but the story is told that St. Patrick was born in the 4th century to a wealthy family—either in Scotland, England or northern Wales. A self-proclaimed Roman and Briton, Patrick’s genealogy placed him beneath a deacon and priest of the Christian Church. (Learn more at American Catholic.)

Unfortunately, Patrick’s career path was cut short when he was kidnapped, along with several of his father’s slaves, and taken to Ireland. For more than five years, Patrick worked as a slave. One night, Patrick had a dream in which he reportedly was instructed by God to flee from captivity and return to Britain; this he did successfully, and upon reaching Britain he began studying to be a priest. (Wikipedia has details.)

Not long after, Patrick had another dream—this one telling him to return to Ireland for missionary work, because “all the children of Ireland from their mothers’ wombs were stretching out their hands” to him. Patrick returned to Ireland, spent almost 30 years trying to Christianize the pagan land and died on March 17, 461 CE. Legend has it that St. Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Christian Trinity to the Irish, and the small plant has been known as the symbol of St. Patrick ever since. (Find interactive activities at History.com.)

The Irish kept his memory alive for a millennium. More widespread and official Catholic St. Patrick’s Day feasts began in the early 17th century. Both Eastern and Western Christians recognize St. Patrick, for both his influence and historical significance. Ireland followed suit with an official public holiday in 1903, and Ireland elevated the holiday in the mid-1990s when a campaign urged a national festival that would rank among the greatest in the world, thereby showcasing the best of Irish culture and its people. (Looking to host your own St. Patty party? Get ideas from Martha Stewart and Betty Crocker. Kids can get inspired with crafts and more at Kaboose.)

ST. PATRICK’S DAY SHADES OF GREEN

One needn’t be in Ireland to experience the joy of St. Patrick’s Day—any major metropolis will do! In Buenos Aires, Argentina, and across Australia, all-night parties feature dancing in the streets and drinking until the wee morning hours; in both London, England, and Chicago, Ill., notable bodies of water are dyed green amid the parades and other festivities. Canadians in Montreal take pride in the shamrock on their flag, boasting one of the longest-running St. Patrick’s Day parades in North America. Irish Guards of the British Army don shamrocks—flown in from Ireland—on March 17, and Manchester hosts an annual two-week Irish festival in the weeks preceding St. Patty’s. Even Japan, Korea and Russia have taken a liking to the green, with each sporting parades and festivities related to St. Patrick’s Day.

Love Irish dancing? Learn proper stance and a few steps with help from YouTube. Or, watch this YouTube shot of Riverdance. Those interested in costumes, hairstyles and everything in between can read about it all at Irish-dancer.co.uk.

Christian: Conversion of Paul closes Week of Prayer

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25: East and West come together today for the Christian Conversion of Paul the Apostle, an event depicted in the Bible and illustrated in countless works of art. Although not one of the original 12 chosen by Jesus in the Gospels, Paul called himself “the Apostle to the Gentiles,” having described a personal experience with Jesus after Jesus’s resurrection. (Wikipedia has details.)

As Christians retell Paul’s story: They recall his origins as Saul of Tarsus, an enemy of the emerging Christian movement who actively persecuted members of the new church. Then, as described in the book of Acts Chapter 9, he had a miraculous encounter with the risen Christ while on his way to Damascus, when he experienced a blinding light and was greeted by a divine voice.

WHEN IN ROME

Paul’s conversion has been depicted by many artists, although Caravaggio and Michelangelo represent two of the most famous. Today, Caravaggio’s interpretation rests at the Santa Maria del Popolo while Michelangelo’s lies in Cappella Paolina, in the Vatican Palace. Travel experts encourage visitors to head to Rome right now—during the winter months—as accomodations are inexpensive and museums are far less crowded than in warmer months. (Read more in the Telegraph.)

CHRISTIAN UNITY WEEK CLOSES

For most Christians, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle duly marks the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an Octave celebration observed since 1908.

Orthodox Christian: Happy ‘Old’ New Year!

The Old New Year, or Julian New Year, is widely celebrated by Macedonians worldwide, whose flag is shown above. Photo in public domainMONDAY, JANUARY 14: Happy Old New Year! Nope, that’s no misnomer—today begins the Orthodox New Year, also known as the Julian New Year or the Old New Year. (As opposed to the Jan. 1 New New Year.) During the 20th and 21st centuries, the Julian calendar places the Old New Year at January 14, so all adherents—from Macedonians worldwide to those in Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia, Ukraine and Switzerland—use the day to visit family and friends, begin resolutions and partake in traditionally large meals. In Russia, where the Jan. 1 holiday reigns strong, attitudes remain relaxed until the Julian New Year. (Get a Russian perspective from an article in the Russia & India Report.) Termed “New Year holidays,” this span of time usually results in an annual decline in industrial productivity throughout the country.

While typically not celebrated as raucously as its Jan. 1 alternative, the Old New Year is nostalgic for many, filled with traditional singing and family gatherings. (Wikipedia has details.) In Macedonia, breads are baked with a coin, and on New Year’s Eve, the person who finds the coin in his part of the pita is said to be granted good luck for the coming year.

Note: The Julian New Year marks a celebratory holiday and not the beginning of a new calendar year; the Orthodox calendar year begins in September.

Christmas’s Last Hurrah: From the Orthodox East

A Christmas tree in Russia. Photo courtesy of WikimediaMONDAY, JANUARY 7: As the final Christmas clearance sales signal the end of the Christmas season in America, some countries are just celebrating the big day: In accordance with the Julian calendar, the Feast of the Nativity draws huge crowds to Orthodox Christian churches in many nations today. (Check out photos from NBC News. Or, from the BBC. Or, the Washington Post.)

From Russia to the Rastas in Ethiopia, today means feasting with family, adoring the baby Jesus and exchanging gifts. Christian countries following the Gregorian calendar marked Epiphany and Three Kings Day on January 6—by tradition, when the three kings presented the Christ baby with gold, frankincense and myrrh. But that celebration won’t come for another 13 days for Orthodox Christians.

The Moscow Patriarchate will celebrate Christmas on November 7, which means that the most widely attended Nativity liturgies are held late at night on November 6 into the very first hours of November 7. Russian Christmas begins with traditional Orthodox fasting in anticipation. Russians look for the appearance of a first star. Customs and schedules vary across the Orthodox world, but the Nativity typically is greeted in Russia with the Lord’s Prayer, words of thanksgiving and Kutya or Sochivo—wheat-based porridges. (Food traditions are examined by USA Today.) “The Holy Supper” culminates in a formal Christmas dinner, when the table is covered with scrumptious dishes. On the day of Nativity, neighbors and family visit one another and spend the day eating, drinking and singing carols. (Get details from About.com.)

In Jamaica and in Rasta communities worldwide, Christmas falls on this Orthodox schedule following the custom of the Rasta homeland: Ethiopia. Unlike most Christmas feasts, the Rastafari dinner consists of vegetarian dishes and maintains strict food laws. (Hungry for a vegetarian dish? Try out a recipe from Vegetarian Times.) Following the feast, prophesies and readings prepare the way for a Nyabinghi meeting. The Rasta messianic figure Haile Selassie cemented the importance of Christmas for future devotees by announcing, on Christmas Day in 1937, “There is no greater day of gratitude and joy for Christians than celebrating the birthday of Our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Grandfather Frost of Belarus. Head officials of the Russian Orthodox Christian Church say the Soviet replacement of Christ with a secular Grandfather Frost is the reason why New Year outshines Christmas in Russia. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia CommonsFROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE:
A RELIGIOUS MAJORITY
CELEBRATES AS A MINORITY

Recently released studies of world religion show a startling rift among Russia’s Orthodox Christians: Despite some 80 percent of Russians identifying as Orthodox, only 8 percent attend religious services on a regular basis. In light of this, a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy (and high-ranking official of the Russian Orthodox Church) proposed something bold: moving Christmas Day to January 1. (Read more in Asia News.) He argues that during the Soviet-era’s 70 years of official atheism, the secular New Year exploded in popularity. New Year events continue to be the most elaborate events of the year, and by closing the religious/secular gap, the professor argues that Russians will have more energy for Christmas festivities.

JULIAN: NOT JUST A CALENDAR

While Rastas and followers of the Julian calendar mark Christmas today, other Julian followers—of Julian Marley, that is—have been talking about the reggae composer’s recent gig in India. Julian reports that his tunes, much like those of his father, are inspired by God and spirituality. (Read more in the Times of India.) Meanwhile, Bob Marley’s granddaughter, Donisha Prenderghast, has been making headlines with first screenings of a documentary about her own Rasta journey. Donisha began exploring her Rasta roots in 2003 and produced RasTa: A Soul’s Journey, which explores the changes in Rastafari image through the past few decades. (Read details in the UK’s Harrow Observer.)

EPIPHANY & THREE KINGS DAY:
HIGHLIGHTING LATIN CULTURE; USHERING IN CARNIVALE

As the Orthodox world ramped up for Christmas, Christians following the more widely used Gregorian calendar marked January 6 as Epiphany and, in Hispanic countries, Three Kings Day. Disneyland marked an especially large-scale Three Kings Day event this year, after an extremely successful launch year in 2012; the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree in Frontierland hosted Mexican folklorico dancing, mariachi musicians, sweet tamales and Mexican hot chocolate and, of course, king cake. (USA Today reported.) Even Nickelodeon star Dora the Explorer hosted an inside look at Three Kings Day. (Watch the episode at Nick Jr.com.)

Hispanic traditions may be picking up momentum worldwide—Mexico was just named a “Top Christmas Destination” by CNN, largely for its religious ritual Las Posadas. In Puerto Rico, children follow up Thanksgiving with a list to their favorite king, asking for gifts that they hope to receive on Three Kings Day. (No Santa Claus here!) In return for boxes of grass or hay placed beneath their beds for the kings’ horses, children receive gifts on the morning of Three Kings Day. During the week of Three Kings Day, the Three Kings travel around the island, visiting towns and children’s hospitals; the Three Kings Museum, the first of its kind, was inaugurated in 2004 in Puerto Rico and contains costumes that were blessed by Pope John Paul II.

Miami greeted Three Kings yesterday with a parade and grand marshals LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh; a bilingual performance of the biblical story took place at the GALA Theatre in Washington, D.C. Mexico marked the day with fervor, too, while New Orleans used the day to kick off Carnivale season.