Sunday next is Palm Sunday. It launches Holy Week which ends with Easter. According to Britannica, the name Holy Week emerged, beginning in the 4th Century; The name Holy Week was used in the 4th century by St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and St. Epiphanius of Constantia. Originally, only Good Friday and Holy Saturday were observed as holy days. Later, Wednesday was added as the day on which Judas plotted to betray Jesus, and by the beginning of the 3rd century the other days of the week had been added.
Palm Sunday is a festive launch of Holy Week. Christian churches world-wide celebrate the day with children marching, waving palm branches (in Georgia—especially South of the Gnat Line they wave Palmetto branches) and singing joyfully. Some churches receive children and youth into church membership on Palm Sunday—especially those who completed Confirmation classes during Lent. Early on, Lent was a time for training novices as they converted into Christianity. The Novices were then baptized and Confirmed as Christian.
I have a friend whose church has Holy Week services each day at noon of Holy Week . Each day they meet in a different church in the community, with a minister from another church bringing the message; The event concludes with a light lunch. The event lasts one hour so that workers and business people can attend during their lunch break. An annual thing, it is well attended. My friend says those of different faith traditions enjoy getting together to experience one another’s ways of observing Holy Week
A previous article in TIME Magazine describes how a Nun launched observance of Holy Week on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land; The earliest known record of any Holy Week observance, which includes a description of Palm Sunday, is found in the travel diaries of a woman named Egeria. Egeria, also known as Etheria, was a nun who documented her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the late 4th century.
Growing up in Deepstep, I experienced a mere shadow of Holy Week: it was Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, and a family Easter Egg Hunt. We gathered in a grassy glen near an old sawmill site in Grandaddy’s creek-side woodland. After the picnic, Grandaddy took the younger kids on a hunt for Wild Violets. We sought out the tiny purple blossoms among the pine straw and green grass. Meanwhile, the teenagers and adults hid Easter Eggs—so that the Hunt was ready when the little kids returned, laden with tiny purple violet blossoms—eager to hunt for the treasure of the day! It was a full, fun, day.
As an adult, I came to know and appreciate an Easter treat, Handel’s Messiah, as choirs, orchestra, and vocalists retold the difficult, terrible, glowing, and victorious of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. As I have told some of you, my readers—for my dear Paige—the pinnacle of the story is sung victoriously in the Hallelujah Chorus. It captivates the hearts of millions!
©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2024
I have always loved the way people stand for the singing of the Halleujah Chorus. I still do, even leaning on my quad cane! Thank you for reminding us of Easter egg hunts, with real eggs colored in cups of dye, new clothes for church on Easter, and traditions that I hope will continue for Holy Week.
I have little wild purple and white violets in my grass blooming
Ah, memories!!!
In the deepest South …MS, as I remember ALL Faiths joined together for Holy Week. Can this be correct; the Jewish Faith also???? The Delta had strong Jewish leadership; still does! Our school Principals, teachers, Mayors, doctors, merchants ….. as in the Stein Family; Stein Mart!
Toni, I just found this comment. Yes, I think you can be right. In my little home town it was like a family. I did not know about anti Semitism ill I was grown. We empithize with our Jewish friends just as we did our Baptist friends—well, maybe not just like that 😉