And all because in the air you really feel the spirit of something bright and magical.
People prepare for Easter long before it arrives. However, do we know everything about this amazing day? Yes, perhaps most of us have repeatedly heard the history of the holiday, and also that there should be delicious Easter cakes, Easter cakes and decorated eggs on the festive table.
What else do you need to know in order to properly meet and celebrate the bright day of Christ’s Resurrection?
Let's clarify what can and cannot be done on Easter, as well as on the eve of this great holiday?
Palm Sunday
Let's start with Palm Sunday.
Surely, all believers know that Palm Sunday is considered the moment of Jesus Christ’s entry into the city of Jerusalem.
This day is celebrated exactly a week before Easter. Therefore, as for Easter, the date of Palm Sunday will be different every year. In 2018, Palm Sunday falls on April 1st.
On this day, it is customary for believers to bring into the house the symbol of this holiday - willow branches. They became the main attribute of Palm Sunday.
While attending a church service, willow branches are blessed, after which they are taken into the house and also given to relatives and friends. Blessed willow branches replace the palm branches with which the crowd greeted Christ's entry into Jerusalem on the eve of his crucifixion.
According to the biblical story, Jesus rode into the city on a donkey and was met there by people holding palm branches (in those days they were associated with healing).
It should be noted that this day is very important for Catholics.
They have such a holiday called Palm Sunday. As mentioned above, in the Orthodox religion the palm tree was replaced by the willow. However, that same ancient symbolism has been preserved. Indeed, in our culture, it is this willow that is credited with healing properties and magical powers.
Believers know that the consecrated willow has special magic: it protects the home from various natural disasters, for example, fires and floods, and protects all family members from illnesses and various troubles.
However, of course, the branch itself will not work. It is also important to remember a number of rules that must be followed.
What not to do on Palm Sunday
So, remember that you cannot break prohibitions on Palm Sunday. To spend this day decently and correctly, as well as to celebrate Easter with dignity, you need to adhere to some recommendations. Here are the most important of them:
On Palm Sunday you need to forget about any kind of work. It is forbidden to work physically: postpone cleaning, cooking, sewing, knitting until later. This is a holiday like many other religious holidays. Therefore, it is not recommended to work on this day.
Also avoid visiting entertainment venues, such as bars and nightclubs. This day should be celebrated peacefully and quietly with family.
On Palm Sunday you also need to adhere to the menu prescribed for Lent.
About the menu for festive table It's worth taking care of in advance. As mentioned earlier, on this day it is recommended to give up physical work, including kitchen chores. First of all, this concerns the preparation of hot dishes.
Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited. Still, you need to remember that this is a church holiday, you shouldn’t turn it into a lush feast, as well as another reason to get drunk.
On this day you cannot swear, or refuse to help someone. If you are asked for something, try to do a good deed.
In addition, there is another strange one for modern people Recommendation: You should not comb your hair on Palm Sunday.
What to do on Palm Sunday
But in order to forget about headaches forever, there is a wonderful remedy that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers resorted to: you need to comb your hair, then immerse 2-3 hairs or the comb itself in water.
On a holiday, the willow should be watered with this water. At the same time, do not forget to pronounce the following magic words: “Water, pour on the ground along with the headache.”
So, as already mentioned, the main event on Palm Sunday is the blessing of willow branches.
Then, after the morning church service, the branches are brought into the house so that they protect your home, as well as all household members, from various potential troubles and possible dangers.
There is another very interesting tradition: you need to lightly hit each other with blessed branches and at the same time pronounce the phrase out loud: “It’s not me who hits, it’s the willow that hits! The willow whips - it hits you to tears!”
It is believed that if a twig touches you, it will certainly protect you from damage and the evil eye.
Even the buds of consecrated willow have a special healing effect. Since ancient times, kidneys have found excellent use in folk medicine.
According to traditional healers, willow buds help increase male potency. They also treat female infertility, and also contribute to the rapid onset of pregnancy.
A child was also bathed in the decoction if he showed signs of illness, and sick pets were treated with the same decoction.
This is a remedy that is widely used in modern medicine.
As for the dishes on the festive table, you need to remember that now is the time of Lent, and, based on this, it is worth considering the menu.
But on Palm Sunday, you can still make an exception to the rules and introduce fish dishes, and also allow yourself to drink a little red wine.
In addition, on this day it is possible and even recommended to replant home flowers. If you believe folk signs, then a houseplant transplanted on Palm Sunday will grow and bloom, and financial well-being will soon await the household.
But if the plant dries out and its leaves fall off, financial difficulties are most likely just around the corner.
Holy Week
The last week before Easter is considered Holy. This week is also called Holy Week.
However, it is worth remembering that Holy Week has different times there were many other names - Red, Red, Great, Holy Week.
It is Holy Week that is considered the time preceding the crucifixion of Christ. This is a week of active preparation for the holiday of Holy Easter. Housewives begin to decorate their homes original decor, get the most interesting recipes dishes and, of course, actively baking Easter cakes.
Each of the seven days of the week before Easter is of particular importance for believers. On each of these days, certain traditions were observed in Rus'.
First of all, it is worth noting that you must continue to fast throughout Holy Week. This means not eating meat, fish or dairy products. Eggs and butter are also included in the food ban.
In addition, any kind of recreational activity is prohibited during Holy Week. This week you should not sing, dance, it is best to attend church services. This way you cleanse your soul as much as possible before the onset of Easter.
Remember that the last week before the holiday is the most important period.
To celebrate Easter with dignity, you need to avoid committing bad deeds and prevent the emergence of negative thoughts and desires. Try to control yourself so as not to even think about something bad. Envy, indifference, anger and vanity - all these feelings can corrode our soul, thereby bringing us great harm.
As mentioned above, it is advisable to avoid noisy entertainment events. Avoid parties and holidays, as well as laughing too loudly. It should be remembered that Holy Week is a period of great tribulation.
What not to do and what to do during Holy Week
Try to help those who need your help. Take care of the sick, the poor and the needy. Holy Week is a period of repentance, as well as doing good deeds.
Believers simultaneously cleanse their souls and also pay attention to transforming their home: they try to put it in order, paint something here and there, whitewash it, update it, and add new decorations.
In addition, the products that will be present on the festive table are prepared in advance. First of all, these are Easter cakes and colored eggs.
Holy Monday
The first day of Holy Week is Maundy Monday.
In Rus' on this day it was customary to restore order and arrange general cleaning. As a rule, housewives took up the cleaning, swept out all the garbage, and cleaned the inside of the room. The men were repairing the outside of the house.
Holy Tuesday
On Maundy Tuesday, all believers remember how Christ exposed the Pharisees and scribes.
On this day it is also customary to pay tribute to the memory of Patriarch Thomas of Constantinople. In the old days in Rus', on Holy Tuesday it was customary to prepare potions for various diseases. It was believed that it was Saint Thomas who drove away fevers and other diseases.
Nowadays, modern housewives on this day buy the products necessary to celebrate Easter.
Those who believe in the power of healing infusions today, just like their ancestors, prepare various healing potions.
As on Good Monday, it is allowed to eat raw vegetables, fruits, as well as honey and nuts. Do not forget that Lent continues. In addition, it is recommended to eat only in the evening.
Holy Wednesday
Cleaning of the premises continues on Wednesday. On this day, housewives clean the rooms, wash the floors until they shine, beat out rugs and rugs. It is recommended to complete the cleaning that has started.
On Holy Wednesday in Rus', a special ritual was performed to ward off all kinds of ailments and illnesses.
Believers scooped up a jug of water from a well, some took it from a river or barrels stored in cellars. Then by Orthodox tradition They were baptized three times, after which they covered the container with water with a clean or new towel.
At exactly 2 o'clock in the morning, the believers were baptized again three times, then poured this water over themselves, leaving some water at the bottom. Then clean clothes were put on the wet body (it was not dried with a towel), and the remaining water had to be watered with house plants or bushes in the garden until 3 a.m.
It was believed that a body washed in a similar way, was renewed, and after such a ritual the person felt as if reborn.
Holy Wednesday is associated with the repentance of the sinner. Surely, every believer knows the story of when a sinner washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and then anointed them with precious ointment.
In Rus' they sincerely believed that it was in this environment that evil spirits were especially rampant. Therefore, women tried to ensure that their behavior was particularly strict and decency. On Holy Wednesday it was forbidden to do handicrafts.
In addition, dry eating continues on this day.
Maundy Thursday
Well, and, of course, Thursday was considered a special day this week, which was popularly called Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday is, first of all, associated with the Last Supper, which Christ attended and where he established the sacrament of the Eucharist. We are talking about Holy Communion. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, thereby showing an example of the greatest humility and great love for them.
People also remember the story of the betrayal of the son of God by the apostle Judas Iscariot. He committed his famous betrayal for only 30 pieces of silver.
For modern people, Maundy Thursday is, first of all, a day of purity. On this day, it is customary to wake up before sunrise, wash your face, take a bath, finish cleaning your home, and also start preparing Easter treats. Housewives begin to paint eggs, bake Easter cakes, and prepare other traditional dishes.
However, we should not forget that, despite the fact that dishes for the festive table are beginning to be prepared, Lent is still ongoing. Therefore, believers can eat the same raw vegetables and fruits, bread, and also drink water.
As already mentioned, the morning should start with water procedures: It is recommended to take a shower or bath in the morning, since it is at this time of day that water is endowed with special healing powers. It will get rid of diseases, bring health and good luck to the person who decides to undergo morning procedures.
After taking a bath on Maundy Thursday, you must wear new or clean clothes.
It's also important to remember that this Thursday is the last day of your big home cleaning. After Maundy Thursday, it is no longer recommended to clean until next week.
And still very important point, which also needs to be taken into account: from Thursday nothing can be taken out of the house. It is not recommended to give anything away, from minor things to borrowed money.
Good Friday
Good Friday is another special day. This is a day of mourning for the Son of God. According to biblical tradition, it was on this day that Christ was betrayed and crucified on Golgotha.
Through martyrdom, the Savior of all mankind atoned for our sins. On this day you need to give up work; it is recommended to spend it in prayer and reading biblical stories.
There is a belief that if any illness happens on this day, it will go away very quickly and the person will definitely be cured. And even the most serious problem will soon be easily solved. After all, this day is special.
According to believers, on this day people are “helped by angels.” On Friday in Rus' it was believed that ash taken on the Friday before Easter had magical powers and could cure many serious diseases, such as alcoholism, epilepsy, the effect of the evil eye, as well as depression.
However, those who find it difficult to completely give up food can eat some bread with water. This is allowed, since not everyone can withstand one day without food.
From time immemorial, it was strictly forbidden to work on Good Friday. There was a popular phrase among people: “a bird does not build a nest.”
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is the eve of Holy Easter. On this day, believers remember the time when the body of Christ was in the tomb.
On Saturday you are allowed to finish all the tasks that you did not manage to finish during the week. This is the day when you can still paint eggs, as well as cook other dishes that will later end up on the festive table.
On this day, believers bring colored eggs to church to be blessed, as well as ready-made Easter cakes and Easter cakes.
Of course, any kind of work must be completed by the onset of Sunday.
Temples and churches hold services where Easter cakes and eggs are blessed. And in the homeland of Christ in Jerusalem, thousands of believers watch the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire.
What to do on Easter
How to spend this day with dignity? After all, Holy Easter is a special day not only for believers, but also for those who are quite far from religion.
All we can do on this day is to rejoice, treat our family and friends, invite them to visit us, and also pay visits to those who are much worse off than you these days in order to try to help them.
On Easter you can eat any food and drink wine. However, this should be done in moderation. Moderation is the main rule of any feast, and not just Easter.
If you have a normal relationship with alcohol, then you can afford to drink it in small quantities. However, if you know you won't be able to stop, it's better to give it up altogether. After all, on the holiday of Holy Easter, being drunk is a great sin.
Remember that fun should be more spiritual than physical.
What not to do on Easter
So, what should you not do on Easter? On this day you should not be sad, indulge in sad and sad thoughts. You cannot walk around angry, gloomy, or quarrel with others. It's especially bad to swear.
But these prohibitions do not apply exclusively to Sunday. All these rules should be followed throughout Holy Week.
This week should become an example of how a person should always behave. Regardless of whether it is a holiday or not, a person must behave decently, honestly and decently. We should always help those who need it, be kinder, use less foul language, and drive away bad thoughts.
What else can't you do on Easter?
The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to restrictions for Easter is the ban on work. If you have Easter Sunday off, you're lucky. But, unfortunately, the question of whether to work or not on Easter does not always depend on us. If the boss confronts us with the fact that we need to go to work, we unquestioningly follow the order and go to work.
Don't worry if your schedule means you have to work on Easter. There is nothing criminal or sinful if you work against your will.
After all, we are also talking about obedience here. You are simply required to carry out your duties conscientiously. regular work. It is believed that if you fulfill your duties honestly and truthfully, the Lord will definitely understand and forgive you.
Regarding prohibitions on execution homework, it should be understood that this is not some kind of strict prohibition, the violation of which will be punished from above. The point is that on this day you should give up work in order to devote time to your family and friends.
Devote yourself to pious thoughts about God, celebrate, be with your loved ones.
The ban on working on Easter days is not canonical; it is most likely just a pious custom.
We all know that household chores and daily chores are integral parts of every person’s life. And giving up these troubles is not always easy. If you don’t have the opportunity to completely abandon these chores, you can devote some time to them on holidays.
However, try to do this wisely. So as not to spend a holiday bogged down in washing floors or dishes. And even more so, you shouldn’t start spring cleaning or painting on Easter. window frames. Well, you see, these matters can be postponed until later.
What should be in an Easter basket
So, the bright holiday of Great Easter is coming.
Many of us follow the pleasant tradition of gathering on Easter night with our closest and dearest people, usually members of our family.
We fill our baskets with food that we have prepared in advance and go to church service.
But what can you not find in an Easter basket: Easter cakes, eggs, meat products, fish dishes, salt, horseradish, water, wine. Each family has its own list of products that they consider necessary to place in the basket.
However, many of us fill it incorrectly. So, what should you put in your Easter basket, and what should you leave out?
You need to remember the basic rule that the basket should contain only 4 main elements; you should not overload it with everything.
KULICH
Kulich is the main attribute of Holy Easter. It symbolizes the body of Christ and is also a symbol of the kingdom of heaven.
Most of us are accustomed to pyramid-shaped paskhas; it is this shape that resembles Golgotha, the place where Christ was crucified.
EGGS
Easter eggs are a symbol of new life.
The custom of painting eggs goes back to ancient times. Tradition says that Mary Magdalene turned to the ruler Tiberius. As a gift she brought an ordinary egg, and also told him the news of the resurrection of Christ.
However, Tiberius did not believe what the woman said. Moreover, according to him, “people cannot rise from the dead, just as a white egg cannot suddenly turn red.” Legend has it that it was after this phrase that the egg suddenly turned bright red.
DAIRY
White color is a symbol of purity and pure love. Dairy products symbolize God's love for people.
MEAT PRODUCTS
Regarding the presence of meat products in the basket, Christ is identified with the sacrificial lamb. He was also sacrificed for the sake of humanity and for the salvation of the human soul.
In addition, horseradish root and salt are also added to the Easter basket. Horseradish is associated with the homeland, and salt with financial wealth in the family.
Don't forget about the candle. It should also be present in the Easter basket. If the housewife wants to show her imagination, she can decorate the basket with flowers, ribbons, blessed willow branches, or use other decorative elements.
And the last thing: you can’t take church service alcoholic drinks. After all, religion does not approve of drinking alcohol.
Various alcoholic drinks have nothing to do with great church holidays. You shouldn't even put Cahors in the basket. Also make sure that there is no knife or other sharp objects in it.
It is also worth remembering that products that were consecrated in the church should under no circumstances be thrown away and placed in a bucket. What to do then with leftover food? It is recommended to distribute food to those who need it. And the Easter cake crumbs should be placed in a bird feeder.
Each year, Palm Sunday falls on a different date and is celebrated a week before Easter. In 2018 we will celebrate April 1st. On this day, every Christian, having blessed a bunch of willow in the church, will bring it home and place it near the icon. You can’t throw it away, you need to store it for a whole year. Then burn it to get rid of the negative energy accumulated over 12 months. It is also allowed to take the plant back to the church and even lower it down the river. And in Poland, Serbia and Belarus, willow was taken to the graves of deceased ancestors. The main thing is not to throw it away!
By the way, the holiday has several names - the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Palm Sunday and Palm Sunday.
history of the holiday
According to legend, in 30 AD Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. People heard that shortly before this he had resurrected Lazarus and greeted him as a king. The path of Christ was covered with clothes and palm branches - sacred plant ancient Jews. People believed that only the palm tree transmitted magical powers to the earth and influenced fertility.
The “Palm Street” in Jerusalem is still preserved and is named after the significant event.
The people, of whom there were many, spread their clothes along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and laid them out along the road, says the Gospel of Matthew. - The people who walked in front and behind shouted: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who walks in the name of the Lord!”
In northern latitudes, as is known, there is no tropical plants and therefore the palm tree was replaced with a willow - a harbinger of spring. No matter how cold the weather is these days, even if there is still snow, the willow is already right there!
In Italy, the symbol of the holiday is olive trees. In France - rosemary.
Bouquets, no matter what they are made of, need to be prepared or bought the day before - on Lazarus Saturday. On Sunday, after going to church, the whole family gathered at the table. The food on the table should be lean, without foods prohibited during fasting. The exception is fish, vegetable oil and some red wine. You cannot cook hot dishes on Palm Sunday.
The holiday must be spent with friends and family, in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere, because Lent is still underway, and on Monday, Holy Week begins, the last week before Easter.
“There’s a red egg not far away!”
As on all great church holidays, you cannot work on this day, so women prepared and cleaned the house in advance. They even tried not to comb their hair, so as not to get themselves into trouble. For this day, housewives baked nuts from dough and gave them to all household members, not excluding animals, for health.
But the most healing thing on this day is the willow. Its branches lashed the sick man on the back, saying the words: “It’s not me who is the willow. It’s Great Day this week. The red egg is not far away!” To consolidate the effect, we ate 9 willow buds, washing them down blessed water. True, doing this often and over trifles was not encouraged: there was no point in abusing Divine help on such an important day.
It is useful to plant a flower or replant a houseplant on Sunday to increase your income. It needs to be carefully looked after; if it withers, there will be serious financial losses.
Women who did not have children wore amulets made of willow buds so that “the long-awaited stork would fly to them.”
Girls who wanted to marry a specific guy thought about him all day, from morning until evening. If the object was “the one that was needed,” the young lady’s thoughts were somehow transmitted to her betrothed and in the evening he came to her to invite her for a walk.
It was also believed that the willow could protect the house from natural elements. A house in which there is a consecrated willow branch will not be struck by lightning. If during a fire you throw a willow into the fire, it will go out faster and the flame will not spread to another building. And twigs thrown into the water during ice drift will help avoid large floods.
Signs
- If it’s warm and dry on Palm Sunday, it will be in the summer big harvest fruit.
- The wind is blowing - expect a cold summer.
- If frost hits, the year will bring a lot of wheat.
- The number of blossoming earrings also served as an indicator of the future harvest.
The Christian Church introduced the holiday of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem in the 4th century, and in Rus' it appeared in the 10th century and began to be called Palm Sunday, since the willow had the same meaning as palm branches.
According to the traditions of the holiday on the eve of Palm Sunday, in ancient times, Russian people went to the banks of the river to break willow, and this was a real rite. The willow was always blessed in the church with holy water, however, this tradition has survived to this day.
In warm countries, this day is celebrated with palm branches, but in our country at this time of year the leaves on the trees have not yet bloomed. Evergreen branches coniferous plants traditionally used in burial rites, so they cannot be used.
According to signs and beliefs, it was believed that the consecrated willow has healing properties, so they touched people with twigs, wishing them health, placed them at the head of the sick, applied them to sore spots, whipped children so that they would not get sick during the year and grow up healthy. Crushed dried willow buds were added to various medicinal decoctions, which were used to treat wounds and skin diseases. Sometimes the buds were added to bread and other baked goods, and some baked bread in the shape of a willow twig. Palm porridge was made from the opening buds. But willow not only heals, it gives physical strength, courage and courage, so many young men made themselves amulets and talismans from willow buds.
It was believed that if before a long journey or some serious matter eat a few willow buds, then only success will await a person on his path and in business. Icons were decorated with branches and hung in the corners of rooms, which many still do to this day. Also, amulets made from willow buds were worn by women who did not have children. According to legend, you had to eat ten kidneys five days after the end of your period, this was supposed to help in conceiving a child. To ensure that the offspring were healthy, a willow twig was placed under the feather bed, and the newlyweds were showered with buds.
Our ancestors believed that willow could impart sexual power not only to humans, but also to livestock. That is why domestic animals were lashed with a blessed willow branch, branches were hung in barns, and before the first pasture in the field, these branches were fed to the animals so that they would not be poisoned by poisonous herbs, or become victims of diseases, thieves and predatory animals. Not a single day goes by without weather-related signs. And Palm Sunday is no exception.
If it rains on Palm Sunday, wait good harvest. This sign is based on many years of observations of our ancestors. They noticed that if it rains on a given day, the harvest will be simply wonderful. If, on the contrary, the weather is dry, then you may not expect a harvest. And, if the sky is cloudy, cloudy, but there is no rain, then the harvest will be quite good, but not as much as we would like. It was also believed that the willow could protect the house from natural elements. A house in which there is a consecrated willow branch will not be struck by lightning. If during a fire you throw a willow into the fire, it will go out faster and the flame will not spread to another building. And twigs thrown into the water during ice drift will help avoid large floods.
If by the next Palm Sunday there were still unused branches in the house, then under no circumstances should they be thrown away. They must be burned and thrown into a stream or river, and the water should not be stagnant. When choosing new branches, they gave preference to young trees growing near rivers. It was forbidden to take branches from trees growing near the cemetery, or on which there were nests and hollows.
Many people, believers and not, even today, on the eve of Palm Sunday, decorate their home with willow branches, because this plant gives joy and awakens spring in the heart.
Signs for Palm Sunday
Tap your body with a willow twig- you will be healthy for a whole year. Perhaps this is the only sign that people know about today. First, a willow twig is blessed on this day in the church, and after that the twig is tapped on the body and the sentence is said: “Be as strong as the willow, as healthy as its roots and as rich as the earth.” This preference is given to the willow because it is, perhaps, the most tenacious tree that exists in nature. It is believed that even if a willow stick is stuck into the ground upside down, it will still take root and grow. It is for this reason that willow can give health to a person, because it itself is very strong.
Eat a willow bud- an important matter will be decided. It was customary to keep consecrated willow branches for a whole year near the icon. If you have to go to important negotiations, or you are about to start a very important business for you, and you are not sure of the result, then willow will help you here too. But only the willow that was consecrated in the church on Palm Sunday will help. When going on an important task, you need to tear off three buds from a branch and eat them, washing them down with holy water, while thinking about your business. True, you can use this property of a twig only in the very as a last resort. Constantly, don’t, it’s better not to disturb the willow, it can go sideways.
On Palm Sunday, think about your loved one., he will come. Superstition? More likely. But before, a young girl, if she liked some guy and he didn’t pay any attention to her, would wait for this very day. Starting in the morning, she began to think about who was dear to her heart. Her thoughts were somehow incomprehensibly transmitted to this guy. And in the evening he came to her to invite her for a walk. In principle, it has long been proven that human thought is material. Everything we think about inevitably happens sooner or later. real life. Perhaps Palm Sunday has such an energy that allows us to bring our thoughts to life much faster than on any other day.
Plant a houseplant for Palm Sunday- you will be rich. It used to be believed that if you plant on this day indoor flower, then he will attract money into your life. In cities, of course, they kept indoor plants, but in villages there was no time for that. But those who knew about this sign and planted indoor plants quickly got back on their feet. But this sign has several features that few people know about. Firstly, if the flower withers within a month, then you will have to live your whole life in poverty. And secondly, you only need to plant plants with large and fleshy leaves. By the way, one of these plants is now called the money tree. In order for it not to wither and grow well, you need to know the special rules for planting and caring for it. By the way, it was noticed that in the house where Money Tree It grows well, there is always prosperity and there is no shortage of money.
Poultry is not allowed outside- the witch will ruin it. Perhaps earlier they were confident in this sign, but not now. It was believed that a week before Easter, witches began to go on a rampage. After all, starting from Easter and all the holidays, their power temporarily decreased. So they tried to cause mischief, so to speak, for the future. It was believed that it was on poultry that witches took revenge. But it’s not known whether to believe this sign or not. But in villages to this day, those who keep the bird try not to let it out into the street on Palm Sunday.
There are holidays that we have heard about and know about, but we do not know about the signs associated with this day. We don't worry too much because we don't know what customs to follow. But when troubles happen in our lives, problems appear, then we begin to think where all this comes from, and why all this is on our heads.
Beliefs on Palm Sunday
Headaches are spoken of on Palm Sunday.
To do this, after combing your hair, remove the hairs from the comb and put them in water.
Pour this water over the willow tree on Palm Sunday and say:
“Water, go to the ground along with your headache.”
On Palm Sunday they cast a love spell on a willow tree.
To do this, break a twig and say:
“As long as the willow lies behind the icon,
Until then, my husband will not stop loving me, he will not forget me. Amen".
Place the willow behind the icon.
Just don’t throw away the enchanted twig under any circumstances!
Remember that the branches from Palm Sunday must be preserved.
They help in the treatment of many diseases!
It is believed that on Palm Sunday it is customary to hit the back of the person you wish good health with a willow.
But know that the one who slapped you on the backside wishes you harm.
Since, having lashed with willow on this great holiday, they may wish you harm, and it will come true.
They consecrate the willow. And then they keep it in the house all year in a vase or behind icons.
With old willow that has stood for a year, they sweep all the corners, windows, thresholds,
they thank her for her service and burn her.
It is necessary to lash all domestic animals and animals on the back with the new holy willow,
Saying out loud: “Whip willow, beat me to tears,” this adds health.
Buds, fluffy leaves from holy willow
help with female infertility and enuresis.
Today you can bake holy willow fluffs into bread
and give to sick pets - they will be healed.
To everyone who helps their loved ones with castings
or another method to remove damage or treat,
this amulet against interception will come in handy: today you need to eat on an empty stomach
3 willow buds and wash down with holy water.
Then say:
“St. Paul waved the willow and drove away other people’s illnesses from me.
How true that Palm Sunday they honor, it’s true,
that other people’s illnesses don’t bother me. Amen".
If you are an Orthodox person, then before this you need to take communion.
Rituals. Willow and its strength
Willow is still a significant plant in the folk Orthodox culture of Russians. It gave the name “Palm Sunday” to the church’s twelfth feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter. According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ went with his disciples from Bethany, where he raised Lazarus, to Jerusalem to celebrate Easter there. On the way to the city, Christ saw a donkey tied to a tree, on which he rode into the city. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, having learned about the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus, enthusiastically greeted the Savior with palm branches called “vaii” and a song of praise. On the road along which Jesus was traveling, people threw palm branches and spread out their clothes. In memory of this event, in Christian churches on the day of the holiday it is customary to consecrate decorated tree branches. Among the Russians, the place of the palm branch was taken by the willow, and the week before the holiday began to be called “Verbna”, “Verbnitsa”.
Ideas about unusual properties willows, however, go back to pre-Christian, pagan times. This plant, like birch, in folk culture was associated with the idea of rapid growth, health, vitality, fertility. These ideas are based on the fact that willow blooms its buds earlier than other plants. A blossoming tree symbolized the coming spring and, according to mythological consciousness, could convey health, strength and beauty to humans and domestic animals.
Willow was quite widely used in calendar rituals of Russian peasants. Despite the fact that Palm Sunday was church holiday On this day, numerous rituals with willow were performed, based on archaic beliefs. It was customary to go to the forest to pick willows before sunrise on Lazarus Saturday, on the eve of Palm Sunday. The brought branches were often immediately decorated with paper flowers and ribbons, but sometimes this was done only after their consecration or on the eve of Easter. They went to church to bless the willow on the same day for the evening service or on Sunday morning. The consecrated branches were placed in the front corner of the shrine or placed behind the icons, where they were kept until St. Yegoryev's day or all year. In Siberia, a “teremok” was made of straw for the willow tree, decorated with rags, ribbons and hung in front of the icon.
Upon arrival home after the consecration of the willow, and sometimes right next to the church, each member of the household, and most often children, was hit with it, as it was believed, “for health.” At the same time they said: “The willow is red, hit until you cry, be healthy!”, or: “I don’t hit - the willow hits, the willow hits until you cry.” In many areas, for the same purpose, cattle were whipped with willow or given a twig or buds of the plant to eat.
In the Central Russian zone, in order for sheep to be “fed”, they were fed with a special loaf or bread in which willow buds were baked. In some places, the shape of kidneys was given to ritual cookies, which on Lazarus Saturday were brought to church for blessing along with willow cookies. In the Kostroma province it was called “lamb”, in Moscow - “lamb”, “granny” or “akatushki”, in Ryazan - “nuts”, “kytka”. Cookies were baked according to the number of livestock and poultry, and in some local traditions - for all household members. In the Ryazan region, when feeding sheep with cookies on Palm Sunday, it was believed that they would each bring a pair of lambs, and the holiday itself was called “lamb holiday.”
The Russians everywhere placed and still place blessed branches in the red corner next to the icons. Previously, willow was stored until St. Yegoriev's day or all year. Throwing it away after whipping cattle was considered a sin. Usually these branches were stuck in the barn under the roof, “so that the cattle would not wander,” or thrown into the river, “let them float on the water”; sometimes they burned it in a furnace. Belarusians kept willow all year behind icons until the new Holy Monday. On the same day they burned it and placed a new consecrated willow near the images. When going to new house Some of the willow branches were left in the old house, and half were transferred to the new one.
On Yegoryev Day, in many localities, each cattle was hit with a willow during the ritual of the first pasture for grazing, and after pasture they fed it, believing that these actions would ensure a good offspring and protect them from wild animals throughout the grazing season. They did the same on the day of St. Nicholas the Great: on this day, and especially when driving the horses out at night, the first of the season, they were lashed with willow branches.
On Ivan Kupala in Volyn and Podolia, a willow tree or branch was used as a festive attribute: girls decorated the plant with flowers and danced around it, and after a while the boys burst into the girls’ circle, grabbed the willow and tore it apart. This ritual is close in meaning to numerous agricultural rituals of the East Slavic tradition using stuffed animals made of plant material, and its purpose is to influence the forces of nature so that the harvest is successful.
As can be understood from the examples given, magical functions were attributed to willow in the popular consciousness. Willow branches blessed on Palm Sunday were endowed with special powers. The producing properties of the plant are obvious from its magical meaning sentences that were pronounced when children were whipped with willow: “Grow like a willow!”, “As the willow grows, so do you grow!” In some areas, barren women ate the buds of the blessed willow in the hope that it would help them give birth to a child. The beekeepers stuck willow branches around the apiary so that the bees would swarm well, more bee colonies would be born, and they would bring the owner honey and wax in abundance.
In the Penza province there was a ritual of calling out to young women, in which it is obvious that a positive meaning was attributed to the willow. At midnight on the eve of Palm Sunday, young people went around the houses where the newlyweds lived and shouted near the gate:
“Open it, open it, young one, hit it with a camel, give it more health than before.” The young woman unlocked the gate, and the crowd entered singing: “If only there would be a harvest of grain, multiplying livestock.” Everyone sleeping in the hut was lightly hit with a willow, saying: “We hit to be healthy,” and also: “Get up early, hit the ram.” The last to be whipped was the young one as she bowed, escorting the singing youth out of the gate.
The productive power of the willow was also used directly in agricultural rituals. So, after the first pasture of livestock, the twigs could be broken and scattered across the field, and the buds could be crushed into grain intended for sowing. In the Smolensk region, part of the willow brought after cattle pasture was stuck into the ground in a grain field - “so that the earth would come to life faster”, “so that the rye would grow well and grow fluffy, like a willow”; the other part was hidden behind the icon - “so that the cattle would return home.” Here the housewife threw the rod, which she used to drive out the cattle, into the manure in the barn; at the same time, she jumped as high as possible “so that flax would be born.” In some places, willow branches were stuck in the four corners of the field to protect the crops. In the Tambov province, willow was generally planted in the field for this purpose. In Belarus, with the consecrated willow they went out for the first plowing of the spring field and to plow up the virgin lands.
In addition to producing, willow was endowed with healing properties, which were used both for preventive purposes and directly in folk medical practice. In the Yenisei province, consecrated willow was fed to cows and sheep on Maundy Thursday - Thursday on Holy Week, and they said: “It’s not I who give, but the waistcoat. Just as the talnik does not dry, so you, my God-given cattle, do not dry.” Willow, even unconsecrated, was also widely used to treat people.
In Kuban, willow was used in the treatment of childhood diseases. To do this, early in the morning, before sunrise, they went to the river and there they cut the willow three times, nine branches each. At the same time, they counted from nine to one three times. Arriving home, they lowered them into hot water one bunch of nine branches and bathed the child near the window from which the sunrise could be seen. At noon, they put a second bunch of willow in hot water and bathed the child near the window, opposite which the sun stood at that moment. In the evening, when the sun was setting, the same actions were performed with the last bunch of branches in front of the window looking west. At the end, all the willow branches with water were taken to the river and poured out with prayer so that they would float on the water. It was believed that the disease would recede. In the Vitebsk region, sick cattle were fumigated with willow, they ground it into powder and covered wounds with it, they made a decoction from it and drank it for various diseases, and also used it as a lotion for tumors and bruises.
Willow in folk culture was attributed protective qualities. All Eastern Slavs had a widely held belief that a consecrated branch could protect against thunderstorms, storms, and other natural disasters, evil spirits and diseases. The Russians in the Tambov province believed that a willow thrown against the wind could drive away a storm, and thrown into a fire could pacify it. People everywhere believed that the willow stored in the red corner would protect the house and the entire household from thunder and lightning. During hail, Belarusians placed a bunch of consecrated willow on the windowsill to pacify the elements and avoid hail in the grain fields.
Along with the fact that the willow is widely used in rituals and is an attribute of one of the biggest Christian holidays, in popular beliefs it belongs to the trees cursed by God. According to legend, Christ’s tormentors made pins from it to hold the cross together. For this, willow, according to popular belief, is subject to turning by worms, and devils sit in dry willow. In this regard, the famous Ukrainian proverb is indicative: “I fell in love like the devil with a dry willow.” According to the beliefs of Belarusians, the devil sits on a willow, especially an old one - dry and hollow, from Epiphany to Palm Sunday. In the spring, the devils warm themselves on the willow tree, and after it is blessed on the holiday, they fall into the water, and therefore from Palm Sunday until Easter you cannot drink water drawn under the willow tree.
It is a known fact that proper care of indoor plants extends their lifespan. One of the factors proper care is to transplant into a larger pot with fresh soil. The intervals between transplants are different for all plants, but still in this article we will try to systematize this data and consider the basic principles and rules of correct transplantation.
Majority perennial plants needs to be replanted once a year or every two years; some slow-growing plants need to be replanted once every three years.
There are three main types of replanting, depending on how much land was replaced:
- Complete transplant. During such a transplant, all the soil is replaced, making sure to clear the roots of the plants from the old soil.
- Partial transplant. For such a transplant, there is no need to disturb the roots; it is enough to replace the soil around the rhizome.
- Replacing the top layer. This type of transplantation is suitable for situations where it is enough to “sprinkle” the exposed root of the plant or in cases where it is necessary to remove upper layer and fill the vacant space with fresh soil.
The main stages of replanting house plants
Now let's look at the basic steps when transplanting indoor plants.
- Preparing the pot for transplanting
If you choose a clay pot, then in order to get rid of the burnt lime inside, before replanting it should be filled with water and allowed to sit for a day. If you decide to use an old pot, then simply rinse and dry it.
- Add the first layer
In order for the flower to develop successfully after planting, when replanting plants, it is recommended to create a drainage system. And this will be correct, since drainage will smooth out small mistakes in watering. Suitable for these purposes are: expanded clay, pieces of brick or shards.
- Taking a plant out of an old pot
To do this, you can water the plant abundantly an hour before replanting, then the flower rosette will easily come out.
- Cleaning the roots
Using our hands, carefully clean the roots of the plant from the top soil, trying not to damage them. If the plant has rotten roots, it is better to remove them.
- Planting a plant
We take a new pot with drainage and lower the plant onto a layer of soil so that the root collar is just below the edges of the pot. And we fill all the remaining space between the old earthen lump and the walls of the pot with a new moistened substrate.
- Compact the soil around the plant
After the compaction procedure, which can be done by hand, you should add fresh soil.
- Watering the plant
This step does not apply to all plants, for example, flowers that are accustomed to dry soil do not need to be watered after transplantation, they just need to be planted in a slightly moistened substrate. This applies to orchids, Crassulaceae and cacti.
In what soil should plants be replanted?
Thanks to the huge selection in garden stores, there is no need to prepare the substrate yourself; you can buy everything you need in garden departments. To prevent the soil in the plant pot from becoming compacted, coarse sand, small pebbles, sawdust, charcoal and even polystyrene foam balls are added to the prepared mixtures. 
Your task is to clarify for which plants this or that soil is suitable, what fertilizers have already been added to it, you also need to pay attention to its composition, acidity and shelf life. It is better to give preference to trusted manufacturers.
Garden soil is rarely suitable for replanting indoor plants; moreover, it is often contaminated with pests or pathogens.
How to choose the right pot for transplanting?
When replanting a plant, you should give preference to a container that is 3-4 centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one. There are three types of containers for planting: pot, cache-pot and container. The pot can be made of clay or plastic; the former has a porous structure, due to which it is the best home for a plant, but a plastic pot is very durable.
The pot has drainage holes, but the flowerpot does not, so do not confuse them when purchasing, when correct use the first is inserted into the second.
The container, as a rule, also has a solid bottom. Several pots are placed in it or several plants are planted. 
When is the best time to repot plants?
The optimal time for replanting is different for each plant; for example, the beginning of summer is suitable for conifers, and then azaleas and camellias are replanted. Bulbous plants are replanted at the end of the dormant period; for cacti, the optimal time is the beginning of winter.
Young plants are replanted every year, adults - every few years. 
In order to check whether your plant needs replanting, you need to remove it from the pot, after watering it thoroughly. If the pot is too small for the plant, then the earthen lump that was in the pot will be densely entwined with roots, and the earth itself will almost not be visible. If the roots are not very densely entwined with the earthen ball, then such a plant does not yet need to be replanted.
Whether certain plants need replanting can be determined, firstly, by the state of their root system: the roots come out of the drainage hole, and the earthen ball is completely entwined with them (you can verify this by removing the plant from the pot). Secondly, this can be decided based on size, age and growth rate. Young and fast-growing species are replanted annually. Large and slow-growing - once every 2-3 years.
Plants in very large containers are replanted quite rarely (once every 5 years). But at the same time, it is necessary to change the top layer of soil quite often, since it is here that, due to the poor quality of irrigation water and constant fertilizing, it accumulates a large number of salts
When transplanting, you need to follow a few simple rules:
The new pot should be only a few centimeters larger than the earthen ball. The opinion that the larger the pot, the better plant will develop, erroneously. In fact, only that part of the soil that is actively penetrated by roots works; the rest of the soil turns sour, and a large number of pathogenic bacteria are formed here, which negatively affect the development of plants. Ideally, between the earthen lump and the walls of the new pot there should be a distance equal to two fingers (in width).
A month before transplantation, the plant needs to be fed with a urea solution, since after transplantation this can be done no earlier than 2-3 weeks later and the plants may starve.
The day before transplanting, indoor flowers are watered abundantly.
In some plants, during the growth process, a large mass of roots is formed, which, like felt, entwine an earthen ball (asparagus, chlorophytum). In this case, you need to cut off part of the roots from below, and, if necessary, from the sides.
If the plants have grown greatly, spring is the time to start dividing them. Each division is planted in a separate pot, observing all the above rules. During the first time after transplantation, it is recommended to spray the plants more often (with settled water), and once every 7–10 days, additionally spray them with Epin, increasing their resistance.
To give indoor flowers a certain shape and regulate their growth, shoots are cut and pinched. And it is best to do this again in April–May, since the growth of new shoots will occur during increasing daylight hours. By the way, you can carry out not only formative pruning, but also sanitary pruning, removing all old, damaged shoots that have grown over the winter. A mandatory rule is that pruning is carried out on the bud directed outward. Otherwise, the regrown shoots will be directed inside the bush, which is not only unsightly, but also harmful to the plants - they will receive less light and develop worse.
If you need to rejuvenate a plant (for example, a ficus that has been growing on one stem for several years), then it is pruned quite strongly, removing most shoots. The same applies to overwintered pelargoniums, fuchsias, indoor roses. No more than 3–5 buds are left on each shoot.
In the spring they are heavily pruned and many hanging plants(ivies, philodendrons, syngoniums, tradescantia), in which weak shoots form in winter due to lack of light. They try to trim them to the so-called “last year’s growth,” that is, above the leaves that formed at the end of last summer. After this, as a rule, strong shoots are formed that make up the skeleton of the plant. It is necessary to trim with a sharp knife or pruning shears.
Shoots of plants with small growth, as well as shoots of certain species that need to be given a certain shape, are pinched. In this case, only the top is removed. They usually pinch by hand during the entire active growth period, that is, from April to the end of July. This should not be done later, since young shoots will form with decreasing daylight hours and this will negatively affect their quality.
