Palm Substitutes

[Madaglan]

Especially centuries ago when palms were difficult if not impossible to obtain, what was used for Palm Sunday? In the Russian tradition, puss-y willow is used. Were various kinds of flowers used?

 

[dixibehr]

***** or other willows were generally used not only in Russia and Ukraine, but in northern Europe generally, as that was what they had.

In some Slavic languages, Palm Sunday is literally translated “Flowery Sunday”; the Assyrians and Chaldeans call it Hosanna Sunday.

The Gospel accounts, and for that matter, the customary Latin prayers of blessing them mention “palms and other branches.”

They seemed to be carrying olive branches at the Mass in St. Peter’s Square today.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Are palms required today, or may other branches be substituted?

 

[dixibehr]

Since the Gospel accounts sa, “palms and branches” and the prayers say something similar, no reason why you can’t use what you have available.

 

[maize]

would a good substitute for palms be a tongue plant?

hear.org/starr/plants/images/image/?q=070906-9041

 

[Cristiano]

I could swear that when we were kids in Italy we used olive tree branches, it was called *Domenica degli Ulivi *(Sunday of the Olive trees). I am sure that today the “old” people like me still call it the same way while the youngsters call it palm Sunday.

 

[Windmill]

It appears there is an order of preference.

1. Palm branches
2. Olive branches
3. Branches of other trees