Niedziela palmowa w zwyczajach i obrzędach ludowych w Opoczyńskiem

Abstract

In Church liturgy, the Holy Week is begun with Palm Sunday. During that week, the services and liturgical texts are focused on reconstruction of the facts from the life od Lord Jesus, beginning with the ceremonial entry in Jerusalem until the commitment of Jesus’ body to the earth. Recollection of the evangelical scene describing Christ’s arrival at Jerusalem and welcoming Him by crowds of people who were holding palm and olive branches in their hands, became a starting point for palm decoration in our geographical zone. In the Opoczno region, the job of ornamenting the palms belonged to women, possibly with their daughters. The palms were decorated with the twigs of blooming willow, red berry or dry reed or grass. In order to make the palm even more beautiful, asparagus was used. All these elements were joint together to make a proper composition, binding it with a piece of thread, and then with a while ribbon, or, sometimes with a white or pink crepe paper. In folk rituals, a palm takes the central place on Palm Sunday, which is sometimes also called a Willow or April Sunday. It was used in a variety of occasions. People even used it to drive cattle during the first grazing on a pasture. It was placed among the greenness growth in order to secure good crops and as a protection against pests. In folk beliefs, willow twigs of the palms were attributed medical properties (eating the calkins was believed to protect against sore throat, toothaches and to give good health in the year to come). Willow catkins were mixed with the fodder and given to cattle, in this way protecting the latter against illnesses. According to folk beliefs, blessed palms had „sacral” properties (protection against evil, storms, lightnings and disease), that is why it was hung outside the window. Those who did not put the palm into the rye, placed it behind a holy picture or they left it in a vase which was standing on a home alter. The palms which are made or bought nowadays still have their justification because they find some basis in the liturgy of Palm Sunday. In people’s beliefs, the palm keeps its power only when it is blessed in Church. At present, palms are not made for magic properties. The inhabitants of villages know that its power does not exist in itself. Leaving the palm in a place which is visible for everybody is supposed to point at the orientation of thoughts which, in times of danger, flow towards transcendent reality which for Christians is God.