MOSCOW, April 23 (RIA Novosti, Olga Lipich) - Alexis II the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, is serving vespers and blesses willow branches at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior today, on Palm Sunday eve.
This day is consecrated to the raising of Lazarus. The feast goes back to the Gospel story on which Lord Jesus Christ resurrected his friend from the dead on the eve of His entry into Jerusalem. Righteous Lazarus lived in Bethany near Jerusalem with his sisters Martha and Mary, and died four days before the Lord came to his village.
The tidings of a man raised from the dead spread all over the land and, when the Lord Jesus came to Jerusalem the next day, the people greeted Him as King, "and a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way" (Mt 21:8).
Celebrated a week before Easter, Palm Sunday is one of the twelve Feasts. Church congregations hold palm branches at liturgies this day, which we Russians have replaced by willow branches, with their white catkins, to greet the mystical presence of Christ.
The branches are sprinkled with holy water in blessing at Palm Sunday vespers.
On Palm Sunday eve repasts, we Russians add caviar and other fish roe to Lenten dishes.
