The Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful celebrate Cveti today — the day when Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. The people heard that the Savior was coming, and many came out to greet Him with palm branches. Cveti is always celebrated on the last Sunday before Easter, during the sixth week of Great Lent.
Cveti marks the beginning of the final week of the earthly life of the Son of God.
According to Christian tradition, Christ, accompanied by His disciples, set out from Bethany to Jerusalem. News of the Savior’s arrival and the resurrection of Lazarus the Four-Days-Dead spread quickly, and many joined Him along the way.
On this day, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem. At the entrance to the Holy Land, the people welcomed Him by spreading garments along the path He would walk. Waving palm branches as a sign of welcome to the Savior who was willingly walking toward His suffering, the people cried out, “Hosanna [glory] to the Son of David.”
Christ healed the afflicted, preached in the temple, and in the evening returned with His disciples to Bethany.
Cveti is one of the most joyful holidays in Orthodoxy.
FIND OUT MORE:
According to folk tradition, the day begins with washing the face in water in which flowers had been soaked the previous day on Vrbica, so that household members would be rosy and healthy.
It was once customary on Cveti to walk around all day adorned with flowers. Young men made bouquets and gave them to girls, with each flower having its own meaning.
It is good today to make important decisions and start new endeavors.
With the great holiday of Cveti, the sixth week of Great Lent comes to an end. Today, for the second time since the beginning of Lent, eating fish is permitted.
Tomorrow, the faithful enter the final week of the Easter fast — the week of the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Son of God.
In Serbia, Cveti is also marked as a historical holiday. On Palm Sunday in 1815, Duke Miloš Obrenović, near the church in Takovo, rallied the people and launched the Second Serbian Uprising.
MORE TOPICS:
Source: Foto: