Today is Lazarus Saturday or Palm Sunday, a holiday dedicated to the resurrection of the righteous Lazarus of Bethany, who, according to tradition, was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. Many families celebrate this day as their patron saint’s day (Krsna Slava).
Today’s holiday, Lazarus Saturday, celebrates the day when Jesus Christ resurrected Lazarus, who had been dead for four days. Many people witnessed this, and the news of Christ’s miracle spread everywhere.
Lazarus then lived for another thirty years as a bishop in Cyprus, where he was also buried. His tombstone read “Friend of Christ”.
On Lazarus Saturday, young willow branches are picked, blessed in church, and distributed to the people. That is why today’s holiday is also called Palm Sunday (Vrbica).
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This is a day of children’s joy, because, according to the Gospel, Christ said as he went to Jerusalem: “Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
It is customary for children, adorned with bells and wreaths, to dress nicely, which is where the saying “dressed up like for Palm Sunday” (“Udesio se, kao za Vrbicu”) comes from.
In the past, “lazarice” (girls singing Lazarus songs) and “dodole” (girls performing rainmaking rituals) went from house to house, wishing the home and its inhabitants progress and happiness with their songs.
Today, flowers are also picked, which are not brought into the house but placed in water overnight, and in the morning, on Palm Sunday (Cveti), the household members wash their faces with this water.
Lazarus Saturday is also celebrated as a patron saint’s day (Krsna Slava), with a mandatory fasting table. Heavier work is not done.
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Source: RTS, Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons