Hosa’ena, also known as Palm Sunday, is a moveable feast in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, celebrated on the Sunday before Easter. It commemorates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-9), where people spread palm branches in His path before His arrest and crucifixion. Thus, it marks the beginning of Passion Week, the final week of Lent.
Ethiopian Orthodox priests in Addis Ababa during a religious celebration.
To remember Jesus' arrival into Jerusalem, different countries mark the occasion in some unique ways.
The Eighth Sunday of the Great Fast (Abiy Tsom) is called “Hosanna” which means Save us! This is the celebration of Our Lord's humble entrance into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey, while the crowds were scattering their garments before Him and waving their palm branches.
The Significance of Hosanna
Palm Sunday is significant for all Christians because it marks the beginning of Holy Week, that very important day when Our Lord and Saviour Eyesus Kristos began His journey toward the Cross.
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The celebration of Hosanna is a time for believers to reflect on their own humility and to strive to emulate the virtues of Jesus Christ. It is a time for introspection, repentance and spiritual growth. It is marked by prayer, fasting and attendance at church services.
The celebration of Hosanna has great significance within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church.
The celebration of Hosanna is not only a religious event, but also a time for the community to come together and strengthen its bonds. The presence of the Church delegation, priests, scholars and a large number of faithful created an atmosphere of unity and devotion.
The Church serves as a focal point for worship, spiritual guidance and community involvement. It plays a central role in preserving and promoting the traditions and values of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate Hosanna, their version of Palm Sunday, with colorful processions, hymns, and prayers. It's a joyous occasion where palm branches are waved and traditional clothes are worn to honor Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
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Palm Sunday is also a time for the blessing of palm branches, which are distributed to the faithful as a symbol of victory, triumph, and the coming of the Kingdom of God.
The Ethiopian churches decorated with palms and the Arch deacon distribute palm branches to the fellowship in memory of the greetings Jesus received from the pilgrims as He rode into Jerusalem.
Believers often prepare palm fronds by knotting them into crosses used as rings and tied on their heads in preparation for the procession on Sunday.
It is customary in Ethiopian churches for the worshippers to receive fresh palm leaves on Palm Sunday. The walls of the temple ornamented with emblems of the palm.
On this day according to The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's tradition, clergies distribute blessed palm branches to the congregation. Believers on the other hand will make small crosses with the blessed palm leaves and tie them to their heads or make them into rings.
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The palms we take home serve to remind us that by Our Lord and Saviour Eyesus Kristos’ victory, we too can gain this victory and achieve everlasting life.
Palms have long been a sign of victory, success and glory.
The Donkey Symbolism
Zachariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
The symbolism of the donkey refers to the ancient tradition that it is an animal of peace, versus the horse, which is the animal of war. A king comes riding on a horse when he was bent on war, but he rides upon a donkey when he wants to show he is coming in peace.
The symbolism of the donkey may refer to the ancient tradition that it is an animal of peace, versus the horse, which is the animal of war. A king come riding upon a horse when he was bent on war and rode upon a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace.
Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem would thus symbolize His entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.
Our Lord and Saviour Eyesus Kristos’ entry into Jerusalem would thus symbolize His entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.
He comes in peace and humility and rides in on a donkey. In many cultures, donkeys are among the lowliest and have almost no value in our eyes.
The spiritual meaning of the Ass and the Colt are the Old and the New Testament, and the city of Jerusalem represents the soul. Our Lord and Saviour Eyesus Kristos the Word of God entered into Jerusalem riding on the Ass(Old Testament) and half way to Jerusalem he switched to young Colt(New Testament). From both Old and New Testament we find the word of truth which purifies our soul and drives away all evil.
According to church’s tradition, in ancient times, palm branches symbolized goodness and victory, for example, Abraham praised His Lord holding palm branches when he gave birth his first Child Isaac, and his descendants, Isaac and Jacob had done the same. During their departure, Israelites also praised their Lord using palm branches.
The Ethiopian Gospel Commentary 1983E.C (pp.233-236)
Other Global Palm Sunday Traditions
One of the joys of the Catholic religion is that the various feasts often inspire some very wonderful celebrations all over the Christian world. And this is just the case for Palm Sunday, which marks the first day of Holy Week.
If you take a look below, you can see some rather beautiful traditions adopted by countries far and wide, and you might even recognize some closer to home.
"La Borriquita" procession in Spain.
In some regions of Spain, particularly in Catalonia, a unique Palm Sunday tradition involves a procession with a float with a representation Jesus riding on a donkey, or alternatively, where an actual donkey carries a statue of Jesus. The ceremony symbolizes Jesus' humble entry into Jerusalem.
Intricate palm weavings are created for Palm Sunday in Mexico.
In Mexico, particularly in villages and towns with indigenous populations, intricate palm weavings are created for Palm Sunday. These weavings often take the form of crosses, flowers, or other symbols and are used to decorate homes and churches.
Throughout Greece people will celebrate Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem by eating fish, even though it is Lent and the Greek Orthodox abstain from fish (along with other foods, like meat) during these 40 days. This tradition stems from ancient Greek times when the palms in the form of a cross that we know today were handed out in the shape of a fish, one of the earliest signs of Christianity.
Hosanna: A Reflection on Faith and Humility
Is our Faith to God dependent on conditions?
The same people who applaud Our Lord and Saviour Eyesus Kristos’ entrance into Jerusalem on Hosanna morning, shouting out “Hosanna in the highest!" and ‘King of Israel’ five days later, cried, “Crucify Him.” and ‘We have no king but Caesar!’.
What a contrast between the palm branches and the cross. Before they were offering their own clothes for Him to walk upon, and so soon afterwards they stripped him of his clothes.”
As our Lord suffered and died for our sins, so we too should rejoice in our suffering for Him.
The celebration of Hosanna , which commemorates the humility of Jesus Christ, was celebrated on 26 April 2018 E.C. at the Holy Trinity Church in Debre Birhan City, Semien Shewa Prefecture.
This significant holiday was honoured with a discourse delivered by His Holiness Abune Kelementos I, Director of the Sunday School of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and Bishop of North Shewa Parish.
During the celebration, His Holiness Abune Kelementos I highlighted the blessings associated with the celebration of Hosanna. He described it as one of the most important occasions to honour and remember the humility of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The event was attended by several notable personalities, including the renowned preacher Hadis Neqe Tibeb Ababu, who serves as the church’s general manager.
In addition, the church delegation, Angel Berhanat Qomos, Aba Yitberek Mekonen, the church administrator, as well as priests, scholars and a large number of believers were present to take part in the festivities.
