"𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖞 𝖙𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝖇𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖕𝖆𝖑𝖒 𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖊𝖊𝖙 𝖍𝖎𝖒, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖈𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖉, 𝕳𝖔𝖘𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆! 𝕭𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝖍𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉!"

Hosanna Sunday / Palm Sunday

Hosanna Sunday (had'bshabo d'Ooshana in Syriac) or Palm Sunday , is an important feast day in the Syriac Orthodox Church and it marks the beginning of Holy Week. It commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, which is significant because it represents Christ’s Kingship, in the line of David, as well as His humility and willingness to serve. During this service, palm branches are distributed to the faithful to signify their participation in Christ's entry into Jerusalem. The faithful hold these branches during the Holy Eucharist to declare their allegiance to Him as their King.

The word "Hosanna" is central to the celebration, which means "Save, I pray" or "Save, now." This expresses the hope and faith of the people in Jesus, who they believed would save them from their persecutions under Rome, and all their miseries and sorrows. The hymns and sermons of the Church fathers for Palm Sunday emphasise the importance of humility and obedience in our relationship with Christ. St. Ephrem and St. Jacob of Serugh wrote hymns and sermons that reflect the Church's understanding of Christ as humanity's true King and Saviour, emphasising the significance of His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation.

In addition to the significance of the palm branches and the meaning of "Hosanna," the donkey Christ chose to ride on during His entry into Jerusalem symbolises His humility and willingness to serve. He travelled on an animal carrying a burden rather than a warhorse as a sign of His peaceful intentions. This act of humility reflects His message of love and compassion and reminds us of the true nature of His kingship. During the Holy Qurbana celebration of Hosanna, the following hymn is sung during the fraction : 

He Whom angels praise has come to Jerusalem

Riding humbly upon the foal of a donkey

And again at the conclusion of the service, the prescribed hymn contains this poignant passage : 

Seraphim are awestruck by His radiance

Yet today he humbly rides on a colt

For the Syriac Orthodox, the memory of Hosanna and the words attending this great event are brought up at the beginning of every prayer and every liturgical and sacramental service, as the opening interchange before the Qawmo. Let us recall (the relevant portion is bolded) : 

P : In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one true God;

C : 

P : Holy, Holy, Holy…Hosanna in the highest!

C : Blessed is He, who has come and is to come, in the name of the Lord

Only after remembering Hosanna, do the Syriac Orthodox proceed into any prayer or sacramental rite.

The Syriac Orthodox Church's observance of Palm Sunday is deeply rooted in the Church's liturgical tradition. It is a rich and meaningful tradition that reflects the Church's deep commitment to Christ as humanity's true King and Saviour. Through this day's unique service, prayers, and hymns, we are reminded of the joyous celebration of Christ's entry into Jerusalem and the significance of His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. We are also called to participate in His kingdom through faith and self-sacrifice. In Syriac Orthodox churches, especially in India and the Middle East, children participate in the joyous celebration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem by throwing flowers along with palm leaves during the Palm Sunday procession. This practice is seen as a way for the children to honour Him as the true King and to participate in the celebration. The inclusion and prioritisation of children in our services today is a direct re-enactment of the events of that glorious day. After our Lord enters the temple and cleanses it and begins to heal many people, we see this remarkable scene involving children and the priests, in St. Matthew 21 : 

“But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies

    you have prepared praise’?””

Surely, these stinging words of Jesus directed at the chief priests reminded the disciples and ought to remind us also of a previous exchange between Jesus and the disciples, where the disciples reacted in the same way and Jesus admonished and corrected them similarly. We read in St. Luke :  “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.””

The importance of children and the necessity that we all approach our King Jesus with simply and humble child-like faith is highlighted to us yet again, right before we enter the Holy Week of our Lord’s passion.

Finally, the observance of Palm Sunday is also a reminder of our journey of faith and the significance of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. 

In conclusion, Palm Sunday is an important feast day that marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Syriac Orthodox Church. It is deeply rooted in the Church's liturgical tradition and reflects the Church's deep commitment to Christ as humanity's true King and Saviour. Through the observance of Palm Sunday, we are reminded of the joyous celebration of Christ's entry into Jerusalem and the significance of His sacrifice on the cross for our salvation. Let us renew our commitment to Christ as our King and Saviour, who has triumphed over sin and death and offers us the gift of eternal life.