The Orthodox Church on April 12 observes Palm Sunday that is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week, which is the last week of the Christian solemn season of Lent.

In most liturgical churches, Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches or the branches of other native trees representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem.

Given the restrictions imposed in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, the parishioners this year will be unable to attend the services and take willow branches to the church for being blessed. But they can pray at home.

Octavian Moşin, priest of the Meeting of God Church of the State University of Moldova, has told IPN that the services at their church are held as usual, but without the involvement of parishioners. Willow branches will be blessed in the evening of April 11 and also on April 12, after the service. They could be later taken home by passerby so that these have joy and feel the significance of the feast.

On Palm Sunday, it is allowed eating fish. This year, Palm Sunday coincides with Catholics’ Easter.