Orthodox Christians celebrate Annunciation today, Palm Sunday tomorrow

Orthodox Christians today celebrate the Feast of Annunciation as per the Julian calendar and will celebrate Palm Sunday tomorrow, on which occasion they will be allowed to eat fish to mitigate the severity of Lent. “On this great day Saint Archangel Gabriel announced the Holy Virgin that she was going to bear the Son on God. This is one of the feasts when the Church allows believers to have fish”, says Fr. Eugen Onicov from the St. Pantelimon Church in Chisinau. Tomorrow's feast of Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' entry to Jerusalem, when he was greeted with tree branches, particularly palms. In Moldova and Romania, Palm Sunday is known as Duminica Floriilor or simply Florii, arguably a reference to the Roman goddess Flora whose feast was assimilated by the early Christians. On Palm Sunday, blessed tree branches are distributed among the believers. According to tradition, farmers should bury them in the soil and the beekeepers should surround the beehives with blessed branches, and in case of a storm, the blessed buds are to be thrown into the fire to drive away the clouds. A good Christian will also keep some blessed branches beside the icons at home.