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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Great Feast of Holy and Glorious Palm Sunday - Shaneeneh - - Blessing of Palm and Olive Branches

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According to the liturgical books, the olive and palm branches should be blessed at Orthros. Orthos is the Morning Prayer that is properly celebrated before the Divine Liturgy.

Text of the Blessing of Palm and Olive Branches from Lenten Triodion, Volume 4, Weeks 5 and 6 of Great Lent published by the Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, MA), Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States.

This Blessing of Palm and Olive Branches text is from Lenten Triodion, Volume 4, Weeks 5 and 6 of Great Lent and from Byzantine Melkite Euchologion published by the Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, MA), Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States. These books are available from Sophia Press, Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States).

The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 21, verses 1-17 is read.

At this point the palms are blessed. In most cases, this is done just before or after the Liturgy: in those cases, go immediately to the Idomela after Psalm 50.

The priest incenses the palms crosswise, then prays:

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Response: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Lord our God, You are seated upon the throne of the Cherubim, and by Your sublime power, You have sent Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save the world by His crucifixion, burial and resurrection. And when He entered Jerusalem to suffer the crucifixion by His own free will, the people sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death took branches of olive and palm trees as the symbols of victory and proclaimed beforehand His Resurrection.

Therefore, O Lord, as we imitate these same people, preserve and keep us while we carry in our hands palms and branches of trees on this vigil of the Feast. And like the crowds and children who shouted to You, "Hosanna!" make us worthy through our praises, chants and spiritual hymns, to see the glorious Resurrection on the third day by the same Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom You are blessed together with Your all-holy good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.

R: Amen.

Then the priest sprinkles the palms with holy water, saying: These palms are blessed by the grace of the all-holy Spirit, through the sprinkling with holy water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

R: Amen. (Three times)

When the palms are blessed after the Gospel during the Divine Liturgy

When the palms are blessed after the Gospel during the Divine Liturgy, the people come forward to kiss the Gospel Book after the prayer, "O God, save Your people..."
The priest distributes to the people the palms and branches, which they hold in their hands with lighted candles until the end of the service.

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles) and Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000 and Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-givng Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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