I sat in Church last week, during Palm Sunday service, doing my yearly assembly of palms into a cross. I knew some others were into it, but this year I really watched everyone at work. Women, men and even some children were busily weaving palms into the shape of a cross. What I noticed this year was that there are several techniques involved in this ritual. People who want to lay the palm cross into their prayer book, make a flat cross, similar to the one in the center of the photo. Those with more of a flare for the dramatic, weave and braid the palm together and tie it up.
No matter what, it was truly a moment that I felt tied to a community of people, all performing a personal tradition, taught to them by family, probably decades ago.
This is something I never noticed anyone doing when I was a child, but several people were working on the task up in the choir loft on Palm Sunday. My husband even gave it a shot; I'm sure he'd get better with practice... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI know someone had to have been doing it when I was a kid...or else I would not have known how...but you are right, I don't remember it being such a big deal back then. Glad your Hubby gave it a try. Better late then never. :-)
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