Georgia celebrates Palm Sunday
The box-tree is one of the symbols of Palm Sunday and is actively cut and sold the week before Easter. Photo by N. Tskhvirashvili/RLRFE
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Orthodox Christians in Georgia are celebrating Palm Sunday, which marks Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, and is celebrated by a feast on the Sunday before Easter.
On Palm Sunday people who are fasting are allowed to eat fish, while after this day they must continue heavy fasting until Easter Sunday.
The period of Lent, or the great fast, began on March 11 and will end on April 28, the first day of the Easter holidays.
According to the Gospel, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem and worshipers laid down their cloaks and small tree branches in front of him to walk on. Photo: Patriarchate.ge
In the run up to the Palm Sunday holiday, the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture again urged people to refrain from illegally cutting box-trees, since the Colchian box-tree is an endangered species.
A few dozen years is needed for the plant to grow and the species is currently suffering from a declining population. One reason for this is the uncontrolled felling of the plant.
Destruction or cutting of the tree’s branches is punishable by law, and is even criminally prosecutable. Individuals can be fined in between 500-1000 GEL for destruction of the tree; however, if damage exceeds 1000 GEL, legal proceedings can also be initiated.
Orthodox Christians in Georgia are celebrating one of the most significant dates in the religious calendar, Easter. The Easter Eve liturgy marked the end of 48 days of fasting, which started on March 11.