Rameaux - Palm Sunday

In Corsica, you can often see people in the cafés and restaurants looking like they have just stepped off the set of ‘The Sopranos’ but even I was a bit shocked to see the priest giving mass in dark glasses!


Not so much ‘Bless me Father’ but ‘Bless me Godfather’!

Although I’m not particularly religious, I am fascinated by all religions, and living in Corsica gives me the opportunity to see it all up close and personal. I’ve never really thought much about Palm Sunday , but when I received this photo from Patricia, it prompted me to find out a bit more.



The feast commemorates an event mentioned by all four Gospels and marks the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before his Passion (crucifixion). It is called Palm Sunday because apparently palm leaves were used to wave him through. In Corsica in the week leading up to ‘RAMEAUX’ we see dried palms being woven into crosses and intricate designs, which are then blessed by the priest. Tiny crosses made with a single palm frond are called ‘crucetta’ and can also be found in houses and also hanging from the rear view mirrors of cars.



These mini works of art are the kept until the following year to bring good luck, and are then burned in churches to be used as the source of ashes used in the Ash Wednesday service. Fascinating stuff.