Thou didst give a pledge of the general resurrection before Thy Passion, O Christ our God, by raising Lazarus from the dead. Therefore, we too, like the children, carry the symbols of victory and cry to Thee, the Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the Heights! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord.
Troparion of the Feast, Tone 1
This emblematic feast of Christianity was celebrated with great enthusiasm and spiritual thirst by the multitude of faithful, who attended the Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, assisted by Protopriest
Vadim Cheibaș, secretary of the Metropolis of Moldova and Dean of the Cathedral, the Protopope of Rezina, Protopriest Igor Cojocari, as well as the ministers of the Metropolitan Cathedral “Nativity of the Lord” in the city of Chisinau.
The Holy and Divine Liturgy was crowned by two ordinations: deacon Nicolae Cioclu was ordained priest for the parish of Sf. Mihail in Chisinau, and subdeacon Igor Malai was ordained deacon for the church of The Protection of the Mother of God in Rezina.
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, also known as Palm Sunday or Pilgrim Sunday, is one of the Holy Days of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on the Sunday before Easter.
A few days before His crucifixion, Jesus Christ was received by the crowds who glorified and honoured Him at His entrance into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey , as the Messiah and King of Israel. The crowds threw palm and fig leaves, the symbol of victory, before Him in joy, and even children shouted words of praise to Him.
The faithful assembly, led by the First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, gave due honour to this Sunday which opens the way to the Passion and then to the bright Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The liturgical responses were offered at the Service by the mixed choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral conducted by Mrs Angela Angheni.
After the Liturgy, the parishioners listened to a word of teaching and congratulation, accompanied by advice to be mindful of the great feast celebrated today, and to ask the Lord for strength of body and soul to be able to spend the last week before Easter.
Towards the end, Metropolitan Vladimir consecrated the willow branches brought by the multitudes of faithful who came to the House of the Lord to give glory and thanks to the good Lord for all His rich gifts. Due to the fact that the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem is a feast of joy, the Church allows on this day fish and wine during the meal.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass Media Relations