Wednesday, February 06, 2008

"Are those pussy willows?"


Customs for Ash Wednesday

In places where palms can't be found for use on Palm Sunday, it is often the custom for Ash Wednesday to bring pussy willow branches inside and place them in vases of water -- in the same way that cherry branches are brought in on the Feast of St. Barbara -- so the catkins will bud and stay fresh for use in place of palms on the Sunday before Easter. Even where palms are available, this is a lovely custom that reminds us of where the Season of Lent is headed... - Fish Eaters
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1 comment:

  1. swissmiss8:38 PM

    This is interesting. I hadn't heard that about pussy willows before. I don't even know if the pussy willows around here have buds yet...maybe.

    Hope you had a blessed Ash Wednesday.

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