Palm Sunday in Chile (Domingo de Ramos)

Today the holy week has started. We have the Palm Sunday – in Spanish it is “Domingo de Ramos” (ramo means bouquet). Chile just like Poland is catholic country, so it is no surprise Chileans are celebrating it important catholic custom. They buy palms, go to the church to bless their palms. Blessed palm brought home will provide protection for the whole family.

Since in Poland there are no real palms trees, the one in here are made of pussy willows, dried flowers and ribbons. Moreover, Polish palms are slim and very long. In some regions of Poland, palms have 20 meters and there are hold competitions for the most beautiful and long palm.

I spent the last week in Vina and Valpo so I was lucky to see a lot of vendors selling around some church palms. However these palms looked totally different from the one I know from Poland.

Since the climate here is suitable for palm trees the one prepared for Palm Sunday are made of the real palm. leaves. Moreover, each one is decorated with thyme branch, lavender and one more green plant that I do not know the  name. Very often each palm has attached the holy image of Jesus. The other important difference from Polish palm is that here in Chile palm is made of fresh plans, so after few days it will dry.

The “ramos” in Chile have a lot of different shapes from bouquets, carry envelopes to even the forms of birds.

I liked the most the one in a shape of basket, so I bought one and was very lucky to have it immediately blessed in the Our Lay of Agony church in Vina del Mar. Yes, priest was very generous with blessing, so not only palm but also me was blessed. I hope it will bring prosperity for everyone in the house.