Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday and Germany has a special tradition to celebrate this day. I am used to simply gettting a palm frond at church and tucking it behind the crucifix on the wall for the year. Here, there is a bit more involved. For the 11 am service (Kids' Mass), we met at the imperial ruins (ca. 700 A.D.) and the mass started there. The children were all gathered in the front, each holding a Palmstock, or stick with leaves and crepe paper. Most of the children probably made these sticks themselves, in school or with parents. Since Michael and I are rather irresponsible, we forgot to make one. Luckily Oma was here for the weekend and arrived with a homemade one for Jay to carry.

After the first reading, there was then a procession to the church. First went the childern about to receive their first communion (not today, but in the coming month or so). Then the preschool children (in the church program), then the rest of us. There was also a brass quartet playing as we went along.

Jay and Nils both seemed to like the service, especially the outdoor part. I don't have a photo of the Palmstock that Oma made. Unfortunately, Jay ate the apple on it as soon as Mass was over, so it's not quite the same as before. But, this evening, we got a surprise phone call. Nils' godfather, Andi, and his family made a stick for their daughter Emma and one each for Jay and Nils as well! I've attached photos here of it for you to see, as well as of Jay's "eggman" from last week (see http://stuehrenbergs.blogspot.com/2007/03/family-day.html )