Blessed palm branches

Palm Sunday commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. This is also the start of Holy Week. An event that is also celebrated in a very special way in Engelberg. It is a tradition that the new palm branches are blessed in the monastery church on this day. After the service, these are available in the church porch to take home and keep. The palm branches from the previous year can also be returned to the sign in a separate container. These are then burnt in the Easter bonfire on the Easter Vigil. The resulting ashes are used a year later for the imposition of ashes at the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. This completes the circle of the palm branches.