On Saturday 12 April 2025  out Church hall was buzzing with scissors snipping as nimble fingers fashioned and folded frothy palm fronds into crosses.

Making a Palm Sunday cross is more than just fun. It’s been a family and community tradition the Papadatos family have kept up for 48 years.

It all started way back in 1977 when the parish priest of the time Archmandrite Klimis got it organised and running in this very hall with Eleni Papadatos and her late husband Tasso.

Then in 1980 things changed and it was decided to set up the annual Palm Cross making sessions at the Papadatos home.

Since then a couple of generations of parishioners have been taught how to make the palm crosses under Eleni’s expert eye with the help of her son Dimitri and daughter Alexia.

And as things go in circles, as we know, the time was earmarked for a return to the hall which has been beautifully refurbished and once again serves as the heart of our church community.

Now to the business of what are Palm Crosses and why do we have them?

Palm Sunday marks the day that Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Passover feast just prior to his death, burial, and resurrection. His triumphant entry after the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, had the crowds giving Him a rousing welcome and greeting Him with palm branches and hailing Him as the Messiah.

According to the gospel accounts, Jesus deliberately fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah by riding into the city on a donkey as this humble creature symbolises peace.

Now parishioners gather to weave palm leaves into crosses, which symbolise victory and peace.
The significance of the palm leaves stretches back to ancient times, with references in both Jewish and Christian scriptures.

These special crosses serve as a reminder of Christ’s presence among believers and also of his impending crucifixion.

Palm crosses are made from palm buds which are called fronds and are folded and woven into crosses and all sorts of things like donkeys, ships, stars, and multi-faceted crosses.

Huddled around the table our palm cross makers concentrated on the knotting technique so expertly demonstrated by Eleni Papadatos.

By the end of the afternoon there were well over 800crosses ready to be blessed and distributed on Palm Sunday.
Each cross is also finished off with a bay leaf which is part of the tradition as bay leaves symbolise the victory of Christ over death.

But not all palm crosses are the same……Check out the gorgeous plaited donkeys with their little crosses. Absolutely amazing!

Thank you to all the talented Palm cross makers – tomorrow when we receive our crosses they will be doubly blessed because of all your loving hard work !XXX

( Text and photos: Pepe Sofianos)