Congregation invited donkey to church service on Palm Sunday – Vårt Land

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“Got overheated and hired a donkey… Come and see it in Lovisenberg church on Palm Sunday!”.

This is how the somewhat humorous Facebook post of St.Hanshaugen parish’s new chaplain, Sigve Thorbergsen Reedtz, read before the weekend’s service.

Thus, the stage was set for a slightly unusual Palm Sunday service in the heart of Oslo – following a biblical example.

Over 80 children and adults turned up to take part in the procession with the donkey – and in the subsequent service, Reedtz estimates.

– Easter is good for Lovisenberg. There were both graduates and families with small children, which we don’t usually see. It was a great way to reach out, he says.

ESEL: The stage was set for a somewhat unusual service in Lovisenberg Church in Oslo, on Palm Sunday. (Andrine Elnes Rabbevåg)

– Easier to present Jesus as a different King

– Did the donkey also have a function in preaching the message?

– The donkey has a liturgical function in that it makes it much easier to show how Jesus was a different kind of king, which was a theme in the service, answers the chaplain.

As is well known, the Bible describes how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey while his followers laid palm leaves on the road in front of him.

Sigve Thorbergsen Reedtz gives the following explanation of where the idea came from:

NORWEGIAN VRI: While the disciples laid palm leaves in front of Jesus when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the procession outside Lovisenberg church was content with “goose chicks”. (Andrine Elnes Rabbevåg)

A tip from a Palestinian priest led to donkey and camel rental in Askim

– I am fairly new to the congregation and was supposed to have this service for young and old on Palm Sunday. Then I got a tip from a friend, Sally Azar, who is a priest in Jerusalem, says the chaplain.

Vårt Land has previously written about Sally Azar, who in January became the first female priest in Palestine. Oslo bishop Kari Veiteberg was one of the bishops who prayed for and laid hands on Azar when she was ordained.

– Sally mentioned that it is common in Lebanon to bring a donkey to the service on Palm Sunday. Then I thought I had to try it, so then I had to find one, explains Reedtz.

It was easier than he feared: because in Askim there was a farm that specialized in this sort of thing.

– There was a farm in Askim, which simply ran rentals. They have apparently rented out camels to St Olav’s congregation in the Catholic Church. They live off those things here, laughs Reedtz.

– Is it tempting to repeat?

– It does, then we will hear from the congregation. There was good feedback.