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Glite Dictionary
Passion Sunday

Passion Sunday

9.2
The fifth Sunday in Lent that begins the two-week time to remember Jesus' suffering before Easter
  • noun
  • Formal
translation icon : Domingo de Pasión
  • As on Passion Sunday, we draw near to the most holy days of the Christian year; the veiled Cross on the altar says to us:

Examples

  • On Passion Sunday, Christians reflect on the sufferings of Christ during Lent.

  • Every year, churches prepare for Passion Sunday by covering their crosses with veils.

  • Passion Sunday marks the beginning of Passion Sunday, leading up to Easter.

Surface Forms

Passion Sunday singular
Passion Sundays plural

Morphology

Passion + Sunday

The compound is compositionally obvious: combining 'Passion' (the events of Christ's sufferings) with 'Sunday' yields a Sunday that commemorates the Passion, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the general meaning. However, the precise liturgical timing and specialised sense (fifth Sunday in Lent / start of Passiontide) are not predictable from the words alone and require cultural/religious knowledge.

Etymology

Passion Sunday gets its name from the word Passion, which means 'suffering' and points to the sufferings of Jesus. It marks the start of a two-week period to remember those events, so the day is linked with thinking about Christ's suffering.