Donkey walk

The donkey walk (Russian: хождение на осляти, шествие на осляти) is a Russian Orthodox Palm Sunday ritual re-enactment of Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem. The best known historical donkey walk was practised in Moscow from 1558 until 1693. The Metropolitan and later Patriarch of Moscow, representing Jesus Christ, rode on a "donkey" (actually a horse{insufficient citation}), while the Tsar of Russia humbly led the donkey on foot.

From 1561 to 1655 the donkey walk began in the Kremlin and terminated at Trinity Cathedral (now Saint Basil's Cathedral), but in 1656 Patriarch Nikon reversed the order of procession. The donkey walk and the Great Blessing of Waters on Epiphany were the two most important Muscovite court ceremonies, emphasizing the tsar's respect for the Orthodox Church, projecting an image (not necessarily true) of harmony in politics. Similar rituals in other cities existed until 1678 until Moscow monopolized the ritual. The tradition was abolished by Peter I.

Donkey walks have been occasionally recreated in the 2000s.

In the first half of the 16th century the ritual, of either Western or Byzantine origin, emerged in Novgorod, where key roles were played by the Archbishop of Novgorod and namestniks. It was imported to Moscow by Metropolitan Makarius. The first attested donkey walk attended by Makarius and Ivan the Terrible took place in 1558, when Trinity Cathedral was under construction. After the completion of Trinity Cathedral in 1561 the processions terminated at its western sanctuary dedicated to the Entry into Jerusalem; the cathedral itself became known as Jerusalem (the current popular name of Saint Basil's Cathedral emerged only in the 18th century). Western visitors left descriptions of the procession as it existed before the Time of Troubles:

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