Eucharist Question: Hosanna

My beloved, please mark down the day and time, because when Jewlz asked the Eucharist Question on Wednesday night, I gave a partially incorrect answer. That's right, public admission of an error by your youth pastor!

Jewlz asked, "Why do we say "Hosanna" so much?"

I responded that it was a cry of praise and cited that it was of Latin origin. It is indeed a cry of praise, but is actually of Hebrew origin. My Hebrew professor is metaphorically kicking me right now, I'm sure.

Wikipedia has this to say:

"Hosanna, ('Ωσαννα) is the cry of praise or adoration shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:9, 5; Mark 11:9 sq.; John 12:13), and since used in the Christian Church.

It is also a Jewish liturgical term, applied specifically to the Hoshana Service, a cycle of prayers from which a selection is sung each morning during the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles. The complete cycle is sung on the seventh day of the festival, which is called Hoshanah Rabbah (הושענא רבא, "Great Hosanna") (ArtScroll Siddur, p. 726) (so also in Syrian usage; cf. Palm Sunday)."

I apologize for misleading you as to which language it came from. My bad.

-Fr.R