HOSANNA  , the cry of praise or

adoration shouted in recognition of the Messiahship of Jesus on his entry into Jerusalem (Matt. xxi . 9, 15; Mark xi . 9 sq.; John xii . 13), and since used in the Christian Church . It is also a Jewish liturgical term, and was applied specifically to the " hosanna " branches carried in procession in the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, the seventh day of which was called the Hosanna-day (so also in Syrian usage; cf . " Palm " Sunday) . This festival (for which see Lev. xxiii . 39 sqq.; 2 Mace. x . 7; Jos . Ant. xii. to . 4, xiii . 13 .

15; and the Talmudic tractate Sukkah) already suggested a Dionysiac celebration to

Plutarch (Symp. iv . 6), and was associated with a ceremonial drawing of water which, it was believed, secured fertilizing rains in the following year; the penalty for abstinence was drought (cf . Zech. xiv . 16 seq.) . The evidence (see further Ency . Bib. cols . 3354 . 488o seq.; I . Levy, Rev. des Et. juives, 1901, pp . 192 sqq.) points to rites of nature-worship, and it is possible that in these the term Hosanna had some other application . The old interpretation " save, now ! " which may be a popular etymology, is based on Ps. cxviii .

25 (Heb. hoshi ah-nna), but this does not explain the occurrence of the word in the Gospels, a complicated problem, on which see the articles of J . H .

Thayer in Hastings's Diet . Bib., and more especially T . K . Cheyne, Ency . Bib. s.v .