3rd April, 2023

As we head into spring, Easter celebrations are well underway all around the world. To celebrate this religious holiday, we took a look at four Easter traditions from around the world…

Greece

Festivities are known to be exciting across Greece, with people listening and dancing to folk music. Greek residents take part in the Holy Week over Easter, which commemorates the Passion of Christ and His Resurrection.

During this time, the chandeliers and icon screens in the churches are dressed in black and purple ribbons to enhance the mourning of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ.

On Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, Greek households are busy baking tsoureki, a traditional Easter brioche, as well as lamprokouloura. Then, on the morning of Easter Sunday, lamb is skewered and cooked over charcoal in many areas of the country or roasted in the oven in other areas.

The Greeks also colour their eggs red by immersing them in red dye, as a symbol of the Resurrection of Jesus and the spiritual regeneration that it brings.

Italy

A week of celebrations and rituals takes place in Italy for their Easter celebrations, especially in the south of the country and islands such as Sicily, where processions are described as ‘dramatic’ and include people dressed in costumes carrying the statues of Christ and the Madonna throughout the towns.

Eggs feature heavily in Italian Easter celebrations, with hard-boiled eggs being bless or baked into special bread at Saturday mass. Not to mention the classic chocolate Easter egg that we all know and love, which is sold in shops during the week leading up to Easter. There’s also plenty of feasting on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, known as known as La Pasquetta to the Italians.

The observations of Good Friday are, once again, described as dramatic in most areas of Italy, with the Via Crucis – the ritual of the 14 Stations of the Cross. In Sicily, for example, over 2,000 friars dress in ancient costumes to take part in the procession.

America

Much like the United Kingdom, most American’s tend to celebrate Easter whether they’re religious or not, using it as a time to spend with family and feast on good food – like most celebrations around the world.

Many religious partakers will attend a church service on Easter Sunday and some churches even host special parades, while others celebrate in more low-key ways like a picnic.

Churches also hold a service before dawn, which they call a Sunrise Service. Attendees will participate in the service as the sun rises and this is seen as a powerful symbol by many who attend.

Ethiopia

Easter is known as Fasika in Ethiopia and is observed over a 55-day period.  The Ethiopian Orthodox Church views the death and resurrection of Jesus as far more significant than His birth, so it is the most important festival of their year. As it gets closer to Easter Sunday, the celebrations get bigger.

Orthodox Christians and Catholics essentially go vegan during this time, taking part in a 55-day fast of all meat and animal products. They then break this fast following the Paschal Vigil, where they bow and rise until they’re too tired to continue followed by further rituals and celebrations, before returning to their homes at 3am to feast.

On Easter Sunday, a sheep is sacrificed as a symbol of the story in the Old Testament where God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son to test his faith, before sending a sacrificial lamb in the son’s place just before Abraham was about to carry out his wishes.

It’s clear that Easter celebrations are important to many people throughout the world, so we’d like to wish you a very happy Easter – no matter how you choose to observe it.

Written by: Shannan Errington

*Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.

Sources
https://www.visitgreece.gr/inspirations/easter-in-greece/
https://www.marthasitaly.com/articles/119/easter-week-italy
https://www.englishclass101.com/blog/2019/04/13/easter/
https://ethiopiaid.org.uk/2020/02/an-insight-into-the-traditions-customs-and-festivities-of-fasika/