Spring is also the time when all Christian world prepares to celebrate Easter. Perhaps not in vain the awakening of nature for a new life coincides with the resurrection of Christ. Easter is a symbol of the revival, renewal and salvation from death not so much in physical terms as in spiritual terms. It is one of the greatest Christian holidays, saturated with many symbolism and meanings that find expression in different traditions. One of the most curious things about it is the absence of dates that are noted in Orthodoxy and Catholicism. What else do they resemble and distinguish traditions related to Easter celebration around the world, you can find out from our short holiday overview.
Bulgaria
Our country is part of the Orthodox world, where preparation for Easter begins with a 40-day post. Its purpose is not only to refrain from a particular type of food, but also to abstain from sins and bad thoughts. Thus, the body prepares for purification and a kind of resurrection. The symbol of Orthodox Easter is the red egg. Since ancient times, the nations have perceived the egg as a symbol of the universe . . The yolk is the sun god and the shell . . . the mother goddess. The red one is associated with the resurrection, perhaps because the color is directly related to Christ's blood. Kozunak is another must for this holiday meal. Bulgarian traditions often include ritual bread, but only Easter bread is sweet. Of course, he is part of the festival because it symbolizes the body of Christ. That is, on the day of the feast, Sunday of the Resurrection, after the post and purification, we accept and symbolically feed with Christ's body and blood. With the ban on eating meat comes the sacrifice of lamb, which is also part of the customs in Bulgaria. In Russia, which is also an Orthodox country, the holiday is not significantly different from ours. However, it is characteristic of them that 40 . . meals for Easter are present at the table for each day of the past post. Very close to ours are the traditions of the Greeks. But they believe that by the next Easter each home must also keep from the ritual raisin buns. According to Greek tradition, they bring luck to the house and are often used as talismans to protect sailors from shipwreck.
In Germany, they decorate Easter Tree
For Anglo-Saxon peoples, the symbol of the feast is the Easter Bunny. Tradition comes from pre-Christian pagan celebrations of the goddess of fertility and the revival life of Aostre (the English name also comes from Easter . . easter). Today, unlike ancient times, the rabbit is not sacrificed. People believe that the night before the holiday he brings obedient children gifts in the form of chocolate eggs and other treats that hide in different parts of the house or garden. One of the traditions specific to Germany, however, is the decoration of Easter tree with hollow colored eggs.
UK
Besides the traditional search for the rabbit-hidden treats, the English celebrate the holiday with parades and an interesting competition . The winner is the one whose egg goes as far as safe as it can go, rolling down the hill. In honor of their holiday, the British adorned their homes with lilies as a symbol of purification.
Italy
This colorful country has several very characteristic traditions associated with Easter. In many villages and cities, processes are being carried out and Christ's sufferings are being played out. Italians also prepare sweet ritual bread, but it differs from our cosunac. It's called Colomba and it symbolizes the Holy Spirit.
France
The customs here are confirmation that the meaning of Easter is deeper than the resurrection itself. A week before the feast, all bells in the country are silent as an expression of grief over Christ's suffering and death. Therefore, chocolate bells are especially popular in France. Part of the holiday table is lamb-shaped cookies.
Spain
The religious processes in which the participants are wearing hoods and remind of scenes from the Inquisition are extremely characteristic. Many of the participants in these divisions carry chains or crosses, recreating Jesus ' suffering. Traditional for the holiday are a type of French toast with honey and chocolate sculptors called "La Mona." Of course, it is very difficult to embrace all traditions and customs associated with the holiday. But there is something that is part of all traditions related to Easter . . family gathering. All Christians, whether Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant, celebrate the resurrection with their loved ones. It's not too late to plan a trip and see the world celebrate. You can attend the processes in Italy or Spain, or compare the festive decorations in Britain and Germany. And then to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ in Bulgarian - with eggs and a cosunac among loved ones. Of course, traveling around the world does not necessarily require a holiday that is an occasion. But it always helps if you know at least one foreign language.
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