Easter celebrations

OPH Good Housekeeping & Homemaking

Easter 2010

Maundy Thursday - 6th April

Good Friday – April 7th

Easter Saturday – April 8th

Easter Sunday – April 9th

Easter Monday - April 10th

The dates for Easter was originally established by the First Council of Nicaea (325) and Easter Sunday is loosely the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox. Ecclesiastically the equinox is said to be the 21st March, regardless of the astronomically correct date, and in turn the full moon may not be the astronomically correct date, the date for Easter therefore varies between March 22nd and April 25th

Easter is considered as the Christian equivalent of the Jewish Passover in terms of its position in the calendar and for its symbolism. In older versions of the bible the term Easter was the term used to translate passover. Passover 2010 will begin on Tuesday 30th March and continue for 7 days until Monday 5th April.

Easter Traditions

Easter Eggs

Eggs were forbidden during lent and were therefore boiled or preserved in some other way to form the mainstay of Easter meals.

Eggs are generally viewed as a symbol of life and fertility. Ancient cultures such as the Romans and Persians incorporated eggs into their Spring Festivals.

Orthodox Christians in the Middle East and Greece would paint eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ. Similarly eggs could be hollowed out and the shells decorated with pictures of Christ or the Virgin Mary.

Germans would traditionally paint the eggs green and present them as gifts or hang the eggs on trees.

Austrians favoured placing small flowers around the egg and then boiling it. When the flowers were removed, white floral stains remained.

In Eastern Europe, Poland and Ukraine the practice of painting eggs gold or silver was popular. Brightly patterned eggs were produced by applying coloured wax to eggs then dying them, before re-applying wax in spots to preserve the colour and boiling again.

Spain, in the mediaeval Town of Verges a traditional Death Dance is performed. The ritual commences at midnight on Maundy Thursday and lasts for three hours, during which time people dress in costumes and parade down the cobbled streets with a grand finally of revellers clad in skeleton dress carrying boxes of ashes.

The Czech Republic favours an Easter Monday spanking and whipping of women. A tradition said to preserve the female beauty and health throughout the coming year. This is performed by the men armed with handmade whips made from willow and adorned with ribbons.,

Finnish children help to ward off witches that fly around between Good Friday and Easter Sunday by blackening their faces and carrying broomsticks.

Easter Bunny

Rabbits and hares are aged old symbols of Spring and fertility. It comes as no surprise that they feature heavily in Easter celebrations. The Easter Bunny seems to have originated in Germany, where children were told tales about the Easter Hare. This mythical character would lay egges for the children to find. The tradition crept into the USA with German immigrants and was later was adopted by other parts of the world.The baking of cakes in the shapes of rabbits and hares possibly heralded the start of egg and bunny shaped chocolates. Easter Parades

Early Christians adorned themselves in white robes for Easter week following their baptisms. Those already baptised wore new clothes to symbolise their new lives with Christ

From Easter Holidays , to Party Time