Dating back to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the Romans in c.30AD, Easter is a Christian holiday celebrated most commonly over a long weekend consisting of Good Friday, symbolising the day of Jesus’s death; Easter Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection; and Easter Monday, a day for reflection. In Catholic traditions, it is a culmination of 40 days of Lent or fasting and perhaps the most sacred of holidays to followers of the faith. With global variations on the traditions, dates and naming of this holiday, one thing is for sure: Easter is one of the world’s holiest of all holidays and is vehemently observed in almost 100 countries across all continents.
That being said, different cultures, religious denominations, races and of course the passing of time, have moulded mankind’s celebration of Easter to thoroughly diversify and add new sprinkles of tradition into one of the longest-standing holidays of all time. Check out some of these global Easter expressions, ranging from the faithfully devout to the fun, the quirky and everything in between.
Jerusalem
The land where the crucifixion took place will always offer pilgrimage possibilities for devout followers of the Christian faith – and Easter is a weekend that sees many tourists travelling to Jerusalem. On Good Friday, citizens walk the same path believed to have been walked by Jesus towards the cross, meditating on his pain and suffering. Many of the participants will carry a large cross in His honour. On Easter Sunday, many believers can be found attending a large service at the famous Garden Tomb, where Jesus was believed to have been buried. If you are looking for an Easter tradition that is solemn, sacred and powerful, Jerusalem is a great place to celebrate.
The USA, the UK and other contemporary Western countries
Everybody in the Western world has heard of the Easter Bunny. This ancient Pagan symbol brought to the States from old German tales would spread fast to become the standard in contemporary symbolism for the Easter holiday. With eggs symbolising new life, the bunny would ‘deliver’ them to the community in nests created by the children beforehand, so they could be found and decorated. This has evolved from real eggs being replaced with more palatable chocolate eggs, often followed by a church service on Easter Sunday. Many Western families observe the holiday in both the contemporary and spiritual sense, imparting the story of Jesus to children, to explain the symbolism of being saved through His dying for our sins.
Scandinavian and Nordic countries
Easter traditions from around the world range from the devout to the whimsical to the ancient. Nordic and Scandinavian countries such as Finland, Norway and Sweden all have surprisingly Pagan traditions when it comes to this conventionally Christian holiday. Children enjoy dressing up as hearth witches and knocking on doors asking for chocolate eggs, much like Halloween’s ‘trick or treating’. Huge bonfires are burnt to symbolically keep away broom-flying witches in the night, and little letters are delivered in a ‘witching’ ceremony by children in exchange for delicious treats. Notoriously freezing and covered in snow at this time of year, skiing has also become a favourite pastime, with many contemporary families taking the weekend off for some R&R.
Mexico
In Mexico, you could very easily find Easter celebrations held for as long as two weeks in certain areas, with several devout regions such as Taxco taking Christ’s betrayal by Judas very seriously. Here, you can witness the majestic Burning Of The Judases tradition, where giant effigies of Judas are built, only to be exploded with fireworks. It is a photographer’s dream and great fun to be a part of. There are additional ceremonies that are quite common, too, such as the processions of silence through the towns or where more-devout followers of the faith will visit 12 churches over 12 days.
Guatemala
If you find yourself in Antigua, Guatemala, over Easter, you may want to check out the Holy Week Good Friday procession. The streets are lined with makeshift carpets made from sawdust, fruit, flowers and sand and have beautiful imagery forged into them by their creators. These carpets are usually symbolic to the region, country or holiday and a true sight to behold.
France
France has a variety of Easter traditions, but one of the more interesting contemporary expressions of goodwill that has emerged in recent years is the giant omelette making in the southern town of Haux. On Easter Monday, the residents of the town will make a giant omelette using over 4500 eggs and serve it to over 1000 people. It has become a legendary ritual for the town and garnered much media attention over the years, for the sheer size of the effort.
Australia
The Philippines
Being a very Catholic country, the Philippines sees some extraordinarily devout tributes to Jesus Christ over the Easter weekend. Although no longer encouraged by the Catholic Church due to its risky nature, many residents continue to nail themselves to crosses in honour of the crucifixion, without fatal consequences. This ritual is kept alive through vehement belief systems and a large fanatically religious community. The weekend brings in droves of tourists to the province of Pampanga, where the rituals take place. Here, tourists can observe and sometimes partake in the Easter festival. It is worth noting this festival is not for the faint of heart and certainly not a spectacle for curiosity, but rather one of the world’s more serious takes on faith and belief.
Bermuda
Perhaps the strangest but fun take on the Easter tradition comes from the island of Bermuda, where legend has it a school teacher was trying to explain the resurrection of Jesus and found it hard to communicate with the kids. Through the action of flying a kite, he successfully explained the concept, and now Good Friday has become the annual day for residents to fly beautifully crafted homemade kites in honour of Jesus Christ. If you are visiting Bermuda over the Easter weekend, a beach trip with a kite bought from a local tradesman would be a great way to spend the day.
Italy
In Florence, Catholic locals celebrate Easter with a fascinating ritual named ‘Explosion Of The Cart’. Over 350 years old, this tradition includes a large ornate cart filled with fireworks being led through the city streets, by residents dressed in 15th-century pageantry. Outside the Duomo, the most prominent landmark in the city, the Archbishop lights the fuse during Mass, to ignite the stunning fireworks display. A powerful and passionate ritual, it is well worth visiting Florence over Easter to partake in the festivities and enjoy the service. It is open to tourists and attended in huge numbers by Catholics around the world.
So, whether you observe Easter from a sacred position or prefer to keep it light and fun, fill up on chocolate and good cheer and explore some of the Easter traditions from around the world, with a holiday that falls over this historically rich time of year.
