The Easter holidays bring a lot of customs, traditions and superstitions, most of which are pagan in origin. Even if most of the people put them into practice namely on Easter Sunday or on the eve, few know that there are important traditions in the pre-Easter period as well, doctor of ethnology Tudor Colac stated for IPN.
The traditions start to be implemented on Palm Sunday, when Easter is announced. The blessing of willow branches as a symbol of recognition and productivity is a nice Palm Sunday tradition. Also, the persons who bear names of flowers celebrate the Name Day on this day. The Holy Week or Pasion Week starts after Palm Sunday. Each day of this week has different distinct meanings. On each day they hold services and read the Gospel in churches. By peoples‘ tradition, the faithful purify their souls and clean their homes, gathering the garbage and repairing what is damaged.
On Holy Thursday, the unmarried girls can guess their future husband. “When the 12 Gospels are read in churches, the girls in some parts of the country go to church with a small rope in the pocket and make by a knot on the rope after each read Gospel. At night, they put this rope under the pillow to dream their future husband. Or the girls put basil in the bathing water to have nice and shiny hair and to dream men at night so as to get married as soon as possible,” stated the ethnologist. Also on Holy Thursday, they light bonfires in yards, at cemeteries or in the court of the church so as to attract souls of the dead to warm up. The preparations for the Easter meal start then by painting eggs red.
Holy Friday is considered one of the most difficult days of this week as one should eat nothing on this day when Jesus Christ suffered and was crucified.
Dishes continue to be prepared on Holy Saturday. The Easter lamb is sacrificed to prepare different dishes. The women bake Easter bread and cakes and in the evening prepare the basket with food that is taken to the church for being blessed. People say a white embroidered towel should be put at the bottom of the basket as this symbolizes the purity of the soul of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, on Easter night the people go to church to take Holy Light and to bless the Easter dishes.
Tudor Colac said the burning of tires on the Resurrection Night represents profanation of the ceremonial fire. “This is actually a crime as the air is polluted and the ecological legislation is violated. They earlier made wheels of straw and little twigs and rolled these after setting them on fire. Not knowing these traditions, the young people consider they should burn tires,” stated the doctor of ethnology. As to the washing of the face with red painted eggs and coins on the Resurrection Night and in the morning, he said this is a tradition that brings light, health and good moods.
The Orthodox Christians this year celebrate Easter on April 28.
