Easter

Easter Celebrations across the Globe- By Gautam Nath
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL,
Have you ever wondered how this day is celebratedover the globe while we attend our church service onthis day and spend it together with near and dearones.Come on a journey with us to find out.Our travel first takes us North bound into theRussian Republic and their beautiful city of Moscow.The USSR as it was called earlier did not recognisethe Christian faith and many wonderful churcheswere let to ruin but since independence, Russia has reached back its glory to the Christian faith andcelebrates Easter with great pomp and glory.The Russian Paschal salutation "Khristos Voskrese!"or "Christ is Risen!," a statement that could landbelievers in prison in Soviet times, has beenreverberating through Moscow's churches wheremost of the spiritual music is being performed aswell as in concert halls like the Great Hall of theMoscow Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky ConcertHall on Mayakovsky Square, where a galaperformance of all the choral ensembles was held onTuesday. In all churches special Easter Services take place all night through. At midnight people kiss each other,exchange painted Easter eggs and exclaim: "Christ hasbeen resurrected!“And as the weeks draw down to Easter Sunday, Parisianchocolatiers work triple-overtime filling their shops witha glorious array of delectable chocolates made only forthis special season.And off we go, across Europe, to theromantic city of lovers, no not Venice but Paree. Yes the city where romance flowsin the air.Notre Dame de Paris is a day ofremembrance (in particular Good Friday,when traditionally from 12:30 to 3 pm is the time reserved to remember Christ. Tempting chocolates are everywhere …in the patisseries, the specialitychocolatiers and in those sweet littlecandy shops called confiseres, whichstock candies from all over Franceincluding copious selections ofchocolates.Indeed, a gift of chocolate at Easter is an absolute mustfor friends and family of all ages. Not surprisingly, thevast selection available in the French capital goes waybeyond adorable bunnies and chicks. The offeringsinclude the very traditional dark-chocolate fish of varioussizes, including the darling ‘friture,’ tiny dark chocolatefish often packed into straw baskets or chocolate boxesso that they resemble a school of delicious little fish.Then there are chocolates shaped like bells symbolizingthe ringing out of the good news on Easter, along withgoblets, crosses and scallop shells, the symbol of St.James. Add to this bounty all manner of flavored andpure chocolate eggs in various sizes and a fantasy arrayof chocolate animals such as donkeys, elephants,camels, rabbits, bunnies, chicks, ducks and geese.With our sweet tooth satiated, we went to Prague, TheCzech Republic, as it is known today.Prague is one of the mot picturesque cities in the worldand where one can spend days just walking about thestreets enjoying the beautiful architecture. Although theGermans destroyed many of the buildings in the WorldWar, they have been painstakingly rebuilt into its gloryof the past.One Easter tradition is pagan CzechEaster celebration is the "pomlazka".Farmers used to believe that a strongwhipping after the winter periodguaranteed health, prosperity, andmost importantly a good harvest.This tradition remains to this day, although slightlymodified. It is only the women who are given a goodspanking with whips made of willow twigs, decoratedwith colourful ribbons (as if a little bit of decorationwould help to ease the pain!). It is mainly younger boyswho go from door to door, hoping to thrash a few girls toget some eggs in return, while singing traditional Eastercarols.The whipping or "pomlazka" is to get rid of all the badthings that had accumulated during the winter andbring the vitality back in the ladies, as well as ensurebeauty and, of course, fertility.Soon we flew up into Scotland, the land of castles andwhisky.There are the traditionalEaster Feasts andchurch on EasterSunday and the daysleading up to Pasch(Easter) or Càisg (inScottish Gaelic). Inolden days there werethose who lit huge fires to celebrate the beginning ofspring and the end of winter.There is an old Scots rhyme that is taught to childrenthat goes like this:First comes Candlemass,Syne the new mune;The neist Tyseday aifter thatIs aye Fester Een.That mune ootAn the neist mune fou,The neist mune aifter thatIs aye Pasch true.Another Scottish tradition involving the Easter Season isMaundy Thursday. It is also called “Holy Thursday”. It isto commemorate the day when Christ washed the feetof His disciples. Maundy Thursday custom dates backto the Middle Ages.The Friday before Easter is Good Friday, or Di-haoinena Ceusa (that is how it is written in Scottish Gaelic)was also known as Crucifixion Friday. In the 1800’s itwas believed that no iron spade or plough should beput in the ground. It was also tradition that the bandfrom the spinning wheel should be removed so itcould not be used to bind Christ's hands and feet. Easter Celebrations across the Globe- By Gautam NathHAPPY EASTER TO ALL,Have you ever wondered how this day is celebratedover the globe while we attend our church service onthis day and spend it together with near and dearones.Come on a journey with us to find out.Our travel first takes us North bound into theRussian Republic and their beautiful city of Moscow.The USSR as it was called earlier did not recognisethe Christian faith and many wonderful churcheswere let to ruin but since independence, Russia hasreached back its glory to the Christian faith andcelebrates Easter with great pomp and glory.The Russian Paschal salutation "Khristos Voskrese!"or "Christ is Risen!," a statement that could landbelievers in prison in Soviet times, has beenreverberating through Moscow's churches wheremost of the spiritual music is being performed aswell as in concert halls like the Great Hall of theMoscow Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky ConcertHall on Mayakovsky Square, where a galaperformance of all the choral ensembles was held onTuesday.In all churches special Easter Services take place allnight through. At midnight people kiss each other,exchange painted Easter eggs and exclaim: "Christ hasbeen resurrected!“And as the weeks draw down to Easter Sunday, Parisianchocolatiers work triple-overtime filling their shops witha glorious array of delectable chocolates made only forthis special season.And off we go, across Europe, to theromantic city of lovers, no not Venice butParee. Yes the city where romance flowsin the air.Notre Dame de Paris is a day ofremembrance (in particular Good Friday,when traditionally from 12:30 to 3 pm isthe time reserved to remember Christ.Tempting chocolates are everywhere …in the patisseries, the specialitychocolatiers and in those sweet littlecandy shops called confiseres, whichstock candies from all over Franceincluding copious selections ofchocolates.Indeed, a gift of chocolate at Easter is an absolute mustfor friends and family of all ages. Not surprisingly, thevast selection available in the French capital goes waybeyond adorable bunnies and chicks. The offeringsinclude the very traditional dark-chocolate fish of varioussizes, including the darling ‘friture,’ tiny dark chocolatefish often packed into straw baskets or chocolate boxesso that they resemble a school of delicious little fish.Then there are chocolates shaped like bells symbolizingthe ringing out of the good news on Easter, along withgoblets, crosses and scallop shells, the symbol of St.James. Add to this bounty all manner of flavored andpure chocolate eggs in various sizes and a fantasy arrayof chocolate animals such as donkeys, elephants,camels, rabbits, bunnies, chicks, ducks and geese.With our sweet tooth satiated, we went to Prague, TheCzech Republic, as it is known today.Prague is one of the mot picturesque cities in the worldand where one can spend days just walking about thestreets enjoying the beautiful architecture. Although theGermans destroyed many of the buildings in the WorldWar, they have been painstakingly rebuilt into its gloryof the past.One Easter tradition is pagan CzechEaster celebration is the "pomlazka".Farmers used to believe that a strongwhipping after the winter periodguaranteed health, prosperity, andmost importantly a good harvest.This tradition remains to this day, although slightlymodified. It is only the women who are given a goodspanking with whips made of willow twigs, decoratedwith colourful ribbons (as if a little bit of decorationwould help to ease the pain!). It is mainly younger boyswho go from door to door, hoping to thrash a few girls toget some eggs in return, while singing traditional Eastercarols.The whipping or "pomlazka" is to get rid of all the badthings that had accumulated during the winter andbring the vitality back in the ladies, as well as ensurebeauty and, of course, fertility.Soon we flew up into Scotland, the land of castles andwhisky.There are the traditionalEaster Feasts andchurch on EasterSunday and the daysleading up to Pasch(Easter) or Càisg (inScottish Gaelic). Inolden days there werethose who lit huge fires to celebrate the beginning ofspring and the end of winter.There is an old Scots rhyme that is taught to childrenthat goes like this:First comes Candlemass,Syne the new mune;The neist Tyseday aifter thatIs aye Fester Een.That mune ootAn the neist mune fou,The neist mune aifter thatIs aye Pasch true.Another Scottish tradition involving the Easter Season isMaundy Thursday. It is also called “Holy Thursday”. It isto commemorate the day when Christ washed the feetof His disciples. Maundy Thursday custom dates backto the Middle Ages.The Friday before Easter is Good Friday, or Di-haoinena Ceusa (that is how it is written in Scottish Gaelic)was also known as Crucifixion Friday. In the 1800’s itwas believed that no iron spade or plough should beput in the ground. It was also tradition that the bandfrom the spinning wheel should be removed so itcould not be used to bind Christ's hands and feet. Lastly another tradition in Scotland involving Easter is the 'hot crossbuns', which are baked and containspices and fruit. These buns are then“glazed” with white pastry cross.They have been a symbol of GoodFriday and in the past were madefresh and served on Good Friday and throughout the weekend.
And having had our fill of Europe, if there could be such a term, we crossed the Atlantic and were soonlanding at Pearson International Airport.
Yes, Toronto. Canada, a land of immigrants, celebrates Easter in many different ways according to the community youare staying with, Polish, Greek, Indian, Chinese all have something unique according to their culture.
But that’s another story for another day.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL.