Easter Celebrations across the Globe

-      By Gautam Nath

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL,

Have you ever wondered how this day is celebrated over the globe while we attend our church service on this day and spend it together with near and dear ones.

Come on a journey with us to find out.

Our travel first takes us North bound into the Russian Republic and their beautiful city of Moscow.

The USSR as it was called earlier did not recognize the Christian faith and many wonderful churches were let to ruin but since independence, Russia has reached back its glory to the Christian faith and celebrates Easter with great pomp and glory.

The Russian Paschal salutation "Khristos Voskrese!" or "Christ is Risen!," a statement that could land believers in prison in Soviet times, has been reverberating through Moscow's churches where most of the spiritual music is being performed as well as in concert halls like the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall on Mayakovsky Square, where a gala performance of all the choral ensembles was held on Tuesday.

In all churches special Easter Services take place all night through. At midnight people kiss each other, exchange painted Easter eggs and exclaim: "Christ has been resurrected!"

And off we go, across Europe, to the romantic city of lovers, no not Venice but Paree. Yes the city where romance flows in the air.

Notre Dame de Paris is a day of remembrance (in particular Good Friday), when traditionally from 12:30 to 3 pm is the time reserved to remember Christ.
 

And as the weeks draw down to Easter Sunday, Parisian chocolatiers work triple-overtime filling their shops with a glorious array of delectable chocolates made only for this special season.  Tempting chocolates are everywhere … in the patisseries, the speciality chocolatiers and in those sweet little candy shops called confiseres, which stock candies from all over France including copious selections of chocolates. 

Indeed, a gift of chocolate at Easter is an absolute must for friends and family of all ages.  Not surprisingly, the vast selection available in the French capital goes way beyond adorable bunnies and chicks.  The offerings include the very traditional dark-chocolate fish of various sizes, including the darling ‘friture,’ tiny dark chocolate fish often packed into straw baskets or chocolate boxes so that they resemble a school of delicious little fish.  Then there are chocolates shaped like bells symbolizing the ringing out of the good news on Easter, along with goblets, crosses and scallop shells, the symbol of St. James. Add to this bounty all manner of flavored and pure chocolate eggs in various sizes and a fantasy array of chocolate animals such as donkeys, elephants, camels, rabbits, bunnies, chicks, ducks and geese.

With our sweet tooth satiated, we went to Prague, The Czech Republic, as it is known today.

Prague is one of the mot picturesque cities in the world and where one can spend days just walking about the streets enjoying the beautiful architecture. Although the Germans destroyed many of the buildings in the World War, they have been painstakingly rebuilt into its glory of the past.

One Easter tradition is pagan Czech Easter celebration is the "pomlazka". Farmers used to believe that a strong whipping after the winter period guaranteed health, prosperity, and most importantly a good harvest. This tradition remains to this day, although slightly modified. It is only the women who are given a good spanking with whips made of willow twigs, decorated with colorful ribbons (as if a little bit of decoration would help to ease the pain!). It is mainly younger boys who go from door to door, hoping to thrash a few girls to get some eggs in return, while singing traditional Easter carols.

The whipping or "pomlazka" is to get rid of all the bad things that had accumulated during the winter and bring the vitality back in the ladies, as well as ensure beauty and, of course, fertility.

Soon we flew up into Scotland, the land of castles and whisky.

There are the traditional Easter Feasts and church on Easter Sunday and the days leading up to Pasch (Easter) or Càisg (in Scottish Gaelic). In olden days there were those who lit huge fires to celebrate the beginning of spring and the end of winter.

There is an old Scots rhyme that is taught to children that goes like this:

First comes Candlemass,
Syne the new mune;
The neist Tyseday aifter that
Is aye Fester Een.
That mune oot
An the neist mune fou,
The neist mune aifter that
Is aye Pasch true.

Another Scottish tradition involving the Easter Season is Maundy Thursday. It is also called “Holy Thursday”. It is to commemorate the day when Christ washed the feet of his disciples. Maundy Thursday custom dates back to the Middle Ages.

The Friday before Easter is Good Friday, or Di-haoine na Ceusa (that is how it is written in Scottish Gaelic) was also known as Crucifixion Friday. In the 1800’s it was believed that no iron spade or plough should be put in the ground. It was also tradition that the band from the spinning wheel should be removed so it could not be used to bind Christ's hands and feet.

Lastly another tradition in Scotland involving Easter is the 'hot cross buns', which are baked and contain spices and fruit. These buns are then “glazed” with white pastry cross. They have been a symbol of Good Friday and in the past were made fresh 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 soon landing at Pearson International Airport. Yes, Toronto.

Canada, a land of immigrants, celebrates Easter in many different ways according to the community you are 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.