We meet again with much joy around Easter holidays, enthusiastic and a bit more kind, at least for a while. If in the past we talked about what is most probably the most important celebration in the Orthodox Christian calendar, today we suggest debating some of the most interesting Romanian Easter customs.
Here are some of the most fascinating Romanian Easter customs, depending on the region:
Did you think decorating the Tree is a specifically Christmasy custom? Well, in the region of Sibiu, it appears people have grown so fond of this tradition that some homes preserve the tradition of decorating a small shrub with emptied dyed eggs instead of globes. The small tree is then kept in the home to cheer the atmosphere.
A series of local legends and customs are related to young unmarried women. In Bucovina, for example, tradition requires for girls to wash the church bell on the Easter Night. The following morning, they wash their faces with this water to enjoy beauty and love throughout the year.
A colorful and fun tradition is popular in Calarasi. Here, believers bless… the Easter Rooster! This white bird, bread especially for the occasion, announces the Resurrection of the Lord with its song. It is said that the man whose rooster is first to sing will be the luckiest that year!
Moldavians also have colorful and interesting traditions to boast with. In their region, Sunday morning is the time children should wash their faces with the water from a bowl filled with coins, a white egg and a red one. This way, they are going to enjoy plenty of wealth.
Among the universal Romanian Easter traditions, it is worth remembering that eggs are dyed, lamb meat is eaten (its sacrifice an allegory of the sacrifice of the Lord on the cross) and the “pasca” is the favorite cake (made of dough, raisins and cheese).