Christ is Risen! Easter traditions in Romania

Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers celebrate Easter, the most important holiday of Christianity, which brought mankind the hope of salvation.

Holy Light

At midnight Resurrection services, Orthodox believers receive the Holy Light brought from Jerusalem on Saturday. After being brought to Bucharest, she was presented to the delegates of the dioceses present at the “Henri Coandă” International Airport, according to Digi24.ro.

According to the Basilica, the Holy Light was received at the Tomb of the Lord in Jerusalem on Saturday at 2:13 p.m. The ceremony of receiving the Holy Light was officiated starting at 13:00 by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilus III. The representative of the Romanian Patriarchate, Archimandrite Teofil Anăstăsoaie, goes directly to the Tel Aviv airport to transport the candle with the Holy Light to Bucharest.

“The Holy Light is a gift of God, which is given to those who believe in Christ and love Him, as He appeared after the Resurrection only to those who loved Him,” said Patriarch Daniel on Saturday, after receiving the Light at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

The tradition of bringing the Holy Light from Jerusalem was inaugurated by Patriarch Daniel in 2009.

The most significant…

In his book “Romanian Holidays. Cincizecemea”, the ethnographer and historian Simion Florea Marian wrote about how, in the old days, Romanians received this significant holiday.

“The biggest, most significant, holiest and most joyful holiday of the year, according to Romanians everywhere, is Easter, Easter or the Resurrection of the Lord, first, because on this day «Christ rose from the dead by treading death upon death and giving life to those in the graves», and for the living, redeeming them from under the yoke of ancestral sin and reconciling them with God; and the second, because it always falls at the beginning of spring, the most beautiful and pleasant season, when everything in nature comes to life.

For that reason, Romanians not only wait for this celebration, and especially after such a long and difficult fast as Lent or Păresimile, with the greatest longing and joy, but at the same time they look for their homes to be as it is possible to be well cared for and clean and to prepare with all the necessary things so that, when Holy Easter arrives, everything will be in the best order”he wrote, quoted by stirileprotv.ro.

The lamb, the symbol of sacrifice

On the night of the Resurrection, believers bring home the candle lit directly from the one lit by the parent in the Altar, and some use to make a small cross on the upper threshold of the household door or on the east wall, smoking it with the candle. Most people keep the Easter candle and light it throughout the year, in case of great trouble, illness or in the event of extreme weather phenomena, Radio Romania Cultural shows.

The Easter meal usually includes lamb dishes – soup, steak or lamb meat – the symbol of the Savior Jesus, who was sacrificed to save humanity.

Orthodox and Catholic believers, especially from rural areas, still carry baskets of Easter goodies (red eggs, lamb, wine) to be consecrated in churches.

Another symbol of the holiday is the Passover, usually prepared on Saturday morning, which is taken to the church for consecration at the Resurrection service, along with the basket of food prepared for the celebration. The next morning, some believers eat from the holy Passover instead of anafura or Holy Passover.

It is said that the Easter meal must begin with the consumption of an egg, as there is a belief that in this way the body will be healthy all year.

Also, another popular belief is that if a man enters a household first on Easter Day it will bring good luck to that house and family.

Easter traditions

In the Bihor area, there is a tradition that shows that the egg decorated for Easter portends luck: if after 40 days it does not spoil, then the person will be lucky. Also here, on Maundy Thursday, the sacred fires of the Resurrection are lit in the cemeteries and also on this day there is the custom of throwing eggs at the target.

In Apuseni, women go to the cemetery on the night of the Resurrection to light candles at the graves, and the first day of Easter begins with the paschal communion, after the believers wash themselves with water in which a red egg, a gold coin and nettle have been placed.

Also in Apuseni, on Easter night, the log is taken from the church, taken to the cemetery and guarded by boys. It is the symbol of the fight between “thieves” and “damagers”, and those who lose are owed a “feast”, prepared either by those who tried to steal the butt and failed, or by those who were unable to guard

In Moldova, on the night of the Resurrection, after the midnight service, believers use to accompany the moment of the Resurrection with firecrackers that signify the expulsion of evil spirits.

The basket of goodies that goes to the consecration at the church is prepared strictly according to those handed down from the grandparents: here, along with the food, poppy seeds, salt, sugar, flour, onion and garlic are placed – the symbols of the joy of the year ahead. Pasca, ham, money, flowers, red beets with horseradish and red eggs are placed on top of this plate. Also, the basket is covered with a blanket sewn with patterns specific to the area.

In the Lăpuş area of ​​Maramureş, on Easter Sunday children go to their friends and neighbors – and a boy must cross the threshold of the house first, so that there is no discord in that household for the rest of the year – and announce the Resurrection of the Lord, and each host gives one red egg each.