| Easter in Romania! |
| Sunday, 20 April 2008 | |
|
Cleaning the houses, wearing new clothes, the ritual bath before going to church, all these are supposed to mark a new beginning. After a long fast - the Lent, tables full with all sorts of good dishes and brightened up with beautiful painted eggs create a festive atmosphere. Children are the happiest of all looking for their gifts and colored eggs in the newly grown grass. In many villages and small towns there is an old tradition in this particular night. The whole family goes to the church together, the head of the family carrying a basket full of colored eggs, pasca, cozonac, fresh cheese, dry basil, incense, a bottle of wine and candles. After the religious ceremony, when the bells are singing with joy the Resurrection, the priest come out of the church and bless the community and their baskets saying all the time “Christ has risen” and everyone respond as a single voice: “He has truly risen”. The candles are burning, the air is full of magic and it is a general happiness everywhere. The clinking of colored eggs is a beautiful tradition all over the country. In many regions, in the first day family members or friends must clink eggs “top to top”, in the second day “top to bottom” and in the third day “bottom to bottom”. Always the oldest man (woman) in the group will begin the ceremony by choosing a partner. The person who is in action must say “Christ has risen” and the one who is waiting with the egg in his hand must reply immediately “He truly has risen”. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|