Easter,ortheResurrectionofChrist,isoneofthemostcelebratedChristianholidaysinthe

world.EverycountryhasitsownwayofcelebratingEaster,throughdifferenttraditionsand
customs.LearnaboutthemainfeaturesoftheEasterholidayinRomaniasoyouknowwhatto
expectifyourespendingthisholidayinourcountry.
ByIrinaPopescu,CorinaSaceanu
InRomania,manyEastertraditionshavebeenpreserveduntilnow.Thecelebrationsstartswiththe
GoodWeek,whichbeginswithPalmSunday,whenJesusenteredJerusalemandendswithEaster
Sunday,whenChristresurrected.Duringthisweek,finalpreparationsaremadeforthebigcelebration.
OnGoodThursday,alsocalledHolyThursday,peopletakefoodanddrinktothechurch.Inthesame
day,boiledeggsarepainted,becausetheysaythatiftheeggsturnredonHolyThursday,theywill
keepwithoutspoilingallyear.TheprominentcolorforEastereggsisred,butothercolorslikeyellow,
greenorbluearealsoused.

InRomania,youwillalso
seeaspecialkindofpaintedeggs,withdifferentgeometricalandfloralmotifs,allwithdifferentcolors
onthesameegg.Theeggpaintingritualhasbeenkepttodatebutonlyafewpeoplestillmastertheart
ofeggpainting.Theprocessinvolvesvariouspaintsandwax.Thistypeofpaintedeggwouldmakea
greatgifttoyourlovesoneswholiveelsewhereintheworld.MostofthecoloredeggsonEastercan
beeaten,astheyareboiled.Thesespecialeggshoweverareemptiedoftheircontentsoyouwillbuy
onlyacolored,lightshell.
AnothertraditionrelatedtoeggsisthatoftappingeggsonEasterday.Childrenusuallyhavea
competitiontoseewhoseegghasthethickestcrustandcantapandbreakalltheothereggs.Thisis
usuallydonewithnormal,coloredeggsthatcanbeeatenafterward.Theeggstappinggamealso
involvesasayingwithreligiousconotation:thefirstpersonsaysChristhasresurrected(inRomanian,
Cristosainviat),whilethesecondgoesTrue,hehasresurrected(inRomanian,Adevaratainviat).
TheGoodFridayisalsocalledtheFridayofSufferings,becauseJesuswascrucifiedonthisday.A
traditionthathasbeenkeptinRomaniaisthatofplacingflowersatthechurchforChristandpassing
underthetablethreetimes,signifyingthepainsChristhadwhenhecarriedhiscrosstohiscrucifixion.
OnthenightbetweenHolySaturdaytoEasterSunday,peoplegotochurchtocelebratethe
ResurrectionofChristbyattendingthemidnightmass,wheretheylightcandles.Afterthat,theytake
thelightedcandleshome,tohavethehollylightintheirhomes,soulsandlives.
IntheEasterSundaymorning,peopleusuallygotochurchfortheEastermorningmass.Thismassis
howevernotasmuchattendedasthemidnightone.Afterthat,theygobackhomeandeattheblessed
foodwhichtheytookwiththemtothechurch.
InBucovina,onthenightofEaster,thereisthecustomoffiresvigilance.Fiesarelightedonthehills
andtheywouldburnallnight.InTransylvania,younggirlsaresprayedwithperfumebytheboys
dressedintraditionalclothesonEasterMonday.Thisway,theysaygirlswillhavegoodluckallyear.
InMaramures,childrengotofriendsandneighborstoannouncetheResurrectionofChrist.
IfyouwillhappentospendEasterinatraditionalRomanianfamily(orataguesthousethatrespects
theholidaytradition),youwillseeseveralspecificdishesonthetablefortheoccasion.Youwillnot

missPasca,thetraditionalRomanianEastercake,sweetbread(cozonac),whichisaslightlysweet
yeastraisedeggbread,thelambsoup,lambsteak,haggis(drob)whichisatraditionalnational
Easterdishthatusestheorgansofthelambandofcoursethepaintedeggs.
KeepinmindthatmanyRomaniansarereligioussotheywillgotochurchonSaturdayeveningtoget
thehollylightintotheirhomesandlightcandlesincemeteries,attheirlovesonesgraves.Theywould
alsorespectthelentperiod,whichendsonSaturdayeveningperhapsoneofthereasonstheEaster
lunchisusuallyaveryrichone,afterthe48daysoflent.Thisisthemostrestrictivelentperiodinthe
Orthodoxcalendar.