Easter is one of the
most important celebrations of Christianity, commemorating the moment when
Jesus came back from the dead. Romanians start preparing for this special day
long before the day itself as Lent lasts for 48 days. During these days
people go to church, many of them give up meat, eggs, or dairy
products. It’s considered a ritual of purification for both the body and soul.
In my country, the
symbol of this celebration is the red Easter
egg. Eggs, in general, were a traditional symbol of fertility, and rebirth
Why do we paint the
Easter eggs in red? It is said that when Virgin Mary came to cry for her
crucified son, she placed a basket of eggs under the Cross. The eggs turned red
as a symbol of the blood that flowed from the wounds of Jesus, and since then
we paint Easter eggs. At first, the eggs were painted only in red, but later we
started painting them in many colors, including green, yellow, orange, blue,
and even black.
On the night before
Easter, Romanians put on new clothes and go to church. At midnight, everyone
lights a candle from the priest’s candle. The light from these candles symbolizes
the return of Jesus from the dead. It’s a very special moment and the sight of
hundreds of candles in the night can take your breath away.
At dawn, after
attending the religious service, everyone goes home, carefully holding their
candle. On Easter morning we wash our faces with water from a bowl , into which
we put a red egg and a coin. It is said that if you wash your face with this
water, you will be healthy and beautiful – just like an Easter egg.
Even after Easter is
over, there are some words that can be heard on the streets for weeks to come.
When a person sees a friend or family for the first time after Easter has
passed, the normal introduction is skipped and the first person says, “Cristos a inviat (Christ has risen).” The
second person responds by saying, “Adevarat
a inviat (Indeed, he has risen).” This verbal exchange is very much part of
the celebration and is a way for people to remind each other of the importance
of Easter even after the holiday is over.
Interesting account Carmen. There is lot more to Romania that just Count Dracula. Keep posting such wonderful insights.
ReplyDeleteVickram E Diwan (India)
Yes, indeed. Romania is not only Dracula. even he is presented in a false way. I mean the historical character, Vlad, who came to be known under this name.
DeleteI will post more if people are interested.