Post by stevenr1953 on Apr 4, 2015 14:21:11 GMT
Here are a few of the Easter traditions from around the world For christians it is the celebration of Christ rising from the dead and 1 of the most important days in the liturgical calendar. If you have your own traditions please add them to let us know what you do..
France, Belgium, Netherlands - all the church bells come out of their steeples and fly to Rome
Okay, this doesn't actually happen, but small children are taught to believe that it does. The origin of the tradition is the church bells aren't rung in the days before Easter as a sign of mourning. When the bells 'return' they bring chocolate and coloured eggs.
Finland - children dress up like witches
The witches go from house to house demanding chocolate in return for a blessing, sort of like an Easter version of 'trick or treat'.
Greece - ROCKET WAR!
In the Greek town of Vrontados, as the clock strikes midnight and Easter Sunday starts, the rival parishes of the churches St Mark's and Panaghia Ereithiani fire rockets at each other. The parish that lands the most rockets on the opposing church wins, although invariably both claim victory.
England - egg rolling
Now practised around the world, most notably on the lawn of the White House, egg rolling is exactly what it sounds like: hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a hill
Bermuda - flying Easter kites
To commemorate Jesus's ascension to heaven there's a Bermudan tradition to make and fly colourful Easter kites - the more traditional kites featuring struts in the shape of the cross.
Eithiopia - religeous ceremony
The first Easter Day service actually starts at 8.00pm on Easter Saturday night and lasts until 3.00 am on Easter Sunday morning! Most people go to the whole service and wear their best clothes. These are often white and are called 'Yabesha Libs'. People have candles made of cotton and wax called 'twaf'. At 10.00 pm drummers start playing and accompanying the Priests as they chant a prayer called the 'Geez'.
France, Belgium, Netherlands - all the church bells come out of their steeples and fly to Rome
Okay, this doesn't actually happen, but small children are taught to believe that it does. The origin of the tradition is the church bells aren't rung in the days before Easter as a sign of mourning. When the bells 'return' they bring chocolate and coloured eggs.
Finland - children dress up like witches
The witches go from house to house demanding chocolate in return for a blessing, sort of like an Easter version of 'trick or treat'.
Greece - ROCKET WAR!
In the Greek town of Vrontados, as the clock strikes midnight and Easter Sunday starts, the rival parishes of the churches St Mark's and Panaghia Ereithiani fire rockets at each other. The parish that lands the most rockets on the opposing church wins, although invariably both claim victory.
England - egg rolling
Now practised around the world, most notably on the lawn of the White House, egg rolling is exactly what it sounds like: hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a hill
Bermuda - flying Easter kites
To commemorate Jesus's ascension to heaven there's a Bermudan tradition to make and fly colourful Easter kites - the more traditional kites featuring struts in the shape of the cross.
Eithiopia - religeous ceremony
The first Easter Day service actually starts at 8.00pm on Easter Saturday night and lasts until 3.00 am on Easter Sunday morning! Most people go to the whole service and wear their best clothes. These are often white and are called 'Yabesha Libs'. People have candles made of cotton and wax called 'twaf'. At 10.00 pm drummers start playing and accompanying the Priests as they chant a prayer called the 'Geez'.