EASTER

In the Christian religion, Easter has become a grand day of celebration in honor of the
resurrection of Christ. The date of Easter is different every year, but it always coincides with the start of
spring. Each denomination of the faith varies on the celebration day, hosting various outings and
activities. Specifically, the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox denominations of Christianity view and
celebrate the Holy Day of Easter differently.
Catholic and Ortodox traditions for Easter are different but we have some similarities. After
Christmas, second bigges religious event of the year in UK is Easter. One of the similarities is that we
both give each other eggs. Eggs symbolise the resurrection and new life of Jesus Christ following his
Crucifixion. Crucifixion is a method of punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden
beam and left to hang, perhaps for several days, until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation.
At first the bird eggs were given in UK but now they are chocolate eggs. On the other side we still give
bird eggs. The eggs are boiled and painted in various colors. We put them in baskets that have plastic
grass on the bottom. A popular activity at Easter in UK is to hold an Easter Egg hunt. Easter egg hunt is an
event where children search for hidden eggs. The eggs are hidden in an area, such as garden or school,
and then people try to find those eggs. Ortodox Christanst don't have egg hunts. I don't really see the
point in it, to be honest. UK schools will hold many events and competitions related to Easter and one of
the most famous is the Easter Bonnet Parade. For this event people decorate their hats with Easter-
related decorations, and wear them. We don't do that. There are egg rolling competitions where hard
boiled eggs are rolled down the slide or a hill and the egg that travels the furthest without breaking
apart wins. Also, there are egg decorating competitions in UK. I think that Orthodox Christians are a bit
more traditional. We don't have those parades and egg hunts, but we have egg cracking competition.
Players take turns tapping the ends of their eggs.The person with the last un-cracked egg will have luck
for the year. Orthodox Easter preparations begin with 40 days of strict fasting prior to Easter Day, but not
all people choose to fast. During the fast you cannot eat or drink animal products. The period is intended
to purify Christians’ bodies and minds. Many Orthodox Christians attend liturgies during the Holy Week
that leads up to Easter Sunday.The final preparations are made on Maundy Thursday and Good
Friday.Maundy Thursday is spent at home, doing chores, while the following day is one of the saddest in
the Christian calendar. Good Friday is when Jesus was caught in the Garden of Gethsemane, tried and
sentenced. We paint our eggs on Good Friday. This year, Orthodox Easter will fall on Sunday, April 19,
2020. Since I have small family, only me and my parents, we don't paint a lot of eggs (about 30). My
mom does the most of the work while I help with eggs. My father goes grocery shopping. On Easter we
go to my grandparents house at the morning to have a little family gathering. We all eat together and
crack our eggs. My mother prepares a dinner for us at home. My parents are not around so much
because they travel for work a lot and events like this are the time to bond together as a family.
For Greeks, Easter is the biggest religious holiday of the year.Preparation for Easter begins with Kathara
Deutera which is the same as our fourty day fast.There are many traditions in Greece revolving around
Easter and the week leading up to Easter plays a major role in these. This week is known as Holy Week or
‘Megali Evdomada’ (meaning the Big Week).Throughout Holy Week churches hold services at least once
a day. On Holy Monday or Megali Deftera people go to church and kiss the icon of Christ. On Holy
Tuesday-Megali Triti women bake Easter biscuits “koulouraki’ with oil and eggs, to be eaten after the fast
is over on Saturday. It's a day of mourning. On Holy Wednesday – Megali Tetarti all household chores
must be finished. Worshippers are blessed with oil in the church. On Holy Thursday – Megali Pempti
women dye eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ, and bake Easter bread – Tsoureki. These will be
placed on the Easter table to be eaten after Saturday. OnHoly Friday – Megali Paraskevi girls decorate the
Epitafio – the funeral bier and a service is held for Christ’s funeral, women rest all day and men are
forbidden to play cards. On Holy Saturday – Megali Savvato women bake cheese pies – kalitsounia.The
church once again holds a service in the morning, and the church is filled with flowers. And on final day,
Easter Sunday – Kyriaki tou Paska, families and friends meet up for the Easter Day roasting of lamb
outside on a spit and a big celebration party with food, wine, music and dancing all day long.
Overall, it doesn't matter what denomination you are and how you celebrate Easter. All that
matters is that you are happy and surrounded with loved ones.Easter celebrates the most important part
of Jesus Christ Life. It’s a reminder about the sufferings he underwent for the humanity, the prize he
paid for it and his resurrection.