What Gregorian Easter Sunday Means in Romania
Easter is one of Romania's most important public holidays, ranked alongside Christmas in significance. The day marks the Resurrection of Jesus, and families typically gather for at least a couple of days around the holiday, which is filled with customs and traditions. Because most Romanians belong to the Orthodox Church, the country's Easter usually follows the Orthodox calendar; the material consulted describes Orthodox Easter and notes, for example, that Easter Day in Romania fell on April 19 in 2020. Gregorian Easter Sunday, observed by Western Christian churches, therefore does not normally coincide with the main Romanian celebration, and the customs described here are those of the Romanian Easter season as a whole.
Origins and Religious Background
The Romanian Easter is rooted in the Christian story of the Resurrection, and the days leading up to it carry their own meanings within Holy Week:
- Palm Day, a week before Easter, commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. It was originally dedicated to the Roman goddess Flora. Willow branches are blessed, symbolizing the palm fronds.
- Maundy Thursday, the fifth day of Holy Week, commemorates Jesus washing the Apostles' feet; the Washing of the Feet remains a traditional custom in many Christian churches.
- Good Friday (Black Friday), the sixth day of Holy Week, commemorates the crucifixion and death at Calvary. It is a day of mourning when Romanians abstain from all food and drink the entire day, eating holy bread from the church in the evening.
A popular legend explains the central symbol of the holiday: Mary placed a basket of eggs at the feet of the crucified Jesus, and his dripping blood painted the eggs red.
Customs and Traditions
Egg dyeing is a central tradition, and painted eggs are always on the holiday table. Children take part in egg-tapping competitions, in which the first person taps and says "Christ has resurrected" ("Cristos a înviat"), and the second replies "Indeed, he has resurrected" ("Adevărat a înviat"). Tradition holds that those who knock painted eggs on the first day of Easter will see each other after death, and that the person whose egg remains unbroken will enjoy the longest life.
Eggs are usually painted red, symbolizing Christ's blood shed at the crucifixion, but also blue, yellow, or green. Decorating eggs with complicated traditional motifs specific to each historic region is distinctive to Romanian tradition, and is especially common in Bucovina; such eggs are found at traditional fairs and in monasteries. The motifs carry symbolic meanings:
- Vertical line — life
- Horizontal line — death
- Double line — eternity
- Line with rectangular symbols — knowledge
- Curved line — water
- Spiral — time and eternity
- Double spiral — the bond between life and death
On Easter night, people go to the local church to light a candle and bring it home; this Holy Light symbolizes the Resurrection and the triumph of good over evil. On the first day of Easter, children and adults wash their faces and hands in fresh water containing a red egg and basil, which is said to bring lasting beauty and health.
Food and Drink
Lamb meat is the main dish of the Easter table, served with sides such as potatoes or in traditional dishes such as drob. Easter bread or cake called "pască" is essential, made with cheese, cream, raisins, or chocolate and cocoa. Painted eggs, as noted, are always part of the holiday table.
Religious and Civic Observances
Easter is a public holiday in Romania, and the religious observance centers on the Resurrection. The Holy Light ceremony on Easter night, when worshippers light candles at the local church and carry the flame home, is a defining observance. Good Friday is kept as a day of mourning with a full fast until holy bread is eaten in the evening, and Palm Day is marked with the blessing of willow branches.
Regional Variations
The most notable regional emphasis in the material is on egg decoration: elaborate traditional motifs specific to each historic region are a distinctive feature of Romanian tradition, and this craft is especially common in Bucovina, where decorated eggs appear at traditional fairs and in monasteries.