Easter - Bright Resurrection of Christ. The meaning and traditions of the holiday. Easter traditional attributes

Symbols of Easter: interesting and informative about familiar things

In our minds, Easter is firmly associated with fragrant elegant Easter cakes, cottage cheese paska with raisins, krashenka, lambs from dough. But few people think that these goodies are not only traditional Easter dishes, but also symbols of faith. As significant as the light of the Holy Fire or an Easter candle, patterned Easter eggs and delicate spring flowers - hyacinths, and primroses.

Easter eggs

Since ancient times, the egg has been a symbol of the feminine and masculine, and hence the birth of a new life. Painted eggs are a special symbol, and there is even an old legend about how the tradition of decorating eggs for this bright holiday was born. Saint Mary Magdalene came to the Roman emperor Tiberius, hoping to arouse his interest in Christianity. The woman held out her hand to him, in which the egg was squeezed with the words: “Christ is Risen!” The emperor did not believe that the resurrection of man was possible. He said that it was as impossible as if an egg went from white to red! At the same moment, Tiberius saw that the egg had turned bright red.

Not everyone knows that every color that an egg can be dyed has its own secret meaning:

• red united in himself the trinity of faith: law-abiding life, calm death and resurrection after it;
• green the color of the shell speaks of the awakening of nature and spring. It means the unity of the world of plants and animals, and also symbolizes life, resurrected after sleep and ready to continue itself;
• yellow paint creates a resemblance of an egg with ripe grain and will attract prosperity and prosperity, sunny summer and a rich harvest to the house;
• white color is the beginning of all beginnings, because whiteness is akin to sinlessness.

Easter baking

Fragrant air cake and cottage cheese paska are also integral attributes of the holiday. It is believed that artos became its prototype - bread, which is consecrated and placed on the lectern in the church on the first day of the great celebration. Easter is always baked, not necessarily cottage cheese, it is also customary to consecrate it in the church. According to tradition, paska is baked on the Thursday before the holiday, and they are brought to the church on the night from Saturday to Sunday. Easter cake symbolizes how Christ ate bread with the disciples so that they would believe in his resurrection.

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On the eve of Easter, I want to learn more about this wonderful day, so today's article is devoted to Easter customs and traditions.

Easter is a bright, joyful holiday, expected by the majority. Many traditions are associated with it, the origins of which are lost in the distant past, and often only the custom has been preserved, but its meaning has been lost.

Let's try to lift the veil over Easter traditions.

The last week of Great Lent is Holy Week. Christians, empathizing with the torments of the Savior, offered up their prayers with special passion, trying to be more merciful and righteous. Quarrels and disagreements ceased.

During this period, the house and yard are prepared for the festive Sunday, putting things in perfect order, scraping the floor and walls, updating the stove. According to popular belief, evil spirits rage strongly during Holy Week.

Pure Thursday

The signs and customs of this day are especially revered, and it fully justifies its name: on this day, the household tried to get up before dawn in order to have time to swim. It is believed that in this way the sins accumulated over the previous year are washed away.

After bathing, they go to the temple for confession and communion, and at the end of the service they finally put the house in order.

Among the ancient signs are caring for cattle, inspecting tools, shooting in the air - it was believed that these actions would bring good luck for the whole year.

It is also believed that the souls of the ancestors come to earth for some time to celebrate the great day.

Good Friday and Saturday

Days in which you can not sew and wash, dig, wash, and refuse to need help.

Bright Saturday in Holy Week is reserved for the consecration of traditional dishes of the festive table: painted eggs and Easter cakes.

During the period of existence in our country of such a holiday as Easter, its traditions and customs in Russia have retained their flavor. From Thursday of Holy Week, they begin to paint eggs and bake Easter and Easter cakes. These are traditional dishes for the table, which they try to cover as richly as possible.

Krashenki: legend and signs associated with eggs

If you ask yourself why eggs are dyed at Easter, history will take you back to the time of the emperor Tiberius.

According to legend, the first painted egg was presented to him by Mary Magdalene, who brought him the news of the resurrection of Christ. It was impossible to come to the emperor without a gift, and Mary gave Tiberius a white chicken egg. He did not believe the woman, saying that just as a white egg will never turn red, so a person cannot be resurrected. But he did not have time to finish: the egg in the hands of the Magdalene immediately turned red.

Hence the tradition of dyeing eggs, which are both a symbol of rebirth and the blood shed by Christ, in red. Later, wooden, chocolate and jewelry eggs were added to the chicken ones.

The color palette has also been replenished: yellow, orange and gold tones indicate well-being, blue and blue - good feelings, green - well-being. Only black is forbidden - the mournful color has no place on the festive table.

On Bright Sunday, believers congratulate each other with the traditional phrase “Christ is risen!”, They hear in response “Truly risen!” and exchange colors.

The resulting consecrated egg is carefully stored until the next Easter. He is credited with miraculous properties: it is able to calm the flames in a fire, help in finding and bringing health to livestock, and red girls washed their faces with egg water and rolled them on their cheeks to be ruddy.

In addition to such beliefs, there are more familiar explanations for such a respectful attitude towards eggs: colorful painting shows the skill of the hostess, and games with the use of dyes and beating eggs are popular to this day.

Previously, real competitions were held, in which the whole village sometimes took part: one of the players holds a dyed testicle with the sharp part up, and the second hits it with his krashenka. Whoever has the egg left intact, he continues the game.

Rolling eggs requires some skill. They play on a flat surface on which the groove is placed at an angle. A blanket is spread at its base, on which the testicle is rolled along the chute.

The goal of the game is to break the one that is already on the blanket with a rolling dye. The more players, the more fun and interesting the competition.

Why do they bake Easter cakes for Easter

It is believed that the apostles always left a place at the table for their Teacher, even after He left them, and put a piece of bread. During their common travels, only unleavened bread was consumed, and after the resurrection of Jesus, his disciples began to eat cakes made from sour dough. From here came the tradition of baking Easter cakes from pastry.

A round, high Easter cake with a cross laid out on top symbolizes the shroud of the Lord. Previously, the custom involved storing bread in the temple during Holy Week, and performing a daily procession around the temple with it. On Saturday, believers received a piece, and gradually such bread began to be baked in every home.

Each hostess approached the independent production of such an important Easter attribute as Easter cake with special trepidation. Before starting work, a clean apron was always put on, the hair was braided and cleaned under a festive scarf.

Cooking Easter cake is not so easy: they always took the best and freshest ingredients for it, and each house had its own. The dough was kneaded for a long time, and according to one of the signs, it was believed that the better the Easter cakes were, the more favorable the year would be in this family.

To break the fast, Easter cake and Easter were cut only across, the lower part was distributed to households, and the remaining pieces were covered with the top.

Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter

On this issue, the Orthodox do not have a unanimous opinion. According to the canon, it is better to visit the churchyard on certain days dedicated to the memory and mourning for the dead. These include Radonitsa. And the Resurrection of Christ must be celebrated with the living.

The tradition of going to the cemetery on the Easter holiday dates back to the time of the persecution of believers by the Soviet authorities, when churches were banned and only in the graveyard people could pray for the repose of the souls of their loved ones. Those days are gone, but the habit remains.

Church canons do not contain categorical prohibitions on this matter, but during Holy Week no memorial services are held in churches.

Another source of such a habit is the remoteness of villages and villages from the church, near which the churchyard was usually set up. It took quite a long time to get to the temple, and the believers had to combine the service in the church and a visit to the cemetery, so as not to stretch the trip for several days.

Symbols of Easter in Russia

This is not only a set table with festive Easter cakes, elegant cottage cheese Easter and beautifully painted eggs. Orthodox Christians also include here the blagovest - a special chime of bells that sounds from the Bright Resurrection until the very celebration of the Ascension of Christ - for 40 whole days, and special Easter greetings.

Another essential attribute of this day is the Holy Fire, which, according to legend, descended from heaven on the Holy Sepulcher. Therefore, in houses and temples, all possible sources of light were lit: lamps, lamps, torches and candles. The annual removal of the Holy Fire from the Holy Sepulcher is carried out on the eve of Easter, and symbolizes the Resurrection.

Traditionally, treats for the festive table are gradually prepared throughout Holy Week. In addition to Easter cakes and eggs, there are many other dishes that can be served on such a day, but it is unlikely that you will be able to repeat the recipes of your ancestors: in the modern world they will seem too exotic.

Alena Baltseva 27.04.2016 14675

Easter egg, Easter cake, lamb, rabbit - all these are symbols of Easter. Let's take a look at the story behind each of them.

Easter is the main Christian holiday, and it is natural that many traditions are associated with it. We have already mentioned some of them. Remember the French bells that fly to the Vatican during Holy Week? Today we want to tell you about the main Easter symbols. What do colored eggs, Easter bunny and Easter cakes tell us about the holiday?

1. Cross

The cross is not only the most recognizable Easter, but also the main Christian symbol. Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and resurrected on the third day after his death. That is why every year we celebrate the feast of Easter, or the Bright Resurrection of Christ. Christianity gave the cross a completely new meaning: from a symbol of death, it turned into a symbol of the promise of eternal life.

In the time of Christ, crucifixion was akin to execution in the electric chair: the same shameful, but much more painful death (which is very spectacularly displayed in Mel Gibson's painting "The Passion of the Christ").

Crucifixion on the cross was sentenced to criminals who committed especially serious crimes. The official accusation of Jesus Christ was "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (this is how the Latin abbreviation "INRI" stands for, which can be seen on the crucifixes). This is exactly what was written on the tablet, which Pontius Pilate, defiantly washing his hands from the blood of Jesus, ordered to be nailed to His cross.

Christians understand the death of Jesus as a sacrifice that He made to redeem people from sin. That is why the cross and resurrection are central to biblical history. After all, thanks to this, believers received the opportunity to gain salvation from hell and eternal life.

2. Red color

Why is the shroud that is carried out during the services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday dark red? Why is it customary to paint Easter eggs in the same color?

The red color in the Christian tradition symbolizes two things:

• Blood of Christ which He shed on the cross.
• The Royal Dignity of Christ because Christians revere Him as the King of Heaven.

In various cultures, red is also a symbol of life.

You have certainly heard of the Passover lamb. The tradition of cooking a lamb for Passover dates back to the Old Testament, before the Exodus from Egypt, when the Jews were instructed by God to anoint the doorposts with lamb's blood to avoid the 10th plague (death of all firstborns). The animal itself had to be roasted and completely eaten the same night in the circle of loved ones, and the remains were to be burned before dawn.

Passover (Pesach) was established as an annual holiday in honor of the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian captivity. Every year they still prepared the Passover lamb. It was this holiday that Jesus Christ celebrated with 12 apostles during the Last Supper, after which he was crucified, and resurrected on the third day of Easter.

The Paschal lamb is understood as a prototype of Jesus Christ on the cross - in the Bible He is more than once called the "Lamb of God": as in the days of the Old Testament, the blood of the immaculate sacrifice saved the believers from God's wrath. So in Christianity, the holiday of liberation from death and Egyptian captivity turned into a holiday of liberation from eternal condemnation and captivity of sin.

In some countries (for example, in Italy) it is customary to cook a sweet "lamb" for the Easter table.

4. Easter egg

Chances are you've heard this story before. According to legend, Mary Magdalene, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, came to the Roman emperor Tiberius to announce that Christ had risen. She brought with her a chicken egg, which, after the words of the emperor that it was just as impossible, as if the egg had turned red, immediately turned red.

In general, the custom of coloring eggs goes back to pagan times. And in Rus', it also had practical significance. During the 40 days of Great Lent, believers refused fast food, including eggs. To keep the eggs from rotting, they were dyed with onion skins. So they were stored until Easter and differed in color from raw eggs.

In many cultures, the egg was considered a symbol of life and the other world.

We can safely say that everyone has tried (and maybe baked) Easter cake. This pastry is a mandatory attribute of the festive table.

Kulich is a home-made "artos" (liturgical bread used in Orthodox worship at Easter).

The tradition of dedicating bread to God dates back to the time of the Old Testament. In the tabernacle of Moses there was a special table of unleavened showbread. Leavened bread was brought to the temple along with a peace offering of gratitude.

On the territory of southern Russia and Ukraine, kulich is known as "paska".

A dish of cottage cheese, which in the Russian Orthodox tradition is prepared for Easter, is called Easter.

Cottage cheese Easter has the shape of a pyramid, which symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher, which was found empty on Easter day.

On the front side, it is customary to lay out (or print) the abbreviation "ХВ" ("Christ is risen"), and on the side and back - the attributes of Christ's suffering (spears, cross, etc.).

The main national symbol of Easter in Western Europe is the Easter bunny (or hare). The tradition to associate this animal with the feast of the Resurrection of Christ appeared around the 13th-15th centuries.

In Germanic pagan mythology, the hare (or rabbit) was associated with Eostra (goddess of the dawn, life and renewal of nature). With the advent of Christianity, pagan traditions were replaced by Christian ones. So, in some languages, Easter has a name that comes from the name of Eostra: (Ostern - in German, Easter - in English).

The existence of an Easter rabbit that lays colored chicken and chocolate eggs, of course, is believed only by small children who, on Easter morning, go out to “hunt” for holiday treats.

From 1991 to 2005, at the Munich Center for Unusual Museums, there was also the Easter Bunny Museum, where more than a thousand figurines of an eared animal were exhibited from various materials: wood, porcelain, papier-mâché, chocolate, etc.

Easter in Russia, as in other countries, is a holiday of holidays, a celebration of celebrations. But today the world is changing rapidly, and most importantly, what remains unchanged is fading into the background. Rarely today, young people, especially in megacities, understand the meaning of the Easter holiday, go to confession and sincerely support centuries-old traditions. But Easter is the main Orthodox holiday, bringing light and joy to entire peoples, to the families and souls of every believer.

What is "Easter"?

Christians understand the word "Easter" as "transition from death to life, from earth to heaven." For forty days, believers observe the strictest fast and celebrate Easter in honor of Jesus' victory over death.

Pronounced "Pesach" (Hebrew word) and means "passed by, passed by." The roots of this word go back to the history of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.

The New Testament says that the destroyer will pass over those who accept Jesus.

In some languages, the word is pronounced like this - "Pisha". This is an Aramaic name that has spread in some languages ​​​​of Europe and has survived to this day.

No matter how the word is pronounced, the essence of Easter does not change; for all believers, this is the most important celebration. A bright holiday that brings joy and hope to the hearts of believers all over the Earth.

The history of the holiday before the birth of Christ, or Old Testament Easter

The holiday originated long before the birth of Christ, but the significance of the Easter holiday in those days was very great for the Jewish people.

The story goes that the Jews were once held captive by the Egyptians. Slaves suffered from their masters a lot of bullying, troubles and oppression. But faith in God, hope for salvation and God's mercy always lived in their hearts.

One day a man named Moses came to them, who, with his brother, had been sent to their rescue. The Lord chose Moses to enlighten the Egyptian pharaoh and deliver the Jewish people from slavery.

But no matter how hard Moses tried to convince Pharaoh to let the people go, freedom was not granted to them. The Egyptian pharaoh and his people did not believe in God, worshiping only their deities and relying on the help of sorcerers. To prove the existence and power of the Lord, nine terrible plagues were brought down on the Egyptian people. No bloody rivers, no toads, no midges, no flies, no darkness, no thunder - none of this could have happened if the ruler had let the people go with their cattle.

The last, tenth plague, like the previous ones, punished the pharaoh and his people, but did not affect the Jews. Moses warned that every family should slaughter a one-year-old unblemished male lamb. To anoint the doors of their houses with the blood of an animal, bake a lamb and eat it with the whole family.

At night, all the first-born males were killed in houses among people and animals. Only the houses of the Jews, where there was a bloody mark, were not affected by the trouble. Since then, "Easter" means - passed by, passed by.

This execution greatly frightened the pharaoh, and he released the slaves with all their herds. The Jews went to the sea, where the water broke open, and they calmly set off along its bottom. Pharaoh wanted to break his promise again and rushed after them, but the water swallowed him up.

The Jews began to celebrate the liberation from slavery and the passing of executions by their families, calling the holiday Easter. The history and significance of the Passover holiday are captured in the Bible book "Exodus".

Easter according to the New Testament

On Israeli soil, the virgin Mary was born Jesus Christ, who was destined to save human souls from the slavery of hell. At the age of thirty, Jesus began to preach, telling people about the laws of God. But three years later he was crucified along with other unwanted authorities on the cross, which was installed on Mount Calvary. It happened after the Jewish Passover, on Friday, which was later dubbed Passion. This event complements the meaning of the Easter holiday with new meaning, traditions and attributes.

Christ, like a lamb, was slain, but his bones remained intact, and this became His sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.

A little more history

On the eve of the crucifixion, on Thursday, Jesus presented the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. Since then, the meaning of the Easter holiday has not changed, but the Eucharist has become a new Easter meal.

At first, the holiday was weekly. Friday was a day of sorrow and Sunday was a day of joy.

In 325, at the First Ecumenical Council, the date of the celebration of Easter was determined - on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. The Russian Orthodox Church uses To calculate what day Easter falls in a certain year, you need to make a rather complicated calculation. But for ordinary laity, a calendar of dates for the holiday has been compiled for decades to come.

For a long time of the existence of the holiday, it has acquired traditions, which are still adhered to in families, and signs.

great post

Easter in Russia is one of the main holidays, even for those people who rarely go to church. Today, in the era of high technology and urbanization, among generations that prefer a computer to live communication, the church is slowly losing its power over the hearts and souls of people. But practically everyone, regardless of age and strength of faith, knows what Lent is.

Traditions are passed on by older generations in families. It is rare that anyone decides to adhere to the entire post, most often only in the last week people somehow follow the rules.

For 40 days, believers must eat without eating animal products (and on some days fasting is more strict), not drink alcohol, pray, confess, take communion, do good, not slander.

Great Lent is coming to an end The Easter service is of particular importance and scope. In modern Russia, services are broadcast live on central channels. In every church, even in the smallest village, candles are lit all night and chants are sung. Millions of parishioners all over the country stay up all night, pray, attend services, light candles, bless food and water. And fasting ends on Sunday, after the completion of all church rites. Those who fast sit down at the table and celebrate Easter.

Easter greeting

From childhood, we teach children that when greeting a person on this holiday, you need to say: “Christ is Risen!” And to answer such words: “Truly Risen!” To learn more about what this is connected with, you need to turn to the Bible.

The essence of Easter is the passage of Jesus to his Father. The story goes that Jesus was crucified into a body taken down from the cross and buried. A coffin is a cave carved into the rock, closed by a huge stone. The bodies of the dead (there were still victims) were wrapped in fabrics and rubbed with incense. But they did not have time to perform the ceremony with the body of Jesus, since according to Jewish laws it is strictly forbidden to work on the Sabbath.

Women - followers of Christ - on Sunday morning went to his tomb to perform the ceremony themselves. An angel came down to them and told them that Christ had risen. Easter from now on will be the third day - the day of the resurrection of Christ.

Entering the tomb, the women were convinced of the words of the angel and brought this message to the apostles. And they communicated this joyful news to everyone. All believers and non-believers should have known that the impossible had happened, that what Jesus said had happened - Christ had risen.

Easter: traditions of different countries

In many countries of the world, believers paint eggs and bake Easter cakes. There are a lot of recipes for Easter cakes, and in different countries they also differ in shape. Of course, this is not the essence of Easter, but these are traditions that have accompanied the holiday for many centuries.

In Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine they “fight” with colored eggs.

In Greece, on the Friday before Easter, it is considered a great sin to work with a hammer and nails. At midnight from Saturday to Sunday, after the solemn service, when the priest proclaims "Christ is Risen!", the night sky is illuminated by grandiose fireworks.

In the Czech Republic, on the Monday following Easter Sunday, girls are whipped as a compliment. And they can pour water on a young man.

Australians make chocolate Easter eggs and figurines of various animals.

Ukrainian Easter eggs are called Easter eggs. Children are given clean white eggs as a symbol of their long and bright life path. And for the elderly - dark eggs with a complex pattern, as a sign that there were many difficulties in their lives.

Easter in Russia brings light and wonder to the homes of believers. Consecrated Easter eggs are often credited with miraculous powers. On Sunday morning, when washing, the consecrated egg is placed in a basin of water, and each member of the family should wash with it, rubbing his cheeks and forehead.

The red Easter egg has a special symbolism. In Greece, red is the color of mourning. The red eggs symbolize the tomb of Jesus, while the broken eggs symbolize the open tombs and the Resurrection.

Signs for Easter

Each nation has its own unique signs associated with this day. does not always believe in them, but it is interesting to know about it.

For some nations, it is considered a good omen to bathe in a spring on Easter night and bring this water into the house.

On the eve of Easter, houses are cleaned, cooked, baked, but in many countries it is considered a sin to work on Saturday. In Poland, signs for Easter prohibit housewives from working on Friday, otherwise the whole village will be left without a harvest.

The brightest spring family holiday, of course, is Easter. Cute chickens and hens with painted eggs in baskets decorate the tables on this day, along with traditional dishes and pastries. I wonder why we color eggs, paint decorative eggs, make chickens, bake Easter cakes? And how did a cute rabbit with a bell around his neck, who carries eggs, get to the holiday?

Bell-botalo "Easter Goose" from the collection of Yulia Churilova

The main symbol of the Christian holiday is an egg, always dyed, initially red. But these days, there are so many colors and patterns you can't see on an Easter egg. Ancient peoples, long before the birth of Christ, identified the egg with the beginning of life, the birth of all living things, with the beginning of spring, compared with the image of the Universe.

And according to German historians, the tradition of dyeing eggs came from the need to boil eggs so that they last longer until the end of Lent. And to distinguish raw from boiled, they were dyed.

In the culture of Western countries, the symbol of Easter is the Easter Bunny. According to an old German tradition, he leaves a nest with amazing colored eggs as a gift to children.

The custom appeared in the eighteenth century. Such beautiful eggs could not be carried by an ordinary chicken. The Germans wanted to add fairy tales. So in Saxony the rooster brought eggs, in Bavaria - the cuckoo, in Hesse - the fox, in Alsace - the stork. So the hare also began to rush. Over time, he forced out other competitors and became the main symbol of Catholic Easter.

Bell "Easter Bunny"
Collection of Yulia Churilova

Bell "Easter"
Collection of Yulia Churilova

No one really knows where the custom of hiding eggs came from. And some connoisseurs of history associate it with the name of ... Goethe himself. They say that it was he who came up with such entertainment for his guests. After children and adults found eggs in the garden under the bushes, there was no doubt that Easter eggs were laid not by hens, but by hares. With his light hand in Western Europe and America, chocolate and marzipan rabbits are a favorite treat for both children and adults.

According to Russian traditions, a chicken often sits next to colored eggs. She is a prototype of a mother who hatches and protects her chicks, being a symbol of a kind family that protects love. A caring hen also keeps Easter eggs.

Bell "Happy Easter!", author N.B.Prorok. Collection of Yulia Churilova

And they celebrate this bright, joyful holiday in different countries of the world, with their own interesting traditions and unique dishes.

Ritual food has always occupied an important place in the Easter ritual, which necessarily included Easter, Easter cake and colored eggs. In ancient times, wealthy owners served 48 dishes for Easter, according to the number of days of the expired fast. In Rus', as in other countries, a figurine of a lamb made of dough was placed on the table. Since Easter is a holiday of resurrection and rebirth, there was also sprouted grain on the table.

Photo by Yulia Churilova

In Australia, you have to celebrate the spring holiday in the fall. The local animal bilby, a marsupial mammal from the bandicoot family, acts as an Easter symbol. The Easter table is served with a meringue cake with fruits, kiwi, strawberries, pineapples and tangerines. The holiday itself is celebrated in nature, it is believed that on this day the water in the springs is like a saint.

In America, there are Easter street processions, and hundreds of children come with Easter baskets full of painted eggs and roll them down the lawn near the white house. The traditional American Easter lunch consists of ham with pineapple, potatoes, fruit salad and vegetables. As a gift for Easter, it is customary to present baskets with colored eggs and a huge number of various sweets. Each egg traditionally contains a question, and the person who received such an egg must certainly answer it.

Bell "Lamb". Collection of Yulia Churilova

IN Bulgaria on Easter, colored eggs are laid around Easter bread, just as in Russia they are knocked together with krashenka (painted eggs), fried for the festive table “cheverme” - lamb thigh or “shish” - lamb shish kebab, bake gingerbread rabbits.

IN Hungary The funniest Easter custom is the Easter Pouring. The guys pour water over the girls from head to toe, while the girl must be dressed in a national costume. The result of dousing is estimated by the volume and duration of the squealing girls. They do the same in Ukraine on Easter Monday, for which on Tuesday a girl's revenge is committed on the guys - they are already walking wet. Non-Gerian girls, on the contrary, give douchers: painted eggs, pastries or a kiss.

IN Great Britain Maundy Thursday is called the Thursday of Alms. On this day, the monarch distributes alms. As many people receive a gold coin as a gift, how old is the august person. This tradition is about five hundred years old, although in the old days they distributed clothes. In an odd year, the ceremony is held in Westminster Abbey, in an even year - in one of the country's cathedrals.

Easter symbols. Bells from the collection of Irina Koltakova

On Good Friday, the church bells stop ringing and start ringing again only on Easter Sunday. Children play "Egg-shackling": the name of the child is written on raw eggs, and then the eggs are tossed in a sieve. The child whose egg does not break the longest wins.

On Easter, it is customary to give sweets and toys to children on the streets, just as in Germany they respect the Easter Bunny - children are also looking for gifts brought by the rabbit instead of painted eggs hidden by them. An old British Easter fun is rolling eggs down a hill. The people identified this action with stones rolled away from the Holy Sepulcher. Hard-boiled eggs were released from the hill - the first one to reach the bottom is the winner. The whole family gathers for Sunday lunch: a baked lamb, a variety of dough hares, chocolate eggs, cross buns, and sometimes funny sandwiches are on the table. Easter in England is a very colorful and fun holiday!

Postcards with the image of rolling eggs. Exhibition "Easter Postcard of the 19th-20th Centuries". Photo by Olga Popova

There are two symbols of Easter in Germany: the Easter egg and the Easter Bunny. This is a fun family holiday: the father hides Easter gifts in baskets, covering them with grass, and the whole family is looking for them. When all the gift eggs are found, they sit down for breakfast. On the table there must be baked fish and various cookies, as well as a bouquet of daffodils. The doors of the house are decorated with Easter wreaths of flowers, or a bunch of carrots, in case the Easter Bunny suddenly looks in. Building a large fire, which symbolizes the arrival of a warm and long-awaited spring, as well as skiing from the slopes of Easter eggs, are the main fun Easter fun that attracts both children and adults. Two grooves are made in the ground, and the eggs roll towards each other. Whoever has the strongest egg is considered the winner in this game. Young people go from house to house with songs and congratulations, for which they receive sweets.

Bell "Easter Hen" from the collection of Yulia Churilova

IN Iceland Easter is celebrated with great joy. The main Easter gift, of course, is the egg. Easter eggs are painted by hand with special brushes and arranged on the head of a toy chicken, which serves as a symbol of a new, bright life. All friends are given cards or postcards with wishes and wise sayings, which are designed to help this person in the future. The main dish of the Easter table is lamb baked with vegetables and rice. For dessert, two-color cookies are served.

IN Italy the main dish of the Easter table is colomba, something like our Easter, but with a lemon flavor. It is often topped with almonds and almond glaze. In addition, on Easter it is customary to eat lamb with fried artichokes, a salad of sweet peppers, olives and tomatoes, and a salty pie with eggs and cheese. Thousands of people gather in the main square of Rome to hear the congratulations of the Pope. The day after Easter, it is customary for Italians to go on picnics with neighbors and family friends.

IN Poland on Easter they wash themselves from the stream to gain strength and health. Men on the streets whip all the girls they meet with thin twigs, it is believed that spanked she will become more beautiful and lucky! On Maundy Thursday, mazureks are baked - shortbread cakes with sugar eggs, cream flowers and sprigs of chocolate icing. Easter eggs were not only painted, but also painted. That is why in Poland and Western Ukraine they are also called "pysanky" - richly decorated or painted in different colors. They painted not only chicken, but also wooden and bone eggs. Gradually, such coloring turned into an independent branch of arts and crafts.

Bell "Guardian Angel" from the collection of Yulia Churilova

IN Russia Easter has always been considered a family holiday. They celebrated it with their families, and also went to visit their closest relatives.

In Rus' there was a custom of general kissing. They took a painted egg with them. After the greeting “Christ is Risen” - “Truly Risen”, they kissed three times and presented each other with eggs. This custom of christening and gifting with eggs is a distinctive feature of Russian Easter. For the Easter game - rolling eggs - special wooden trays with low sides were made. The tray was installed obliquely on the ground or other flat place. The players alternately let the colored eggs down the tray, and the one whose egg rolled the farthest won. The Easter feast was distinguished by the beauty of decoration. This was given special attention. They laid a front tablecloth, put blossoming green twigs or vases with bouquets of spring primroses. The dishes on the table were also decorated with paper flowers. Colored eggs were laid out on a plate covered with straw. For Easter eggs, special earthenware, dishes in the form of a chicken and a rooster were kept in the house.

In France Easter is the ringing of bells and a family feast with fried chicken, chocolate brownies and daffodils in a vase. The French decorate their houses with ribbons, garlands and bells. On this day, the ringing of bells can be heard everywhere, it symbolizes the continuation of life and fun.

IN Czech Republic Easter is the brightest and most colorful. Thursday, called Clean in Russia, is green for the Czechs. Priests on this day serve a mass in green robes, Saturday - white - the color of ash from the fires in front of the churches. After Sunday comes Red Monday - the day of ritual games and rituals. Young people walk around with willow twigs and whip girls they meet with them. It is believed that girls will become prettier and healthier from this.

Candy bouquet. The work of Yulia Churilova

IN Sweden decorate houses with Easter flower beds - yellow, green and white, and yellow chickens framed with colorful elegant feathers are installed everywhere in the houses. This is because during the Easter holidays, they also celebrate the arrival of spring. Swedes make Easter eggs from cardboard, and inside each egg they put a large beautiful candy. It is believed here that on the Easter holiday all the evil spirits come out onto the streets of the city, so the main tradition among the Swedes is to make fires, designed to scare away all evil spirits. There are even competitions, whose fire is bigger and brighter.

Sources:
Y. Vysotskaya, "Bread-Salt" culinary magazine, April 2011, Moscow
http://shkolazhizni.ru/archive/0/n-45578/
http://www.etoya.ru/culture/2012/4/7/23953/#Easter_traditions_of_different_countries
http://www.myjane.ru/articles/text/?id=6610
http://www.tvoyrebenok.ru/pasha-v-mire.shtml