How Easter is celebrated in English-speaking countries. How Easter is celebrated in England, traditions: how Easter is celebrated in England
Good Friday is called Good Friday in English. For breakfast on this day, fresh spicy buns are served, which are cut with a cross on top before baking and stuffed with raisins or candied fruits. Burning spices are called to people about the sufferings of Christ. Interestingly, the cross on the buns appeared during the celebration of the pre-Christian Easter. Then he was a symbol of the sun and spring warmth. It is also believed that "cross" buns protect the house from the invasion of "evil spirits" and even illness. In temples, in memory of the crucifixion of Christ, passes.
Easter traditions
On Easter morning, believers gather near the temple to solemnly greet the sun. In the temple, an Easter candle is lit, pins are stuck into it, symbolizing the wounds of Christ. Then the candle is carried through the entire church so that the worshipers can light their candles from it. On the eve of the festive dinner, houses are decorated with flowers and figurines of Easter bunnies. It is placed in the middle of the table with white lilies, and multi-colored Easter eggs are placed in its corners. Traditional Easter dishes are meatballs with honey and garlic, baked ham, sausages or bacon, vegetable salad, potatoes in rosemary-garlic oil. The main decoration of the Easter table is baked stuffed lamb.The symbols of English Easter are Easter eggs and a hare, considered a constant companion of the beautiful goddess of dawn and spring, Eostre. English children are sure that if they behave well during the year, the Easter Bunny will surely bring them a festive basket with chocolate eggs and other goodies. In the UK, it is generally customary to exchange not real, but chocolate eggs with caramel filling or souvenirs in the form of Easter eggs.
I must say that English children do not delve too deeply into the religious origins of Easter, for them it is, first of all, a cheerful and funny holiday.
Usually Catholic Easter is celebrated a week earlier than Orthodox, but this year the difference was almost 5 weeks. On March 27, the entire Catholic world celebrates Holy Sunday, and we invite you to learn about interesting traditions and customs of Catholic Easter in the UK.
If the Russian word "Easter" takes its roots from the Hebrew "Pesach" (literally means "exodus"), then the English word " Easter"has other roots and takes its derivative from the goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre ( Eostre ).
For the entire Christian world, this day means not only a joyful event, but also the end of a strict long fast, so festivities, fairs, and street food festivals are organized on the streets of London. By the way, in the UK Easter is a two-week school holiday, and Friday and Monday are public holidays.
Another interesting event in modern London at Easter is the parade of Easter hats ( Easter Parade), which traditionally takes place in Battersea Park, where women display beautiful headdresses, embroidered with their own hands or decorated with flowers. The roots of this tradition go back to the Middle Ages, when it was customary to arrange weddings on Easter. Of course, all the brides tried to preen and put on a beautiful hat on their heads ( easter bonnet ).
Where is the Easter Bunny from?
Even 10 years ago, such a typical symbol for Western countries as the Easter Bunny was completely unknown in Russia. Now on the shelves of supermarkets, on postcards and in the windows of fashion stores, you can see the most beautiful spring installations, in which the main decor is a rabbit or an Easter bunny.
Where does such love among Catholics for this fluffy and cute animal come from?
There are two theories explaining the origin of this symbol. According to one of them, the roots go deep into paganism. The hare was the faithful companion of Eostre, the goddess of spring and fertility. The rabbit is a symbol of fertility, continuation and rebirth of life.
According to the second version, the idea of the Easter Bunny was brought to America by German emigrants in the 17th century. The children believed that for good behavior and obedience, the rabbit would definitely bring them chocolate eggs on this spring day. In Germany, a prolific rabbit symbolized a well-fed rich life and, of course, procreation. One way or another, this tradition is firmly rooted in America and Western Europe, and now kids around the world leave their hats on the windowsill, near the bed or in the living room on the night before Easter, in order to run to them in the morning hoping to see chocolate or marzipan eggs.
Now in the Western Catholic world, the hare is the main decoration and attribute of any festive table on this bright day. Souvenirs made of ceramics and plastic, chocolate figurines and cookies in the form of this fluffy animal can be bought in every store on the eve of Easter.
Pure Thursday.
The Thursday before Easter is called in England Maundy Thursday. According to the New Testament, it was on this day that Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples with the words "Love your neighbor as I have loved you." It is noteworthy that in the UK there used to be a tradition of washing the feet of the poor by the royal, as a sign of humility and recognition of Jesus Christ. For this special occasion, two poor people were chosen, who were awarded this great honor. But on King James II in the 17th century, this peculiar tradition was interrupted.
This tradition has now been superseded "Royal Maundy", which represents the distribution of royal alms. The queen distributes special coins, but not to ordinary poor people, but to those who have earned the respect of the church parish. They are given two wallets, white and red. In the white wallet are Maundy Money, and in red - money to buy gifts.
Good Friday.
Unlike the Orthodox tradition, when on this day it is customary not to cook anything, not to have fun and not to make noise, in the Catholic world Good Friday is called Good Friday("Good Friday"). Linguists believe that this day owes its name to "God's Friday"(Divine Friday), which was subsequently changed. It is on this day that the celebration of Easter begins throughout the country. Large companies and government agencies do not work, and at three o'clock in the afternoon a large church service is held throughout the country, because this time is considered the hour of the death of Jesus Christ.
On Good Friday, housewives prepare an Easter treat, but Saturday is considered a family day in the UK. Many go to the cemetery where relatives are buried to decorate the grave with flowers.
In England, there are interesting beliefs associated with Good Friday :
- A child born on Good Friday is considered to be protected from evil spirits and will be distinguished by good health.
- Bun baked in Good Friday- cures many diseases.
- On this day, they do not start large projects, business, do not work in the field, do not go to sea.
What's on the holiday table?
Unlike our Russian “Easter” or “Kulich”, on the English table there must be sweet buns with an incision in the form of a cross on top, where then, after cooling, sugar icing is poured (“ hot cross buns"). This delicacy is baked on Friday and stuffed with raisins, candied fruits, nuts and dried fruits. Buns are distributed in the morning to relatives, neighbors, friends, and just random passers-by with wishes of health.
If you are invited to a traditional English table at Easter, then among the must-have dishes you can see baked pork ham, meatballs in honey-garlic sauce, glazed baked apples, and, of course, eggs. Although the tradition of coloring them in the UK is not so common, and most likely sweet chocolate eggs or cookies of this form will lie on the dish.
In England and America, it is not customary to "Christen" this is our Slavic tradition, so the locals may not understand you if you suddenly decide to greet them in this way. But the tradition of breaking eggs and seeing who has the whole and not beaten remains - exists in this country as well. On the streets on this day, many companies and entertainment venues organize competitions and entertainment, where, of course, eggs are the main symbol.
If you want to celebrate Easter in the traditional English style, we advise you to cook Simnel fruitcake, without which no Easter dinner in the UK is complete. Subscribe to our news and do not miss new useful materials that will allow you to better know the culture, traditions of this country and, of course, advance in learning English.
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There are holidays in the UK that everyone loves and celebrates, and Easter is one of them. Easter, or in English, Easter, is celebrated in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter services are held at night, many Catholic churches hold organ concerts on Sunday. As one of the main religious holidays, Easter in the UK has acquired its own traditions and customs, and some of them are radically different from ours.
Easter traditions
By tradition, Easter is celebrated in the spring, and it is customary for the British to wear only new clothes on this day, thus symbolizing the arrival of spring, the flowering of all life and the departure of inclement weather. During the Easter period, schools are closed for a 2-week holiday. And for adults, they make official weekends from Good Friday to Bright Monday. .jpg)
On the last Friday before Easter (Good Friday), solemn prayers are held in churches, reminding all the laity of the sufferings of Jesus. On this day, cross buns are baked with raisins and candied fruits or currants inside, the top of these buns is cut in the form of a cross (hence the name), symbolizing the resurrection of the son of the Lord. According to legend, such buns have healing properties and even drive away evil spirits from the house. A lot of spices are added to these buns so that when you eat them, everything “burns” in your mouth - this is also a symbol of the memory of the sufferings of Christ.
On Easter morning on Sunday, the whole family of the British go to church, meet the sunrise there. In each church, a large candle is lit, into which dozens of pins are stuck, symbolizing the wounds of Jesus Christ. This candle is carried through the entire temple so that each parishioner can light his own candle from it.
As in our country, in the UK it is customary to collect baskets of food, colored eggs, chocolate, and homemade cakes for Easter. In the church, the priest blesses all these baskets, and then in the family circle at the festive table, all these dishes are eaten together.
Especially for the festive dinner, the British beautifully decorate the house - in the spring festive, airy and gentle, preferring white, pink, green colors. An Easter basket with white lilies is always placed in the middle of the laid table, and multi-colored Easter eggs are laid out in the corners of the table.
Symbols of Easter in the UK
Like us, in the UK, Easter is impossible to imagine without Easter colored eggs. Eggs painted red symbolize the blood of Jesus, and green - his holiness. Today, the British have a new tradition - to give each other chocolate eggs with a surprise, which can contain different sweets, marmalades or souvenirs. .jpg)
The symbol of Easter in the UK has become the Easter Bunny, personifying fertility and abundance. According to legend, it is he who brings the eggs to obedient and good children, hides them in different places in the house, so that the children then look for their treats. The one who finds the most eggs will also receive a reward. Figurines of fluffies are symbolically placed on the table, decorate the house with them, and chocolate rabbits are presented to children.
The main Easter dish on the British table, in addition to eggs and pastries, is baked lamb with vegetables and mint sauce or rosemary. Also on Easter, it is customary to cook meatballs in honey-garlic sauce, bacon glazed with apples and potatoes, and bake smoked ham.
Easter cakes are also baked for Easter, but they outwardly differ from ours - much lower and more reminiscent of cupcakes. Easter cakes are decorated with colored mastic, sesame seeds and almonds on top.
Traditional entertainment for Easter
Easter celebrations in the United Kingdom are always fun, bright and colorful. Once in the United Kingdom, they decided to entertain not only children, but also adults by inviting them to play in the search for Easter eggs. Large fiberglass eggs measuring 76 cm in size were installed in the city; eminent designers had a hand in their manufacture. They also made tips in the form of specially issued maps and applications in a mobile phone. Anyone could arm themselves with them, and go on a “hunt”. The lucky person who collected the most of these eggs was given a gift for Easter in the form of 100 thousand dollars.
There is also the tradition of a hat parade in Battersea Park. Every year at Easter, ladies gather there in exclusively handmade hats, decorated with flowers and ribbons.
And in the town of Radley, not far from Oxford, the tradition of hugging the temple at Easter is carefully preserved. Parishioners become a tight circle around the perimeter of the church, join hands and hug the building. .jpg)
An interesting tradition on this day in the UK is the Easter dancers, or Morris Dancer. These are men who dress up as Robin Hood and dance in the streets, in parks, near churches.
Like us, on Easter in the UK they like to play cue ball - each of the participants picks up an egg and beats opponents with it on the egg. The one whose egg remains intact will be the winner. The British also like to play egg rolling: the participants of this entertainment launch eggs from a hillock, and whose egg first reaches the bottom, he wins.
Queen's Easter Alms
The celebration of Easter in the UK differs from other countries in that the queen rules there, and it is she who distributes royal alms on this day - Royal Moundy. This tradition has a long history dating back to the 13th century. During this ceremony, the reigning monarch (today it is Elizabeth II) rewards people who have distinguished themselves by special services to their parishes.
Money called Moundy is laid out in two wallets - red and white. Ordinary money is put into a red wallet, and coins specially issued for this day are put into a white one. The number of these coins corresponds to the age of the monarch. It is a great honor for any resident of the UK to receive Royal Moundy from the hands of the Queen.
There was another tradition in Great Britain, but it did not survive to this day - the washing of the feet of the poor by monarchs. This tradition was invented as a reminder of the evangelical Last Supper, when Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples.
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Easter is a great church holiday celebrated in many countries of the world where the Christian religion is preached.
England, in this sense, is no exception. The whole of Great Britain celebrates the great holiday of Easter, which in English is called Easter. And, of course, in the countries of Great Britain, including England, there are their own special traditions of celebrating Easter, different from those that have developed in Russia. Although, it should be noted that some of them are very similar to ours.
So, for example, the Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday. In England, this day is called "Palm Sunday", in English - "Palm Sunday". It is on this day in the UK that people give each other Easter eggs. However, unlike the colored chicken eggs we are used to, the British give each other sweet chocolate eggs with delicious caramel filling. In addition, it is customary to give various sweets and souvenirs in the form of Easter eggs.
The last Friday, which we call Good Friday, is called Good Friday in England. On this day, it is customary to have breakfast with spicy raisin buns, which are decorated with a cross on top or incisions are made in the form of a cross. These buns are called "hot cross buns". The cross on the buns is considered a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ, and the burning sensation in the mouth from hot spices symbolizes the torment of Christ.
Easter is also a big holiday for little English people, because schools at this time start a two-week spring break, and all the kids are waiting for the Easter Bunny - Easter Rabbit. It is believed that this animal hides Easter eggs for children and leaves baskets of sweets for them. Searching for hidden eggs around the house is a traditional Easter fun in English families.
In addition, the Easter Bunny in England is considered a symbol of abundance and fertility, so during the Easter holidays you can find a lot of souvenirs in the form of a rabbit on the shelves of shops.
Just like in Russia, services are held in English churches on Easter Sunday. The British go to church in new smart clothes, which symbolize the beginning of spring and the onset of warm sunny days. It is customary to bring Easter baskets to the service - Easter Baskets. Bread, eggs and other food that is left in the church are put into baskets.
On this bright holiday, English families gather for a big family dinner. The festive treat usually consists of baked lamb stuffed with vegetables, Easter cake and other sweets, as well as colored eggs, which are placed in baskets at the corners of the table. Most often, eggs are dyed red and green. It is believed that red symbolizes the blood of Christ, and green - a symbol of Holiness. Houses are decorated with flowers and figurines of Easter bunnies, candles are also placed and lit in the houses.
In ancient times in England, it was customary to arrange various amusements at Easter, many of which are still popular with the British on this day. So, for example, on Easter Monday it was customary for men to carry women in their arms, and on Easter Tuesday, on the contrary, for women of men. Two people stood side by side and clasped their hands, forming a kind of seat on which they carried a third.
In churches and on the streets, dancers dressed as Robin Hood dance the famous Morris Dancing.
Traditionally, children in England roll boiled painted eggs down the mountain on Easter Sunday. This is an old game that is still maintained in this country today. The eggs that roll down the mountain symbolize the stone that has fallen off the Holy Sepulcher. Children arrange whole competitions called egg races. Children roll eggs from the mountain, the winner is the one whose egg rolled first.
As in many other countries, Easter in England is considered a good day for weddings, and it is customary to choose white, cream and soft pink shades for a wedding dress.
In modern England, many of the old traditions of celebrating Easter are no longer observed. The younger generation perceives Easter mostly as just a fun spring holiday, in which they give cute souvenirs and gather around the family holiday table.
15.04.2017The main Christian celebration in the UK is celebrated on a grand scale. This year the holiday will be celebrated on April 17th. Powerful Englishmen are already actively preparing for a significant event, buying presents and decor to decorate their homes.
Brief historical background
Initially, Easter was a pagan holiday, on this day people honored and tried in every possible way to appease the goddess of spring, Eastre. When Christian missionaries began to preach a new religion, they understood that it would not be possible to cross out all the traditions in one fell swoop. Therefore, they did not prohibit the celebration of Eastre, but made their own significant adjustments. Slowly, without coercion, the missionaries managed to transform the celebration of the goddess of spring into a traditional Christian Easter.
English Easter could not lose completely pagan traditions. Not many people know, but the goddess Eastre has always had a faithful companion - a rabbit. The pagans considered it a symbol of procreation. This is probably how modern English people think. The Easter Bunny is the most important symbol of the holiday. In the form of it, cookies are baked, desserts are prepared, chocolate is made, all kinds of decor are made of cardboard and wood.
How do the British celebrate Easter?
In fact, Easter in the UK begins on Good Friday. In England, it is also called Long or Kind. On this day, it is customary to drink tea with cross buns in the morning. Round pastries with a spicy taste, candied fruit and raisins are decorated with a cross in the upper part. This symbol reminds the British that on this day Jesus Christ was martyred at Golgotha. It is customary to treat relatives and just passers-by on the street with such buns, no one will definitely refuse.
On the very day of Easter, Great Britain becomes lively with the first rays of the sun. Solemn services are held in churches, believing Englishmen go to God's abode, not forgetting to grab an absolutely worldly attribute - an Easter basket. It has everything you need for a festive table - eggs, deli meats and bread. Having consecrated the food and stood the service, people go home.
Easter is considered a family holiday in England. Those who have children meet the Easter holiday morning in the standard way: they watch their children look for eggs around the house. Caring mothers and fathers themselves hide them the night before, and never give clues where to look. The kids are sure that none other than the Easter Bunny hid the eggs. The one who turns out to be the most successful seeker wins a prize.
Easter day is a time of gifts and fun. Relatives visit each other, exchange chocolate eggs with caramel and nuts inside, Easter Bunny figurines.
At lunch, the whole family sits down at a rich festive table with garlic-honey meatballs, baked lamb, spring salad and caramelized apples. An obligatory attribute is the Simnel Easter cake with marzipan.
The main Easter entertainment of the British
Children and adults are waiting for Easter not only to enjoy delicious holiday dishes and receive gifts. During this period of school holidays, the country is covered by a real entertainment fever. On Sunday in the north of England, thousands of colorful eggs are rolled from all the hills. The winner is the one whose egg is first at the foot. Adults and little Englishmen can enjoy this entertainment for hours.
In the south of the country, people prefer to measure themselves differently. With eggs, they hit each other on the forehead, the one whose shell is the most durable wins.
On the streets in almost every city on Easter you can see adult men doing very tricky dance steps. This is how they scare away evil spirits from people. The dance is called Morris. To participate in it, it is enough to put on a Robin Hood costume and go outside. The tradition of performing this dance has pagan roots, the British take it extremely seriously, consider it an honor to take part in the ritual of protecting the city from evil spirits.
The most grandiose festive events take place in London. Solemn processions, fairs, dances continue in the city throughout the Easter week. The most striking action is the parade in Battersea Park. Only there you can see men and women dressed in original costumes rich in embroidery and stones and ancient hats.