The Easter In Romania

           The 

       Easter In

       Romania

           Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian year. Catholics and Orthodox christians celebrate it usually separatelly, but the significance of the holiday is the same.
              As every modern holiday this one also has a history. In the Christian world it used to be a hebrew holiday. It marked the Exodus of the Chosen People, leaded by Moses, from Egypt. It was celabrated for years before the new formed religion adopted it as a holiday of it's own.
             In Europe most people were pagans at the time the Chriastians started to gain more grounds, so there was a need for replacing the pagan holidays with the ones that had a Christian significance. Easter holiday replaced the spring festival dedicated to the pagan godess Eostre, festival that was marking the vernal equinox. The holiday was approved by the Roman Emperor Constantine and the Council of Niceea in 325.
            The Easter holiday means for most christians the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the founder of the modern christianity. The events that happened cca. 30 AD are celebrated in the christian calendar and calls to a cleaning of the human soul, penitence and honoring the sacrifice Jesus did for the christians.
            In Romania people respect the spiritual importance of this holiday. Romanians keep very well their traditions which is a wonderfull one, Romania being at the confluence of two major continents and cultures, Asia and Europe.

            The traditions visitors may encounter in Romania durring the Easter holiday are the painted eggs, making the "cozonaci", "pasca", the lamb sacrifice and the going at the church durring the night before Easter.

             The going at the church from the Easter's Eve and until the Easter morning is a tradion Romanians keep since they became Christian Orthodox. They particullary go to the church to witness the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to get the Light that will light up their homes, souls and the year. The priest also gives to the christians that go to the church "pasca", which is the blood and the body of Jesus, allusion to the Jesus's last supper.

            If Easter is a cleansing holiday for the adults, then for kids it's like every holiday, one of joy for them. In the Easter morning, romanian children go from door to door to recieve painted eggs and to wish to the hosts "Happy Passover !". In the afternoon they search all gardens for the sweets the Easter Bunny left over. 

            The young ones aren't forgotten eighter. The girls recieve visits from the boys that plash them with parfume, meaning that he is interested in starting a friendship with her. The girl responds to this by giving to the boy painted eggs and "cozonac", tradidionally made with grounded poppy seeds and grounded nuts.

           All contries have their own traditions and they are waiting for us to discover them and see how wonderfull every country from this Globe is. As Easter holiday is coming up in a week in Romania, I will take the liberty and wish you all a very "Happy Easter! Happy Passover Day !"