Easter holiday traditions you should know about

As Christian faithful around the world prepare to culminate the Easter holiday tomorrow, April 20, many may reflect on the meaning of Easter and the traditions tied to it.

Easter, observed as the pinnacle of Holy Week, is significant to many Christians globally.

So, how do different communities mark this significant season?

Many opt to focus on religious practices, including the procession of the Way of the Cross, which begins on Palm Sunday—the day Jesus is said to have entered Jerusalem riding a donkey.

Other faithful prefer to focus on community events, feasting, and unique traditions like egg rolling or bonfires.

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The week progresses with other key days such as Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and ends in Easter Sunday, marked by joyous celebrations of Christ’s resurrection.

During the season, Christians attend sunrise services and read Biblical accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Others combine spiritual activities with community activities—feasting, egg rolling, bonfires, and more.

Traditions vary by region.

In India, for example, Christians celebrate Easter with a spring festival, decorating and gifting eggs to children.

In Asian culture, the season is marked in two ways: The Easter eggs and a procession.

In the Philippines, their morning procession is conducted in two separate ways. The men on one side and the women on the other, in a black veil, the two groups then meet at the church as a symbol of Jesus comforting Mary after He was raised from the dead.

In parts of Europe, such as Romania, Serbia, and Greece, Easter is celebrated one to two weeks later than in most of the world. This is mainly because the countries follow a Julian calendar.

Other countries put a unique spin on celebrations. In Germany, families decorate Easter trees with painted eggs, reminiscent of Christmas traditions.

In Poland, families gather for Easter Sunday breakfast, while in France, volunteers gather to cook a giant omelet where thousands of eggs are cracked and cooked to create the dish. And in Bermuda, families fly colorful kites on Good Friday, a tradition said to have originated from a teacher illustrating Jesus’ ascension by flying a kite bearing His image.