Easter is one the most celebrated Christian festival all over the world. Each country has its own customs, rituals and traditions to celebrate Easter or any other festival. Romania also has its own set of traditions and beliefs. Romanians celebrate Easter according to the rituals of the Eastern Orthodox Church. People have different customs in Romania , depending upon the region.
Great Easter celebrations in Romania start from the Good Friday which is called as the Friday of Sufferings. This is called so because Jesus was crucified on this day. On the night of Easter Saturday, people go to the church for attending midnight mass. While going to church, they take with them a bowl of Pasca, steaks and eggs to get them blessed by the clergy.
In Bucovina in Romania , there is a very cute tradition that young ladies go to the church steeple on the Resurrection night and wash the bell clapper with fresh water. On the Easter morning, they use the same water for washing their faces to look more beautiful and young all the year long. These church bells ring to call the people to the Easter morning mass. After coming back from the Easter morning mass, people first eat that blessed food which they took with them to the church.
Since Holy Thursday, decorating eggs in different colours and different patterns is favourite Easter activity with the Romanian folks. The most prominent colour for the Easter eggs is red though other colours like yellow, green, blue or black are also used. 'oua incondeiate' as the decorated eggs are called are very important part Easter Day celebrations. Small, thin and round sticks called, Chisita are used for decorating the eggs. These sticks are made up of beech wood.
Pasca, the special Easter cake is baked on the Great Thursday. Pasca can be round or square in shape. Another tradition is to throwing of egg shells of the eggs used for baking Pasca are thrown in river. This is because of the old belief, which says that shells taken by the river to the country of Good People and announce the coming of Easter.
