L
lags2020
Guest
Easter is a religious Christian festival that is celebrated by Christians worldwide. It is a celebration of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world and rose up for the justification of man before God. Easter celebrations is celebrated differently around the world, and this would be examined shortly as the festivities start today, Easter Friday, to Monday, Easter Monday.
Most Pentecostal churches observe Easter by holding special programmes such as village evangelism, outdoor crusades, visiting the homeless and the orphanage, and enjoying special meals among the family. Orthodox churches on the other hand observe Easter with the Lenten fasting and penance, carnivals, parades, plays, and overnight parties. Some orthodox churches also avoid eating meat during this period – starting from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
i. Nigeria
Easter in Nigeria is celebrated by both Pentecostal and Orthodox churches, and also by non-Christians. Some celebrate it by fasting during the preceding Lenten period, and giving to the poor, and others by holding special church programmes and outdoor events. But aside these, Easter is largely a period of wild jubilations when people eat chicken and rice and other local delicacies.
ii. Argentina
Easter in Argentina actually starts during the Holy Week introduced by Lent, and all meat is avoided, and replaced with fish and seafood. People attend their local churches on Good Friday where they observe the Station of the Cross or Crucis where Jesus is depicted during the final hours of his life carrying the Cross to his crucifixion. On Easter Sunday, there is sharing of eggs and making of a special Easter cake known as Rosca de Pascua.
iii. Greece
Easter in Greece is a mythological-Christianity event. The Greek Orthodox Church follows the Byzantine calendar and so celebrates Easter on a different date which is determined by the moon’s cycle. In Athens, Good Friday is the first main event where a replica of the tomb of Jesus Christ is taken through town. To celebrate Easter, people also go to churches with unlit candles and then these are subsequently lit with the Holy Flame taken from Christ’s nativity cave in Jerusalem. People walk through town with these lit candles and conduct fireworks, bells, and jubilation.
iv. Scotland
Although the people of Scotland go to mass and consume large social meals, the joys of Easter is usually more fun with the children. The children throw eggs and also roll them on Easter Sunday after boiling and painting them in various color designs. The eggs are rolled down on park hills as a symbol of the stone rolled away from the tomb of Jesus.
v. Sweden
Easter in Sweden is marked with large amounts of food and social festivity. Children dress as good witches on Easter Saturday and give out letters and cards in return for eggs, sweets, and coins. People also roll eggs here, and some on roofing tiles to see those whose eggs will not break after going the furthest. And during mealtimes, people eat fish, smoked salmon, roast ham and cheese in the true Nordic spirit.
vi. The Philippines
In the Philippines, many Filipino Catholics take part in penance and rituals of Maudy Thursday, where penitents walk barefoot in the streets and even whip themselves to partake in the sufferings of Christ. Sometimes, men dressed as Jesus Christ re-enact being nailed to the cross along the streets after which they all return home in the evenings to a night of partying and foods.
vii. Italy
Italy has the largest population of Catholics in the world and is the home of catholism. During Good Friday of Easter, people flock to St. Peter’s Square where they hold ancient religious performances which include the Nativity scene and a replay of the life and times of Jesus Christ. And just two days before Good Friday, the Pope conducts a Stations of the Cross procession at the Coloseum; and on Easter Sunday, people who are lucky to get a free but limited ticket partake in mass with the pope.
Most Pentecostal churches observe Easter by holding special programmes such as village evangelism, outdoor crusades, visiting the homeless and the orphanage, and enjoying special meals among the family. Orthodox churches on the other hand observe Easter with the Lenten fasting and penance, carnivals, parades, plays, and overnight parties. Some orthodox churches also avoid eating meat during this period – starting from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
i. Nigeria
Easter in Nigeria is celebrated by both Pentecostal and Orthodox churches, and also by non-Christians. Some celebrate it by fasting during the preceding Lenten period, and giving to the poor, and others by holding special church programmes and outdoor events. But aside these, Easter is largely a period of wild jubilations when people eat chicken and rice and other local delicacies.
ii. Argentina
Easter in Argentina actually starts during the Holy Week introduced by Lent, and all meat is avoided, and replaced with fish and seafood. People attend their local churches on Good Friday where they observe the Station of the Cross or Crucis where Jesus is depicted during the final hours of his life carrying the Cross to his crucifixion. On Easter Sunday, there is sharing of eggs and making of a special Easter cake known as Rosca de Pascua.
iii. Greece
Easter in Greece is a mythological-Christianity event. The Greek Orthodox Church follows the Byzantine calendar and so celebrates Easter on a different date which is determined by the moon’s cycle. In Athens, Good Friday is the first main event where a replica of the tomb of Jesus Christ is taken through town. To celebrate Easter, people also go to churches with unlit candles and then these are subsequently lit with the Holy Flame taken from Christ’s nativity cave in Jerusalem. People walk through town with these lit candles and conduct fireworks, bells, and jubilation.
iv. Scotland
Although the people of Scotland go to mass and consume large social meals, the joys of Easter is usually more fun with the children. The children throw eggs and also roll them on Easter Sunday after boiling and painting them in various color designs. The eggs are rolled down on park hills as a symbol of the stone rolled away from the tomb of Jesus.
v. Sweden
Easter in Sweden is marked with large amounts of food and social festivity. Children dress as good witches on Easter Saturday and give out letters and cards in return for eggs, sweets, and coins. People also roll eggs here, and some on roofing tiles to see those whose eggs will not break after going the furthest. And during mealtimes, people eat fish, smoked salmon, roast ham and cheese in the true Nordic spirit.
vi. The Philippines
In the Philippines, many Filipino Catholics take part in penance and rituals of Maudy Thursday, where penitents walk barefoot in the streets and even whip themselves to partake in the sufferings of Christ. Sometimes, men dressed as Jesus Christ re-enact being nailed to the cross along the streets after which they all return home in the evenings to a night of partying and foods.
vii. Italy
Italy has the largest population of Catholics in the world and is the home of catholism. During Good Friday of Easter, people flock to St. Peter’s Square where they hold ancient religious performances which include the Nativity scene and a replay of the life and times of Jesus Christ. And just two days before Good Friday, the Pope conducts a Stations of the Cross procession at the Coloseum; and on Easter Sunday, people who are lucky to get a free but limited ticket partake in mass with the pope.
