Water And Easter Traditions In Romania

The Easter or the Resurrection is the greatest Christian celebration. Due to the Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, those who believe in Him are redumpted and forgiven the original sin.
The date of Christian Easter is not a fix one: it is in accordance with the spring equinox. Due to subsequent irregularities of the calendar, the Catholic Church celebrates Easter between 22nd of March and the 25th of April, while the Orthodox Church celebrates Easter between the 4th of April and the 8th of May.
A sum of pre-Christian beliefs and holidays mark the Lent of the Orthodox Christians:
-In the middle of the Fast, girls wash their faces in the river in order to be pretty;
-On the Palm Sunday the hair is washed with blessed water so that it will grow thick and nicely; afterwards, the water is poured at the root of a pear tree.
On Sunday – the Holy Day of Resurrection – people go to the church for the holy Liturgy. They come back home with candles latten during the ceremony. The family members wash their faces in a pot where they laid a red egg, basil, a silver coin and water. They say the Lord’s Prayer and receive the Eucharist. In the end they break red eggs and greet one another with “Jesus has resurrected”.
Some of them collect eggs shells and throw them away in the river so that they reach the Mildmen Land announcing them the Resurrection, too.
People believe that the one born on Ester night will be lucky the whole life, while he one who dies during the Passions Week will have his sins forgiven.



ANA VOROVENCI
Teacher