EASTER IN ROMANIA

BY ALEXANDRA DURAC

EASTER• EASTER (OLD ENGLISH ĒOSTRE; LATIN: PASCHA; GREEK ΠΆΣΧΑ PASKHA, THE LATTER TWO DERIVED FROM HEBREW: ס"ח$ (PESAḤ פ%

IS A CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE THIRD DAY AFTER HIS CRUCIFIXION AT CALVARY AS DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. EASTER IS THE CULMINATION OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST, PRECEDED BY LENT, A FORTY-DAY PERIOD OF FASTING, PRAYER, AND PENANCE.

• THE LAST WEEK OF LENT IS CALLED HOLY WEEK, AND IT CONTAINS THE DAYS OF THE EASTER TRIDUUM, INCLUDING MAUNDY THURSDAY (ALSO KNOWN AS HOLY THURSDAY), COMMEMORATING THE LAST SUPPER AND ITS PRECEDING FOOT WASHING,AS WELL AS GOOD FRIDAY, COMMEMORATING THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF JESUS. EASTER IS FOLLOWED BY A FIFTY-DAY PERIOD CALLED EASTERTIDE, OR THE EASTER SEASON, ENDING WITH PENTECOST SUNDAY.

• EASTER IS A MOVEABLE FEAST, MEANING IT IS NOT FIXED IN RELATION TO THE CIVIL CALENDAR. THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICAEA (325) ESTABLISHED THE DATE OF EASTER AS THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE FULL MOON (THE PASCHAL FULL MOON) FOLLOWING THE MARCH EQUINOX. ECCLESIASTICALLY, THE EQUINOX IS RECKONED TO BE ON 21 MARCH (ALTHOUGH THE ASTRONOMICAL EQUINOX OCCURS ON 20 MARCH IN MOST YEARS), AND THE "FULL MOON" IS NOT NECESSARILY ON THE ASTRONOMICALLY CORRECT DATE. THE DATE OF EASTER THEREFORE VARIES BETWEEN 22 MARCH AND 25 APRIL INCLUSIVE. EASTERN CHRISTIANITY BASES ITS CALCULATIONS ON THE JULIAN CALENDAR, WHOSE 21 MARCH CORRESPONDS, DURING THE 21ST CENTURY, TO 3 APRIL IN THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR, AND IN WHICH THEREFORE THE CELEBRATION OF EASTER VARIES BETWEEN 4 APRIL AND 8 MAY.

• EASTER IS LINKED TO THE JEWISH PASSOVER BY MUCH OF ITS SYMBOLISM, AS WELL AS BY ITS POSITION IN THE CALENDAR. IN MANY LANGUAGES, THE WORDS FOR "EASTER" AND "PASSOVER" ARE IDENTICAL OR VERY SIMILAR.EASTER CUSTOMS VARY ACROSS THE CHRISTIAN WORLD, AND INCLUDE SUNRISE SERVICES, EXCLAIMING THE PASCHAL GREETING, CLIPPING THE CHURCH

AND DECORATING EASTER EGGS, A SYMBOL OF THE EMPTY TOMB. ADDITIONAL CUSTOMS THAT HAVE BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH EASTER AND ARE OBSERVED BY BOTH CHRISTIANS AND SOME NON-CHRISTIANS INCLUDE EGG HUNTING, THE EASTER BUNNY, AND EASTER PARADES.

EASTER CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD • MANY AMERICANS FOLLOW THE TRADITION OF COLORING HARD-BOILED EGGS AND GIVING BASKETS OF CANDY. THE EASTER BUNNY IS A

POPULAR LEGENDARY ANTHROPOMORPHIC EASTER GIFT-GIVING CHARACTER ANALOGOUS TO SANTA CLAUS IN AMERICAN CULTURE. ON EASTER MONDAY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HOLDS AN ANNUAL EASTER EGG ROLL ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. NEW YORK CITY HOLDS AN ANNUAL EASTER PARADE ON EASTER SUNDAY.

• IN COUNTRIES WHERE CHRISTIANITY IS A STATE RELIGION, OR WHERE THE COUNTRY HAS LARGE CHRISTIAN POPULATION, EASTER IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY. SOME EUROPEAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD ALSO HAVE EASTER MONDAY AS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY. IN CANADA, BOTH EASTER SUNDAY AND EASTER MONDAY ARE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. IN PROVINCE OF QUEBEC, EITHER GOOD FRIDAY OR EASTER MONDAY (ALTHOUGH MOST COMPANIES GIVE BOTH) ARE STATUTORY HOLIDAYS. TWO DAYS BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY, ON GOOD FRIDAY, IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY AS WELL.

• IN DENMARK, FINLAND, NORWAY AND SWEDEN, BOTH EASTER SUNDAY AND EASTER MONDAY ARE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. IT IS A HOLIDAY FOR MOST WORKERS EXCEPT SOME SHOPPING MALLS WHICH KEEP OPEN FOR HALF-DAY. MANY BUSINESSES GIVE THEIR EMPLOYEES ALMOST A WEEK OFF CALLED EASTER BREAK.

• IN THE NETHERLANDS BOTH EASTER SUNDAY AND EASTER MONDAY ARE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. LIKE FIRST AND SECOND CHRISTMAS DAY THEY ARE BOTH CONSIDERED SUNDAYS, WHICH RESULTS IN A FIRST AND A SECOND EASTER SUNDAY, AFTER WHICH THE WEEK CONTINUES TO A TUESDAY.

• IN THE UNITED STATES, EASTER SUNDAY IS A FLAG DAY[CLARIFICATION NEEDED] BUT BECAUSE EASTER FALLS ON A SUNDAY, WHICH IS ALREADY A NON-WORKING DAY FOR FEDERAL AND STATE EMPLOYEES, IT HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNATED AS A FEDERAL OR STATE HOLIDAY. FEW BANKS THAT ARE NORMALLY OPEN ON REGULAR SUNDAYS ARE CLOSED ON EASTER.

• SOME RETAIL STORES, SHOPPING MALLS, AND RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSED ON EASTER SUNDAY, ALTHOUGH THIS PRACTICE IS DECLINING. GOOD FRIDAY, WHICH OCCURS TWO DAYS BEFORE EASTER SUNDAY, IS A HOLIDAY IN 12 STATES (SEE THE ARTICLE FOR DETAILS). EVEN IN STATES WHERE GOOD FRIDAY IS NOT A HOLIDAY, MANY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, STOCK MARKETS, AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.

ORTHODOX EASTER DAY IN ROMANIA• EASTER DAY (PAȘTELE) IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY ACROSS ROMANIA AND

CELEBRATES JESUS’ RESURRECTION FROM DEATH, AS TOLD IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE. ROMANIA’S EASTER HOLIDAY FOLLOWS THE ORTHODOX EASTER DATE, WHICH IS OFTEN DIFFERENT FROM THE EASTER DATE DETERMINED BY OTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

• EASTER SUNDAY AND EASTER MONDAY ARE PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN ROMANIA SO BANKS, PUBLIC OFFICES, AND MANY PRIVATE BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED. PEOPLE INTENDING TO TRAVEL VIA PUBLIC TRANSPORT DURING PUBLIC HOLIDAYS MUST CHECK WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITIES ON ANY CHANGES TO TIME SCHEDULES.

A TRADITIONAL FOOD FOR EASTER

• EASTER IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS IN ROMANIA. MANY CHURCHES ACROSS ROMANIA HOLD SPECIAL EASTER SERVICES. FAMILIES AND FRIENDS GATHER FOR AN EASTER LUNCH OR DINNER, WHERE MEALS INCLUDE:

• LAMB MEAT, INCLUDING DROB (LAMB ORGANS’ HAGGIS WITH VEGETABLES).

• PASCĂ, A SPECIAL TYPE OF COZONAC (WALNUT POUND CAKE).

• PAINTED EGGS. THE COLORS THAT ARE USED ARE RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN AND BLACK.

• ROMANIANS CALL THE PAINTED AND DECORATED EGGS “OUA INCONDEIATE”, “OUA IMPIESTRITE”, OR “OUA INCHIESTRITE”. IT IS CUSTOMARY TO KNOCK EACH OTHER’S EGGS DURING EASTER, AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT PEOPLE WHO KNOCK EACH OTHER’S EGGS WILL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN AFTER DEATH.

IMAGES FOR A TRADITIONAL FOOD• ROMANIA’S EASTER HOLIDAY FOLLOWS THE EASTER DATES SET BY THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN

CHURCH. MANY ORTHODOX CHURCHES BASE THEIR EASTER DATE ON THE JULIAN CALENDAR, WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR THAT IS USED BY MANY WESTERN COUNTRIES. THEREFORE THE ORTHODOX EASTER PERIOD OFTEN OCCURS LATER THAN THE EASTER PERIOD THAT FALLS AFTER THE TIME OF THE MARCH EQUINOX.

ROMANIAN CUISINE• ROMANIAN CUISINE IS A DIVERSE BLEND OF DIFFERENT DISHES FROM SEVERAL TRADITIONS WITH

WHICH IT HAS COME INTO CONTACT, BUT IT ALSO MAINTAINS ITS OWN CHARACTER. IT HAS BEEN GREATLY INFLUENCED BY OTTOMAN CUISINE, WHILE IT ALSO INCLUDES INFLUENCES FROM THE CUISINES OF OTHER NEIGHBOURS, SUCH AS GERMANS, SERBS, BULGARIANS AND HUNGARIANS.

• QUITE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISHES ARE SOMETIMES INCLUDED UNDER A GENERIC TERM; FOR EXAMPLE, THE CATEGORY CIORBĂ INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF SOUPS WITH A CHARACTERISTIC SOUR TASTE. THESE MAY BE MEAT AND VEGETABLE SOUPS, TRIPE (CIORBĂ DE BURTĂ) AND CALF FOOT SOUPS, OR FISH SOUPS, ALL OF WHICH ARE SOURED BY LEMON JUICE, SAUERKRAUT JUICE, VINEGAR, OR TRADITIONALLY BORŞ. THE CATEGORY ŢUICĂ (PLUM BRANDY) IS A GENERIC NAME FOR A STRONG ALCOHOLIC SPIRIT IN ROMANIA, WHILE IN OTHER COUNTRIES, EVERY FLAVOUR HAS A DIFFERENT NAME.

~ROMANIAN CUISINE ~• THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE EASTER IS CALLED THE GREAT FRIDAY OR THE FRIDAY OF SUFFERINGS, AS IT IS THE DAY WHEN JESUS WAS

CRUCIFIED. ON SATURDAY, PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH FOR THE MIDNIGHT MASS, TAKING WITH THEM A BOWL OF PASCA, EGGS AND STEAK, WHERE THESE ALIMENTS ARE BLESSED BY THE CLERGY. ON RETURNING HOME FROM THE MASS, PEOPLE FIRST EAT SOME OF THE SANCTIFIED ALIMENTS AND ONLY THEN THE REST.

• STARTING WITH HOLY THURSDAY, PEOPLE START PAINTING EGGS IN A MULTITUDE OF COLORS. THE PREDOMINANT COLOR IS RED, BUT OTHER COLORS ARE ALSO APPLIED - YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE AND EVEN BLACK. DECORATED EGGS OR 'OUA INCONDEIATE' ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF EASTER CELEBRATION IN ROMANIA. THE EGGS ARE DECORATED USING A TYPE OF THIN AND ROUND STICKS CALLED CHISITA, MADE OF BEECH WOOD.

• THE SPECIAL EASTER CAKE, KNOWN AS PASCA, IS BAKED ON GREAT THURSDAY. THE PASCA CAN HAVE A ROUND SHAPE (REMINDING LITTLE JESUS' DIAPERS) OR A RECTANGULAR ONE (THE SHAPE OF HIS GRAVE). THE SHELLS OF THE EGGS USED FOR THE PASCA ARE THROWN IN A RIVER. THIS ACTION STEMS FROM THE ANCIENT BELIEF THAT THE SHELLS ARE TAKEN BY THE RIVER TO THE COUNTRY OF THE GOOD PEOPLE, ANNOUNCING THEM THE EASTER HAS CAME.

• IN SOME REGIONS (BUCOVINA, TRANSYLVANIA), THERE IS A TRADITION CALLED "THE WETTING". ON MONDAY MORNING, THE BOYS TAKE A BUCKET OF WATER AND GO TO THE HOUSES OF THE UNMARRIED GIRLS. IF THEY FOUND THEM SLEEPING, THE BOYS THROW WATER ON THEM. AS IT IS BELIEVED THAT THOSE GIRLS WILL MARRY SOON, THEY REWARD THE BOYS WHO HAD WETTED THEM BY GIVING THEM THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DECORATED EGGS AND PASCA OR CAKE.

Happy EASTER