Fascinating and Historic Easter Traditions around the World

We are just two days away from the auspicious Easter Sunday. This implies that it is almost time to get the joyous celebrations started. Let the eggs roll, cook up the traditional fare, and fill up those Easter baskets. Get hyped for the hunt and aim to collect the most eggs. The chocolate bunnies are your guardian angels. But take some time out for introspection and historic enlightenment in your day. This holiday contains a lot more meaning in itself than merely gobbling down chocolate treats and running around with happiness. It is a reunion of Christ with God. There are different quirky Easter traditions around the world. SwordsSwords has listed down a few of the most peculiar and holistic rituals. Read on to learn more about Easter ‘round the globe.

Church Sunrise Service

The service of Easter Sunday in most churches begins at sunrise. While you may think it is too early to wake up, there is a reason behind this timing. According to lore, sunrise was the time when it was discovered that Christ had risen to heaven and his tomb did not contain his body. This memorable occasion is cherished by the churches and honored at the crack of dawn. This tradition originated in 1732.

Lent on Easter

Lent is the tradition of fasting for a period that ends near Easter time. Traditionally, the fasting was meant to last for about forty days and ends with a huge delicious feast to celebrate. Today, observing Lent is not possible for the required amount due to professional personal obligations. However, many devoted Christians try to honor the holy days by giving up their material indulgences and addictions.

The White House Celebrations

The house of President of the United States has always been deeply involved with the celebration of local and international holidays. For different occasions, such as Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, the White House is transformed into a representation of the event. Additionally, the children are invited to spend the day with the president and play different games. Easter is no different. It has been a tradition of the white house to invite kids and families on Easter and commemorate the holiday. This celebration started in 1878 by President Hayes. He allowed the celebration of an egg roll and an egg hunt when one of his younger constituents requested it. The other activates arranged by the White House during Easter are as follows:

• Easter egg Hunt
• Children story reading time
• Cookie decoration
• Egg decoration
• The Easter egg roll

Let’s Go Fly a Kite

Kites flying is a global hobby of children. While it is not related to a season or a tradition, many cultures have co-opted this activity to commemorate their events. Bermuda has done something of the sort with Easter and kite flying as well. Good Friday is usually the Friday before Easter Sunday. There are specific church services one might attend alongside the kite-flying festival at Horseshoe Bay Beach. This tradition is not age-specific. People of all ages and gender head out on Good Friday and paint the Bermudan sky with a medley of colorful kites. According to local lore, the kite describes the ascension of Jesus to heaven and the height of the flight is symbolic of His purity and high status.

The Biggest Omelet Ever

Everyone loves a nicely made omelet. Light, airy eggs wrapped in unsalted butter and mild spices are a delicacy enough to start the day with gusto. However, if you think you are one of the biggest fans of Easter omelet or even omelets in general, then you should reconsider. The French town of Bessières is adamant to prove themselves as the biggest omelet aficionados in the world year after year. It is a popular saying “To make an omelet, you've got to crack a few eggs”. Well, you might have to crack more than fifteen hundred eggs to get on the level of Bessières. Every Easter in this charming town is replete with an abundance of eggs being cooked in a giant pan of over thirteen feet in diameter. We can attribute the initiation of this ritual to the French ruler, Bonaparte. During a campaign, he passed by Bessières and requested the villagers for an omelet that might feed his entire force. Hence, the giant omelet was born!

Cart Explosion on Easter

This tradition is unique to Florence, Italy and it is celebrated with gusto every year. There is no need to be anxious, the cart is not filled with explosives. The locals fill it up to the brim with gorgeous fireworks. Then this whole setup is led through the streets of Florence as a part of the procession. The Duomo Cathedral is the stopping point. Then, the Archbishop ignites the fireworks and the whole community is treated to an elaborate fireworks show with all sorts of colors and designs. The display is beautiful and many locals await it every year. The purpose of this ritual is to invite a healthy harvest into the community. The tradition of lighting these fireworks is called Scoppio Del Carro and it originated around three hundred and fifty years ago.