Easter Celebrations Across Cultures

On 20th April 2014, millions of Christians and friends will celebrate Easter Sunday - perhaps the most well attended Sunday service of all. It is on this day, that Jesus Christ came back to life or was raised from the dead after being crucified three days earlier, that is, Good Friday (according to the Scriptures).

Like all religious festivals, Easter comes with its share of fun, frolic and food. Many of us are familiar with the Easter traditions of painted eggs, the Easter bunny and Easter egg hunts. However, every culture adds it own twist on the celebration. Here are some Easter traditions from around the world:

Easter eggs painted in traditional Indonesian patterns.

Washington DC, USA:

Every year (for the last 130 years), the White House hosts the Easter Egg Roll. Up to 30,000 converge on the South Lawn to celebrate Easter at The White House. It typical involves lots of music, sports, food, storytelling and of course egg rolling. 'Egg Rolling' involves rolling an Easter egg down the lawn with a large serving spoon. Children get to meet the President, the First Lady and other celebrities as well, and get to take home collectible wooden Easter eggs. This year's theme is 'Hop Into Healthy, Swing Into Shape' - part of the First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts to promote healthy living among children.

Source: www.whitehouse.gov

Haux, France:

It's all about the eggs in this French town and they are  not painted or made of chocolate. In fact, 4,500 eggs are used  to make ginormous omelette! The omelette is served in the town square on Easter Monday and serves more than a 1000 people. Tradition has it that Napolean once passed through the town and sampled the local omelette. He loved it so much that he ordered the town's people to make an omelette to feed his entire army.

Source: epicurious.com

Manila, The Philippines:

The Philippines is the only Asian country with a majority Catholic population. The observance of Easter is taken seriously - starting with self punishment and ending in celebrations on Easter Sunday. On Good Friday, Filipinos whip themselves - some also have their hands and feet nailed to the cross - to share the pain that Jesus Christ experienced at The Cross. On Easter Sunday at 4 am there is a 'salubong' ceremony to commemorate the time that Virgin Mary met her son Jesus after he came back to life.  Flower petals are rained down on images of Jesus and Mary. Things then return to normal in the city of Manila, as stores final open for business.

Source: telegraph.co.uk

Verges, Spain:

In a rather macabre observance of the Holy Week, the citizens of Verges dress up as skeletons and perform the 'dance of death.' Scenes from The Passion are reenacted on Holy Thursday. The dance begins at midnight and ends by 3 am. The procession ends with frightening skeletons carrying boxes of ashes. 

Source: Getty Images

However we may choose to commemorate Easter, there are lessons of  new beginnings, renewal, faith and love to look forward in each every way of celebrating the life of Jesus Christ.

Happy Easter everyone!