Easter has always been kind of a big deal in Ireland. For many, The Easter weekend means closed pubs on Good Friday, spending time with family, copious amounts of chocolate & extended time off work/school. Others associate the real meaning of Easter as a spiritual period to reflect upon and celebrate the life of Jesus and his sacrifices.
For other cultures however, Easter takes on a different meaning with many different customs & events occurring around the world. Here we explore some of the most unique.
Ireland
This year, Easter will take on an added significance for the Irish diaspora both home & abroad as it marks the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising against the British Empire – an event which changed the face of Irish history forever.
While the rising was unsuccessful, the events of Easter 1916 ultimately forged the path towards independence for the majority of the Island. The anniversary will be marked a series of commemorations nationwide including a huge parade in Dublin where the main events of the rising occurred.
Norway
While most of us are preoccupied with mass, cute bunnies & mountains of chocolate, things are a lot different in the Scandinavian nation. In Norway, many people indulge in the odd tradition of reading crime fiction novels & watching in murder mystery programmes with family & friends.
The tradition is so strong that during the Easter period, major Norwegian television stations actually schedule their programming exclusively around crime detective shows & murder mysteries.
Large publishing companies also hold off on the release of certain crime & murder novels until Easter in a bid to cash in on this unusual custom. Norway also observes the longest Easter holiday in the world with schools and many businesses closing completely from the Friday before Palm Sunday until three days after Easter Sunday.
Bermuda
Over in the beautiful Caribbean island of Bermuda another interesting annual custom take place on the Easter weekend – kite flying! According to local legend, the annual KiteFest at Horseshoe Bay – which has become an integral part of Bermudian culture – began decades ago when a local teacher was trying to demonstrate the ascension of Jesus to his students.
Good Friday is generally referred to as “Kite Day” by Bermudians and many have their own kite flying parties with family & friends with prizes handed out for the best & biggest ones.
Italy
The Vatican state within Rome contains the worldwide HQ of the Catholic Church & the residence of The Pope so it’s inevitable that they would put on quite a spectacle. Every Good Friday, large crowds gather in St Peter’s Square to witness medieval themed performances & a full recreation of the nativity.
Later that evening the ritual of The Stations of the Cross is led by the Pope at the Roman Colosseum. Mass will be conducted by the Pope on Easter Sunday in St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Indonesia
Christianity was first introduced to Indonesia some 500 years ago by Dutch & Portuguese settlers. Ever since then the country’s Christian population have held reenactments in towns & villages nationwide depicting the events leading up to the crucifixion.
Men are fastened to crosses and paraded through the streets while statues of Jesus Christ & the Virgin Mary are also held aloft.
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