Easter in Romania (part 1)

The Romanians are very religious. They are so proud of their Christian origin that they say they have been born “Christian”. Nowadays, over 80% of the Romanians are Orthodox. The number of the ones that go to church in Romania is remarkable, especially abreast of the old people. In the villages, the church still plays a prominent part in their social life.

Easter is the most important celebration of the Romanian people and it is assisted by many rituals and traditions.

It starts withLazarus’s Day (Flowers Saturday). That’s the Saturday before the real Easter weekend. Lazarus’s Day has many meanings for the Romanian people that live in different regions of Romania. Lazarus is either Martha or Mary’s brother that has been resurrected by Jesus before entering Jerusalem, either Lazarus the poor, either “Lazarica” that has died craving for pies.

The next day, a week before the Easter was called the Flowers Day (“Florii”) was initially dedicated to the Roman goddess named Flora but, in the process of time, it changed into celebrating Jesus’ entrance in Jerusalem. This is a celebration when flowers, fruit trees and willows bloom. The willows have a very important meaning. The legend says that, after Jesus was crucified, his mother started crying and wandered till she found a river. Since she had no other way to pass the river, she asked the willow to help her and the willow made itself a sort of bridge to help Mary crossing the river. The Holy Mary put a blessing on it, asking God to never allow that willow to be transformed into coal and to always keep its branches young. That’s why on this day, people bring flowers and willow branches to church for sanctifying them. After that, people take them home and put them near the icon or above the door for protecting them against natural disasters. At the same time, children and animals are touched with the sacred willow branches for growing and blooming as a willow. The willow branches are used as so called medicines. It is said that, if you have a belt made of willow branches, you will be able to avoid loins ache and if you eat three catkins, you will be able to have a healthy throat all year long. This is the day when everybody has to relax and never to work and people can even eat fish although it is during the fasting. Everybody that has the name of a flower is celebrated as a saint: Violeta (violet), Margareta (daisy), Garofita (little daffodil), Florina, Florin that come from the Romanian “floare” (flower). It’s the day of commemorating the dead and that’s why the cemeteries are cleaned and decorated with sacred willow branches.

The Great Thursday is the Thursday before the Easter and it is also knows as “The Thursday of sufferings”, “the Thursday of pains” or “The Black Thursday”. The Romanian tradition says that, during this day, the skies, heaven, graves and hell open. The dead people come next to the beloved ones to spend Easter with them. They are supposed to stay in their houses till the Saturday before the “Rusalii” when pies and bowls are given as a good deed for their soul. People have to light fires in the morning and in the evening for the souls to have enough heat and light. Girls or women carry water buckets to the graves or to the fire for the dead that might sit there. This is usually the day when women paint the eggs for the Easter and when it is forbidden to do laundry because that might give dirty water to the spirits.

The Great Friday is called “the Black Friday” or “The Fridays of Sufferings” too. This is the day when Jesus Christ was crucified. People are not allowed to eat this day to be healthy all year long. This is the day when people go to church to confess. People are allowed to plough the land, to plant any trees or flowers or to bake any bread.

The Easter is considered extremely important for the Romanians and it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection three days after his crucifixion. Everybody goes to church that day, even people that aren’t very religious and that -, hardly, step into a church during all year long. Everybody is cleaning for the Easter days starting with The Great Thursday. It is also known that people usually buy new clothes for them to be worn that day or they simply sew new shirts, two weeks before Easter. Everything should be well prepared and fixed for this special day.