Easter Rituals

Easter is one of the important festivals for the Christians. It is a very special occasion, wherein people engage themselves in a number of religious as well as fun filled activities. The Resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ, which the festival stands for, is observed in a number of ways. Many rituals and traditions are associated with the celebration of the festival. Although most of the traditions vary from place to place due to cultural differences, some rituals are common to all. They are observed by majority of the Christians in the world. Explore the article and learn about the rituals of Easter.

Easter Traditions & Customs

Easter Egg Hunt
Egg hunt is a good-old tradition related to the celebration of Easter. The tradition is followed in many countries of the world. As per the tradition, children are given the task to retrieve their beautifully decorated eggs, hid at strategic locations such as the backyard or the nook and corners of their home. Over the passing years, the tradition has also attracted adults and today, you can find them accompanying their kids, on Easter egg hunts. Apart from organizing egg hunts at home, social clubs and organizations also arrange contests, wherein the participants have to find their Easter eggs, within the stipulated time.

Decoration Of Eggs
Decoration of Easter eggs is as important as egg hunt. Since a long time, Easter eggs, which symbolize the victory of good over evil, are decorated beautifully, by making use of vibrant colors. Traditionally, eggs are decorated by using natural colors. Over the years, with the changing trend, people have started embellishing their Easter eggs with synthetic colors and dyes. Simple as well as intricate patterns are also made on the eggs. Apart from the natural chicken eggs, mouthwatering chocolate eggs are also decorated, on Easter.

Church Service
Attending church service on Easter is one of the oldest rituals associated with the celebration of the festival. Since time unknown, special prayers are held at various churches, wherein the congregation sings prayers can chants hymns in the praise of Lord Jesus Christ. The service can be short or last as long as six hours. For the Easter services, people gather in churches and squares in cities, towns and villages. The church service is usually held at the midnight between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, when the priest announces 'Christ is Risen!'. The congregation carries large white candles, in the remembrance of the Resurrection of the lord.

Easter Feast
Easter is a wonderful occasion to relish on the indigenous tastes of the countries, as people insist on serving the dishes native to their respective places, on the occasion. If traveled to different places, one can see the differences in the tastes, flavor and aroma in the recipes made for Easter. Lamb, beef, chicken are the hot favorites of the non-vegetarians, while their vegetarian counterparts prefer eating the veggies and fruits harvested in the spring season. A wide variety of cakes is also prepared especially for the festival.