Easter Traditions on Both Sides of the Atlantic

In the third episode of our online series “Geographies of Tradition", which looks at mirroring Romanian and American traditional celebrations, we highlight the complex beliefs and customs associated with Easter in Romania and the United States and explore how this most sacred date in the Christian calendar is observed by Romanians and Americans.    

In Christian tradition, Easter evokes the resurrection of Jesus Christ, on the third day after his Crucifixion, and this year the holiday falls on April 4 for the Catholics and May 1 for the Orthodox Christians. Easter Sunday is one of the most festive events among Christians worldwide, celebrated with special church services, music, candlelight or flowers, even if in time the holiday has become more commercialized with the sale of chocolate eggs, cards and baskets. Overall the Easter holiday is still seen as a special day for spending time with family and friends and enjoying delicious traditional food.  

Text by sociologist Ciprian Voicilă of the National Museum of Romanian Peasant. Translated into English by Andreea Scridon. Presented by Andreea Scridon. Videography by Dragoș Popa. With the kind support of the National Museum of Romanian Peasant in Bucharest and the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca.   

Don’t miss the premiere on our Facebook, IGTV and YouTube on April 28 at 2 p.m. New York & Toronto time / 11 a.m. Los Angeles & Vancouver time / 9 p.m. Bucharest time. Watch also on our website and other social media accounts anytime later.