In Romania, still one of Europe’s profoundly Christian countries, Holy Week is a big deal.
Catholic and Orthodox easters will coincide this year on the 20th of April — a rare and harmonious event.
Holy Week, which is the last week of Lent, is an important week in Romanian consciousness and which involves a great deal of tradition and ritual. Here are some of the more interesting ones:
Days varying between moderate and extreme fasting are for purification of the body and the spirit.
Sobriety and quiet is encouraged, as are cooking and preparing nice outfits. Cleaning should be domestic, around the yard and house. Interesting ideas include ritual fires.
On Maundy Thursday, people take communion and confess at church.
Very traditionally speaking, people would go for a wake dedicated to Christ wearing white cotton clothing embroidered with black thread.
We should also paint eggs on Maundry Thursday, and make cakes on Saturday. That shall be also be the last day of preparations for Easter feast. On Saturday night, Christians head to church — very traditionally only speaking in whispers on the way there — and light a candle at the graves of their loved ones.
It is said that the souls of the departed return to their homes on Thursday and leave on Saturday.
On Sunday, family members and afferent members of the household eat lamb and sweetbread and spend quiet time together. The elderly chat on their porches.
