Good Friday And Easter Celebrations Around The World

Good Friday and Easter Celebrations are one of the most important events for all Christians around the world.

Each Spring, Christians from all around the world gather to honor the great sacrifice made by Jesus Christ and celebrate the resurrection Sunday. He made the sacrifice for the forgiveness of mankind.

If you are a Christian, you must be aware of the terms Good Friday and Easter. However, for those who are not aware of it or just want to increase their knowledge,I have all the necessary information compiled in one blog.

Difference Between Good Friday And Easter

Many people confuse the term Good Friday and Easter. To understand this, you must be aware that Jesus Christ was first crucified and then resurrected.

Good Friday marks the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Christians spend this day in churches, praying.

Moreover, most Christians also fast this day to endure the suffering Jesus Christ did for mankind.

Easter, however, is the day when Jesus Christ rose from death. The resurrection Sunday is the day when Jesus won the battle against evil and rose from the dead.

In 2023, Good Friday will be on Friday, 7th April and Easter will be on Sunday, 9th April.

How Many Countries Celebrate These Holidays

Good Friday And Easter Celebrations are among the most important celebrations for Christians. Different nations have different ways of celebrating festivals and making them unique.

I have gathered some of the most interesting Good Friday and Easter celebrations around the world.

Religious Procession

The Pope observes the Way of the Cross in Vatican City, starting on Good Friday at the Colosseum. A group of people carrying candles around the amphitheater rises Palatine Hill, pausing 14 times to symbolize the Stations of the Cross.

People of Jerusalem starts Good Friday And Easter Celebrations by traveling the same route that Jesus traveled on the day he was crucified. Most of the participants remember his suffering that tragic day by carrying a cross with them.

In the Garden Tomb, many tourists gather for a church ceremony on Easter Sunday. Jesus was buried in the same place after his death, therefore, there are many visitors to Garden Tomb on Good Friday.

Reenactments of the Crucifixion

Christians hold a soft spot regarding the crucifixion of Jesus. However, the people of the Philippines take a step further. Instead of just praying, each year a group of people act the whole event and ask for the forgiveness of their sins.

On the day of Good Friday, a group of people is nailed to a cross. This shows the same events that happened to Jesus himself. These people believe that enduring the pain shows their devotion to their religion.

Although the roman church has been trying to dismiss the practice, they are unable to put a full stop to this tradition.

Chocolate Easter Bilbies

Easter is famous for easter bunnies. However, in Australia, the practice has been changed to Easter Bilbies (rabbit-eared bandicoot). This practice is used to raise awareness regarding the extinction of Bilbies.

In Australia, you will find small chocolate bilbies around the streets on Easter.

Colorful Outdoor Carpets

Guatemala has a very unique way of Good Friday and Easter celebrations. Instead of making small easter crafts, they make colorful carpets on the streets.

You will see long carpets, usually made of colored sand, fruits, flowers, and in some cases vegetables. The interesting thing about these carpets is observing the shapes.

These shapes represent the artists and what inspires them the most. This art is made a day before Good Friday. Thus artists only have a day to complete the entire art.

Easter Monday Celebration

An additional holiday never harms anyone. In Africa, the government understands the after-effect of all the easter celebrations and therefore celebrates Easter Monday.

The Monday next to Easter is declared an official holiday here. Thus people recover from the tiredness of all the festivals on that day.

Coloring Easter Eggs Red

You might have seen Easter eggs of various colors in Easter crafts, however, Greece goes out of the way. Instead of using colorful tones to mark the arrival of spring, they prefer dyeing their Easter eggs red.

The color red signifies the blood of Jesus Christ that he shed for the forgiveness of the sins of people. It also marks the resurrection of Jesus and his triumph with his return to life.

Famous Dishes

The association of food with festivals has been a part of this society for a long time. Therefore, there are several dished that are associated with Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

These dishes do not just add charm to the event but also symbolize different stories related to Easter.

Hot cross buns

There is no proper starting date for this traditional Easter food. However, it is said that hot cross buns are part of the easter celebration since the 12th century.

As suggested by the name, there is a cross on the top of these buns. The cross is put there to symbolize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Moreover, the spices used in the bun also hold importance.

The spices used in the bun are the same ones used to preserve Jesus after the crucifixion.

Roast lamb

Easter is all about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, therefore most of the dishes symbolize that sacrifice. Roast Lamb is one such dish that pays tribute to the sacrifice made for humanity.

Moreover, Roast Lamb is also famous for symbolizing goodness and purity.

Pretzels

The word Pretzel means “Little arms”. The shape of this delicious food item looks like two arms joined for prayer. Therefore, Pretzels symbolize prayer.

Christians do not eat dairy products during the Lenten season. Since the pretzels are made of flour purely, they eat them instead.

Easter bread

No one can ignore the importance of bread on easter. These bread normally mark the ending of the lenten season and thus are used to break the fast.

Moreover, the break also symbolizes good luck and peace in the years ahead.

Decorated Easter cakes

Cakes are one of the most important parts of Easter celebrations. There are many ways of decorating cakes. The most popular icing you will see on the cake is of flowers, lambs, and chicks.

These unique shapes symbolize Spring as well as new life.

Final Thoughts

Since the christians reside in almost all parts of the world, you will find people celebrating Good Friday and Easter all around the world. Different people have different ways of celebrating this day.

Easter is an event everyone must observe at least once in their life. You can spend your day partying and observing the culture or simply go to a church and pray.

The Good Friday and Easter Celebration blog by I will give you a complete idea of what Easter is and how it is celebrated around the world.

FAQs

Do all Christians observe Good Friday?

Most Christian sects, including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans, observe Good Friday. However, some groups, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, do not celebrate it as a religious holiday.

Why Good Friday is named this way?

The origins of the name are unclear. It may have been a corruption of the phrase “God’s Friday” or “Gute Freitag,” which means “Good Friday” in German.

According to another theory, it was originally called “Holy Friday” and over time became “Good Friday” because of its significance to Christians.

When is Easter?

Traditionally, Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Good Friday And Easter Celebrations depends on these dates and thus change every year.

Why are Easter eggs part of the celebration?

Easter eggs are a symbol of new life and rebirth, which represents the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The tradition of decorating eggs dates back to early Christians in Mesopotamia.