How Easter Is Celebrated Differently Around The World

As we all know, Easter is a big celebration in the UK. Church services are held and chocolates are exchanged among families. But are you aware of the different ways Easter is celebrated across the world? In today's blog, we're looking at some interesting Easter traditions from around the world.

Brazil

Galo da Madrugada, Carnival 2014 - Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Source: Governadoreduardocampos, Flickr.

On Shrove Tuesday, Rio de Janeiro is home to huge carnivals. The streets are filled with marching processions, music, dancing, and even floats. Those taking part dress in bright, vibrant clothes, or even wear costumes made from wire structures which look like huge birds and butterflies.

These bright carnivals started over 250 years ago, brought to the nation by Portuguese settlers. Early carnivals involved throwing flour and water over each other. Carnivals were banned in the mid-1800s as they had become violent and many people got hurt. From the early 1900s Brazilians have been celebrating these carnivals again, with fun marching songs and eventually motorised floats to display performers.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, Lent is much more strict than in the UK. Christians don't eat or buy and animal products. That means no meat, eggs, butter, and more!

On Palm Sunday people wear headbands and rings made from palm leaves. For Easter Day churches hold a service from 8pm on Easter Saturday to 3am on Easter Sunday.

Germany

The German village of Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Plays. These plays originate from the days when people couldn't read, so to learn the teachings of the bible parts were performed.

In Oberammergau, these plays are performed every ten years and last months with individual plays taking whole days.

Mexico

In Mexico, Easter celebrations are spread over 2 weeks and 2 different festivals, Semana Santa and Pascua. Over this time palm leaves are hung over the doors of Mexican homes to ward off evil. Passion plays are held and parades take place every morning.

South America

We've written about some South American celebrations already. Though big parades and festivals are carried out in Mexico and Brazil, in many other South American countries including Peru a large statue of Jesus on a donkey is carried through the streets of towns before being taken into a church for a Palm Sunday service.

Thanks for reading about Easter around the world.