Happy Easter holiday in England. How Easter is celebrated in England History of Easter in England

For Christians Easter Sunday is the high point of the year. They celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As in many other European and New World countries, eggs and rabbits (signs of fertility and new life) are traditional symbols of Easter in the British Isles. Chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs, often adorned in colorful foil wrappers, are given to children as presents or are hidden for the Easter morning "egg hunt."

The tradition of decorating real eggs for Easter dates back to the Middle Ages. In 1290 the English king, Edward I, ordered 450 eggs to be covered in gold leaf to be given as Easter presents. It is thought that the bright hues used to decorate Easter eggs were meant to mirror the colors of the reawakening spring growth.

Another British Easter custom is egg rolling or the egg race, when competitors try to be the first to roll their egg across a course or down a hill… without breaking it!

Aside from eggs, the best-known English Easter food is probably the hot cross bun. Dating back to medieval times, the buns were traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but they are now popular all around the Easter season. These sweet treats, fragrant with fruit and spices, are marked with a cross, either slashed into the dough before baking, or drizzled on in icing afterwards. The history of hot cross buns dates far back to the pre-Christian era. It is thought that they are descendants of the small cakes offered to Eostre, the goddess of spring. They may have been marked with a cross even in ancient times, to represent the four quarters of the moon. In later centuries the church, unable to stamp out ancient pagan traditions, decided instead to "Christianize" the buns by associating the cross with that of Jesus.

Easter Sunday in the British Isles is traditionally marked by church services, often held at dawn so that worshipers can view the sunrise, a symbol of Christ's resurrection. Afterwards Easter eggs are exchanged and eaten.

Easter parades were also once an important tradition, during which people would wear their new clothes - the ladies in particular would show off their new "Easter bonnets" - as another sign of spring's renewal. Later the family would gather for Easter lunch or dinner, which in England traditionally consisted of roast spring lamb with mint sauce, potatoes and green peas. There was time to rest from the celebrations the next day, since Easter Monday is traditionally a holiday in Britain.

Translation:

For Christians, Easter is the high point of the year. They celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As in many other European New World countries, eggs and hares (signs of fertility and "new life") are traditional symbols of Easter in the British Isles. Chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs, often decorated with colorful foil wrappers, are given to children as gifts or left for an "egg hunt" on Easter morning.

The tradition of decorating real eggs for Easter dates back to the Middle Ages. In 1290, King Edward I of England ordered 450 eggs to be covered in gold leaf to be given as Easter gifts. It is believed that the bright colors that decorated Easter eggs were intended to reflect the colors of the awakening of spring.

Another British Easter custom involves egg races, where competitors try to be the first to spin their eggs crosswise or down a hill... without breaking them!

Apart from eggs, the most famous English Easter food is probably hot cross buns. Back in medieval times, scones were traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but they are now popular throughout the Easter season. These sweet treats, with fruit and spice flavors marked with an X, are either dipped into the dough before baking or drizzled after. The history of hot cross buns dates back to the pre-Christian era. They are believed to be the descendants of small cakes offered to Eostre, the goddess of spring. They may have been marked with a cross even in ancient times to represent the four quarters of the Moon. In later centuries, the church was unable to eradicate the ancient pagan traditions and decided instead to "Christianize" the buns by associating the cross with Jesus.

Easter Sunday in the British Isles is traditionally celebrated with church services, often held at dawn so that believers can see the sun rise - a symbol of Christ's resurrection. Afterwards they exchange Easter eggs and eat them.

Easter parades are also once an important tradition, during which people will dress in new clothes - ladies in particular show off their new "Easter bonnets" - as another sign of spring renewal. The family would then gather for Easter lunch or dinner, which in England traditionally consisted of roast spring lamb with mint sauce, potatoes and green peas. There was time to take a break from the holidays the next day, the Monday after Easter is traditionally a holiday in the UK.

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There are holidays in the UK that everyone loves and celebrates, and Easter is one of them. Easter, or in English, Easter, is celebrated in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter services are held at night, and many Catholic churches hold organ concerts on the holiday Sunday. As one of the main religious holidays, Easter in Great Britain has acquired its own traditions and customs, and some of them are radically different from ours.

Easter traditions

According to tradition, Easter is celebrated in the spring, and the British customarily wear only new clothes on this day, thus symbolizing the arrival of spring, the flourishing of all living things and the departure of inclement weather. During Easter, schools are closed for a 2-week holiday. And for adults there are official weekends from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

On the last Friday before Easter (Good Friday), solemn prayers are held in churches, reminding all laity of the suffering of Jesus. On this day, cross buns are baked with raisins and candied fruits or currants inside; the top of these buns is cut in the form of a cross (hence the name), symbolizing the resurrection of the Son of the Lord. According to legend, such buns have healing properties and even ward off evil spirits from the house. A lot of spices are added to these buns so that when you eat them, everything “burns” in your mouth - this is also a symbol of the memory of the suffering of Christ.
On Easter Sunday morning, the whole British family goes to church and watches the sunrise there. In every church, a large candle is lit, into which dozens of pins are stuck, symbolizing the wounds of Jesus Christ. This candle is carried through the entire temple so that each parishioner can light his own candle from it.
As in our country, in Great Britain it is customary to collect baskets of food, colored eggs, chocolate, and homemade cakes for Easter. In the church, the priest blesses all these baskets, and then in the family circle at the festive table all these dishes are eaten together.
Especially for a festive dinner, the British decorate their house beautifully - festive, airy and gentle in a spring-like manner, preferring white, pink, and green colors. An Easter basket with white lilies must be placed in the middle of the set table, and multi-colored Easter eggs are laid out in the corners of the table.

Symbols of Easter in Great Britain

Like here, in the UK it is impossible to imagine Easter without Easter colored eggs. Eggs painted red symbolize the blood of Jesus, while eggs painted green symbolize his holiness. Today, the British have a new tradition - giving each other chocolate eggs with a surprise, which can contain various candies, marmalades or souvenirs.

The Easter bunny has become the symbol of Easter in Great Britain, representing fertility and abundance. According to legend, it is he who brings eggs to obedient and good children, hiding them in different places in the house so that the children will later look for their treats. The one who finds the most eggs will also receive a reward. Fluffy figurines are symbolically placed on the table, the house is decorated with them, and chocolate bunnies are given to children.
The main Easter dish on the British table, in addition to eggs and pastries, is baked lamb with vegetables and mint or rosemary sauce. Also for Easter, it is customary to cook meatballs in honey-garlic sauce, bacon glazed with apples and potatoes, and bake smoked ham.
They also bake Easter cakes, but they look different from ours - they are much lower and more reminiscent of cupcakes. The top of the Easter cakes is decorated with colored mastic, sesame seeds and almonds.

Traditional entertainment for Easter

Celebrating Easter in the United Kingdom is always fun, bright and colorful. One day in the United Kingdom they decided to entertain not only children, but also adults, inviting them to play an Easter egg hunt. Large fiberglass eggs measuring 76 cm in size were installed in the city; eminent designers had a hand in their production. They also provided hints in the form of specially issued maps and mobile phone applications. Anyone could arm themselves with them and go on a “hunt.” The lucky person who collected the most of these eggs was given an Easter gift of 100 thousand dollars.
There is also a tradition of a bonnet parade in Battersea Park. Every year on Easter, ladies gather there wearing exclusively handmade hats, decorated with flowers and ribbons.
And in the town of Radley, not far from Oxford, the tradition of hugging the temple on Easter is carefully preserved. The congregation forms a tight circle around the perimeter of the church, joining hands and hugging the structure.

An interesting tradition on this day in the UK are the Easter Dancers, or Morris Dancers. These are men who dress up in Robin Hood costumes and dance in the streets, in parks, near churches.
Like us, at Easter in Great Britain they like to play cue ball - each participant picks up an egg and hits his opponents’ eggs with it. The one whose egg remains intact will be the winner. The British also love to play egg rolling: participants in this entertainment launch eggs from a hillock, and whose egg reaches the bottom first wins.

Queen's Easter Alms

The celebration of Easter in Great Britain differs from other countries in that the queen rules there, and it is she who distributes royal alms on this day - Royal Moundy. This tradition has a long history, starting in the 13th century. During this ceremony, the reigning monarch (currently Elizabeth II) rewards people who have distinguished themselves for special services to their parishes.
Money called Moundy is placed in two wallets - red and white. Regular money is placed in the red wallet, and coins specially issued for this day are placed in the white wallet. The number of these coins corresponds to the age of the monarch. It is a great honor for any resident of Great Britain to receive the Royal Moundy from the hands of the Queen.
There was another tradition in Great Britain, but it has not survived to this day - the washing of the feet of the poor by royalty. This tradition was invented as a reminder of the evangelical Last Supper, when Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples.

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Easter in England is a favorite holiday that is celebrated with special solemnity. Great Britain has long had its own Easter traditions and customs. Some of them are very different from Russian traditions. But the meaning of this holiday for all Christians, regardless of what country they live in, is the same: believers rejoice at the resurrection of the son of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

When is Easter celebrated in England?

Easter is a holiday with a variable date of celebration, and it can change every year, depending on the lunar and solar calendars. The date of Easter is calculated using the formula that was adopted at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea.

On a note! In 2019, England will celebrate Easter, like the entire Catholic religious world, on April 21.

Symbols and traditions of English Easter

At this time the Easter holidays begin for children, and they happily participate in festive events dedicated to the great holiday. English adults do not work from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

On Great Sunday, according to tradition, the British wear new clothes, which is a symbol of the rebirth and awakening of spring. Houses in England are decorated for the holiday in pink, blue, white and soft green colors. In the center of the festive table there is always a basket with white lilies, and multi-colored eggs are placed along the edges.

The main symbols of Easter are colored eggs and the Easter bunny. Eggs are usually painted in two colors: red and green. The red color signifies the blood of Christ shed for our sins, and the green color signifies holiness and sinlessness. Recently, the British have developed another tradition: they give each other chocolate eggs with caramel or nut filling. On Bright Monday, treats, Easter eggs and toys are distributed to children on the street.

The Easter bunny symbolizes abundance in the home. A wide variety of rabbit figurines can be found everywhere, and chocolate bunnies appear on sale long before the holiday.

Easter traditions in England are fun and colorful. All cities and towns in England host organ concerts, lively dances, and all kinds of parades and processions.

A mandatory holiday symbol in England is colored eggs, which are a symbol of the beginning of a new life. From old times, the tradition of relatives exchanging colored eggs has come down. They are painted in bright colors, mainly red and green. The house is decorated with Easter eggs, beautiful wreaths are made from them, and placed in stylized baskets. Another tradition is that on Saturday evening Easter eggs are hidden around the house and garden so that children can find them on Sunday morning.

Easter bunny

Not a single Easter holiday in the Kingdom of England is complete without a rabbit. The rabbit is considered a symbol of success, good luck and well-being in the family. The image of the Easter bunny can be found everywhere: on postcards, napkins, Easter decor, pictures, etc. Sweet rabbit figurines are sold in all stores: made from chocolate, marzipan mass, marshmallows, marmalade. The British decorate their gardens with plaster rabbits, and in their houses they place plush rabbits in all rooms. Most of all, children love this character. They look forward to the great Sunday so they can run in search of sweet gifts and colored eggs that the Easter bunny brought for them the day before.

What do they cook for Easter in England?

The main Easter dish, of course, is colored eggs. They must be present at the festive meal. Another important dish is marzipan cake. According to tradition, the Easter menu should be like this:

• Meatballs in garlic-honey sauce;
• Smoked ham baked in sauce;
• Spring salad of fresh vegetables and herbs;
• Sausages;
• Bacon;
• Baked lamb stuffed with herbs;
• Potatoes in butter with rosemary and garlic;
• Various rabbit dishes.

The British also love to bake all kinds of dough products: pies, buns, cookies, gingerbread.

Easter souvenirs in England

The main souvenir for English Easter, as in many other countries, are eggs. Previously, they gave each other colored eggs, but now chocolate eggs with a sweet surprise inside are given as souvenirs. The British also like to give souvenirs in the form of Easter eggs made of wood, plaster, plastic, ceramics, etc.

What else do the British give for Easter?

1. Easter bunny figurines;
2. Greeting Cards;
3. Easter baskets.

For English believers, Easter is a great holiday in the religious year, for others it is a reason to have fun and relax. But every English family honors Easter traditions, regardless of whether they attend church or not.

Easter is a Christian holiday in honor of the resurrection of Christ, celebrated by the Catholic Church on the first full moon Sunday after the spring equinox between March 22 and April 25. At this time, tulips, crocuses and daffodils appear in the UK. Schools are closed for 2 weeks.

Easter was originally a pagan holiday in honor of the goddess of dawn and spring, Eastre. Easter was a celebration of the revival of nature after winter. In the second century, Christian missionaries tried to convert pagans to Christianity. They did this gradually, allowing the pagans to celebrate their holiday in a Christian manner. The pagan holiday Eastre took place at the same time as the Christian holiday in honor of the resurrection of Christ. Gradually, the pagan holiday gave way to a Christian one.

Easter is preceded by Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week in many churches. Palm Sunday symbolizes the arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, when he was greeted by his supporters waving willow branches.

On Maundy Thursday in England it is customary to give alms. The queen also distributes it. Exactly as many people as the age of the august person receive a gold coin as a gift.

Good Friday is the last Friday before Easter. On this day, it is customary for the British to treat each other to hot cross buns - sweet rolls with raisins marked with a cross. They are eaten like buttered toast.

Easter eggs are given to each other on Palm Sunday. An Easter egg is a symbol of new life. The tradition of Easter eggs may have originated at a time when the church forbade their consumption during Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter. But the custom of painting eggs was started by the ancient Egyptians and Persians, who did this during their spring holiday. However, today in Great Britain there is another tradition with Easter eggs - giving friends and relatives not real eggs, but chocolate ones, inside of which there is caramel or some other sweets, as well as various souvenirs in the form of Easter eggs.

On Easter Day, religious services are held in churches at dawn. Organ music concerts are held in Catholic churches. On this day it is customary to wear new clothes, which symbolizes the end of the bad weather season and the onset of spring. Easter baskets filled with eggs, bread and other food are taken with them to the Easter service to be blessed in the church. On Easter Monday, it is customary to give candy and toys to children on the streets.

In Britain, traditional Easter games are also common. Adults hide eggs, and children, waking up in the morning, search for them. The person who finds the most will receive a prize. Easter egg rolls are held outdoors, on a grassy slope. Their goal is to roll it the farthest without breaking the egg.

In some places there is a tradition of playing football at Easter, where a small wooden barrel filled with ale is used instead of a ball. The ale is drunk when the game ends. Easter brings outdoor fun and games across the UK.

The first day of Bright Week is celebrated in different ways in different cities of the country. In some counties, dancing in the costumes of heroes of the legend of Robin Hood, distributing food, fighting for a rabbit pie, and throwing representatives of the opposite sex into the air are popular.

The whole family gathers for Sunday lunch. Often they bake a lamb with a lot of vegetables, prepare or buy an Easter cake (simnel cake).

Another symbol of Easter is the Easter bunny (rabbit). It came from pagan holidays dedicated to fertility and spring. It was first mentioned in written sources in Germany in the 16th century, although it was known earlier. According to legend, the rabbit leaves a nest with colorful eggs as a gift to good children. The children themselves made the treasured nest in a secret place, often from their hats. The basket, as a symbol, appeared later.

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The celebration of Easter in England has its own symbols and ancient traditions.

A few centuries ago in England, Easter was accompanied by games and fun. Sometimes the clergy and laity entertained themselves on Easter playing ball. Special Easter cupcakes or puddings were presented as a prize.

In some parishes in Dorset and Devon, after the Good Friday service on Easter, it was customary to distribute special white cupcakes as an Easter treat. These cupcakes came in different sizes and had a bittersweet taste. For this, the servant received a monetary reward from the owners, which depended on their material wealth and generosity.

In Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and some counties, there was a funny custom of carrying each other in one's arms. On Easter Monday the men had to carry the women, and on Easter Tuesday the women in turn carried the men. Two strong men or women crossed their hands with each other in such a way that a kind of “sitting” was obtained for the third. Thus, many were able to “drive” a few yards along the street.

They say that one reverend traveler passed by a small town in Lancashire on Easter Tuesday. He stopped to rest at a local hotel. He was extremely surprised when several strong, sensual women ran up to him with an offer to “move” him! The traveler asked to explain what was happening. And the ladies told him: “Today is Easter Tuesday, and we must reschedule them instead! Therefore, we will definitely transfer you too! This is our right and duty." After long negotiations, the frightened confessor managed to deviate from this local tradition, proposing to replace the ridiculous tradition with half a crown.

On Easter Monday in some areas of England men demanded the privilege take off the ladies' shoes, but the next day, the women did the same.

Naturally, in modern England these traditions and pastimes have sunk into oblivion, and very few are likely to have survived in certain patriarchal villages.

However, even today the traditions of celebrating Easter in England are very cheerful, bright, colorful and joyful. Easter is one of the most important holidays of the year in this country. On Easter Day at dawn in churches religious services are underway. Organ music concerts are traditionally held in Catholic churches.

On this holiday in England it is customary to wear new clothes, which symbolizes the end of the stormy weather season and the onset of spring. Easter baskets full of eggs, bread and other food are taken with them to the Easter service to be blessed in the church. On Easter Monday, children on the streets are given candy and toys.

Children in England look forward to Sunday at Easter. On Sunday morning they will wake up and see that Easter Bunny I left baskets of goodies for them and hid the eggs that they painted last week.

By the way, the Easter bunny symbolizes abundance and fertility, since everyone knows the ability of this soft and fluffy animal to quickly increase offspring. One of the legends about the Easter bunny (hare) is associated with the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Iostre, who appears accompanied by a long-eared pet. It is the rabbit who, according to legend, hides Easter eggs in secluded places so that children can look for them later.

Children in England look all over the house for eggs for Easter. There are even traditional competitions - egg hunting. The child who collects the most receives a reward. Such celebrations are organized in parks and restaurants.

Among the Easter symbols of England eggs occupy one of the most important positions. They signify abundance, and there is an ancient custom of exchanging them among family and friends. In ancient times, Easter eggs were brightly colored to signify the arrival of spring. Red is the color of the blood of Jesus, and green is the color of holiness.

However, now in the UK another tradition with Easter eggs has taken root - presenting them to friends and relatives not real eggs, but chocolate ones, inside of which there is caramel or some other delicacies, as well as all sorts of souvenirs in the form of Easter eggs.

On Easter mornings in England, children traditionally rolling eggs down the mountain. This is an old game. The egg that rolls down the mountain symbolizes the stone rolled away from the Holy Sepulcher. In Lancashire, Easter festivities and “egg races” are held: hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a hill, and the winner is the one whose egg rolls down the hill first. The British spread this tradition to America.

In England at Easter there is also a tradition of decorating churches and houses with candles on Easter days. Making decorations for Easter candles is a popular pastime for English families.

The morning of Good Friday, which in England is called “Good” - Good Friday, begins with breakfast, during which freshly baked cross buns are served - spicy, fluffy, cut into a cross on top before baking, with raisins or candied fruits inside. The burning sensation in the mouth from the spices when eating the buns should remind people of the agony of Christ.

By the way, it is believed that the cross on buns has been preserved from the pre-Christian period of life in England, when it symbolized the sun and the onset of spring. Today the cross is a symbol of resurrection. There is another legend: buns protect the house from evil spirits and have healing properties. That's why people used to hang these buns on their kitchen ceilings.

For Easter lunch It is customary to decorate the house in a festive spring manner - with flowers, figurines of Easter bunnies. The English set the table beautifully, decorating its middle with an Easter basket with white lilies; in other corners of the table there must certainly be colorful Easter eggs.

A traditional Easter treat is honey-garlic meatballs, baked smoked ham, spring salad, sausage or bacon, glazed apple, potatoes in rosemary-garlic butter. The main Easter dish is baked stuffed lamb.

On Easter in England, as in many other countries, it is customary to have weddings. Traditionally, these days white, cream, yellow or soft pink shades are used for wedding attire.

Young people in England do not delve too deeply into the origins of religious holidays, recognizing the existence of Jesus as a general concept and a more rational explanation for his resurrection. Fewer and fewer island residents understand the rituals, ceremonies and traditions of Easter. For most of the younger generation in England, Easter is a fun, funny holiday.

And, of course, in modern England for Easter, the production of Easter bunnies of various types is widely established - from chocolate-marzipan varieties to funny toy and textile products, and they are sold in huge quantities during these pre-holiday days.