ERASMUS + Project "Travelling words“

2nd International Meeting in Bulgaria

15-20 April 2015

This project is funded by the European union

CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN ELEMENTS IN EASTER

Holy WeekIn Christianity is the week just before Easter. It is also the last week of Lent, and includes Palm Sunday, Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday), Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday), Good Friday (Holy Friday), and Holy Saturday. It does not include Easter Sunday, which is the beginning of another liturgical week.Holy Week in the Christian year is the week immediately before Easter.

English: Holy Week

Bulgarian: Страстна седмица(Passion week)

Greek: Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς(Holy and Great Week)

Romanian: Turkish:

Raising of LazarusThe Raising of Lazarus is a miracle of Jesus. This miracle happened in Saturday, the day before the Palm day, when Jesus came in Jerusalem. This miracle showing him as master over death. In Bulgaria we celebrate Lazarica or Lazarovden - Day of Lazarus.The story is told only in the Gospel of John.

English: Raising of LazarusBulgarian: Lazarov den,

Lazaritsa(Day of Lazar)

Greek:Romanian:Turkish:

On this day in Bulgaria perform custom Lazaruvane.The young women called "lazarki" pick flowers for gums that will embroil the feast of Palm Sunday (the next day). Girls are dressed in traditional folk costumes.

Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday)Jesus gave The Last Supper with his Twelve Apostles, then He washed feet of the Apostles.The Anointing (Holy Unction) is in commemoration of the anointing of Jesus, and a preparation of the faithful to enter with Christ into his death and Resurrection.

English: Mass of the Lord's The Last supper

Bulgarian: Тайната вечеря (The Secret Dinner)

Greek:Romanian:Turkish:

In this day in Bulgaria we paint eggs.

Good FridayThe Church mourns for Christ's death, reveres the Cross, and marvels at his life for his obedience until death.In this day Jesus was passing the road to Calvary or Golgotha, was crucified on the cross and died.In Bulgaria believers pass underneath a special table, which is a symbol of the laying of Jesus in the tomb.

English: Good FridayBulgarian: Разпети петък

“Friday of crucifix”Greek:Romanian:Turkish:

Holy SaturdayIn this day all people sorrow over the death of Jesus who died on the Cross.

English: Holy SaturdayBulgarian: Велика събота

(Great Saturday)Greek:Romanian:Turkish:

In this day in Bulgaria we prepare “kozunak”.

Easter VigilThe Paschal Vigil begins around 11:00 pm with the chanting of the Midnight. Afterwards, all of the lighting in the church is extinguished and all remain in silence and darkness until the stroke of midnight. Then, the priest lights a single candle from the eternal flame on the altar. The light is spread from person to person until everyone holds a lighted candle.The procession then circles around the outside of the church and recreate the journey to the Tomb of Jesus on the first Easter morning. The procession stops in front of the closed doors of the church. The opening of these doors symbolized the "rolling away of the stone" from the tomb and all people enter in the church.

English: Paschal vigilBulgarian: Пасхално бдение

(Paschal vigil )Greek:Romanian:Turkish:

Easter SundayEaster Sunday, which immediately follows Holy Week and begins with the Easter Vigil, is the great feast day and apogee of the Christian liturgical year: on this day the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated. The Resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday is the main reason why some of Christians keep Sunday as the primary day of religious observance.

In Bulgaria on Sunday, because Lent is over, the tradition is to have a table laden with food, the most important of which is lamb. In Eastern Europe, this is particularly important, as Orthodox believers relate it to the death of Jesus Christ, because a lamb is believed to have been sacrificed in the name of Christ on Resurrection day.

Old, old, old……….Some aspects of modern Easter celebrations are pre-date Christianity.

Easter derives its name from Eostre. She is Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring.Based on the similarity of their names, some connect Eostre with Ishtar, the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility, or with Izida, goddess in ancient Egypt. She is sister of Osiris.Christian Easter gradually absorbed the traditional spring symbols of ancient people.

ANCIENT SPRING GODDESS

EASTER EGGSThe eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals.Many traditions and practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is a established art, and eggs are often dyed, painted, and otherwise decorated. Eggs were also used in various holiday games. Parents hide eggs for children to find them. Children roll eggs down hills.Eggs are cracked after the midnight service and over the next few days. People take turns in tapping their eggs against the eggs of others, and the person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.

EASTER CAKES AND SWEET BREADS

Kozunac is a sweet ritual bread traditionally prepared for Easter. It symbolize the body of Jesus Christ, as painted red eggs symbolize his blood.According to popular belief the story of the cake began in the early 17th century in France, where it is carried throughout Europe.First time in Bulgaria kozunak is prepared in Shumen, in the middle of 19th century.

Hares and rabbits have long been

symbols of fertility. Also some peoples

baked cakes for Easter in the shape of

bunny. Children love chocolate bunnies

and eggs.

Legend of the Easter Bunny Rumors of Easter rabbit go from 13th century, the area of present-day Germany. There each spring people worshiped the fertility goddess Eostre and her honor organized lavish celebrations. Legends say that one of the symbols of the goddess and her right hand was a beautiful bird. One day the bird suddenly turned into a hare. But as the rabbit remained with the soul of a bird, he continued to make nests and filled them with colored eggs.

THE EASTER BUNNY

EASTER CARDS

Easter cards arrived from Victorian England, when a stationer added a greeting to a drawing of a rabbit.

EASTER PARADES

In Medieval Europe, churchgoers would take a walk after Easter Mass, led by a crucifix or the Easter candle. Today these walks endure as Easter Parades and festivals.

FOLK BELIEFS ASSOCIATED WITH EASTER

CURIOSITY

Great Monday

In Great Monday start of the great Easter

cleaning, which is mandatory for every home.

Great Monday is the last of the days in which

people can to travel.

Great Tuesday

According to church custom this is a day

of teaching and recent moral precepts.

Great Wednesday On this day women are not allowed to do any work (cleaning, laundry, sewing, cooking, etc.)

Maundy Thursday is destined for the ritual painting of eggs, the first always red. With painting the eggs take the oldest woman in the family. First painted egg is placed before the icon home and keep until the next Holy Thursday.

Good Friday

In this day Jesus Christ was crucified. Not doing any work,

because it is believed that if people do not respect this decree will

be hit by misfortune.

Strictly prohibited songs and fun. So man symbolically purified of

their sins and leave all burdens and problems in the hands of God.

During the Good Friday fast in the Orthodox Church is very strict -

then neither eat nor drink even water. In Great Friday prepare

sweet ritual breads – kozunak.

Holy Saturday

On this day is customary for

women to visit the cemetery to give

away painted eggs and bread for

the souls of the dead.

Lunch is allowed housework, which

later in the day to prohibit all.

Great Saturday is the last day you

can paint eggs for Easter.

Христос воскресе!

Воистина воскресе!

Hristos a înviat!

Adevărat a înviat!

Χριστός α̉Gνέστη!’Aληθω̃Oς α̉Gνέστη!

Christ is risen!

Truly, He is risen!

In the church exactly at 00.00 hours leading priest three times proclaims the resurrection of Christ with the words: "Christ is Risen", where worshipers meet: 'He truly risen ".