Easter is a notable holiday for the people around the world, though it is celebrated in different ways. Painted Easter eggs, however, remain a permanent attribute of this great day.
Chicken eggs were simply painted red first, this was done in early Christian communities, especially in Mesopotamia. In modern conditions, this tradition transformed and has become one of the types of artistic craft.
Egg painting became a thing of its own, and now it’s hardly even associated with religious practice. It’s a form of creative self-expression — the shell is not just painted in a single plain color, the artists turn the egg into a real work of art. Decorated symbols of Easter is something amazing, you can admire them just like paintings.
Traditionally, before the most important Christian feast, Great Lent is observed, which lasts about 40 days and ends with Holy Week. It is believed that the last week before Christ’s Day is the most important, and it is necessary to observe the restrictions during this period even for those who, for a number of reasons, did not manage to go the whole way of Great Lent. During Holy Week, people prepare for the holy celebration, put their homes in order, come to confession to cleanse their souls, take communion and, of course, bake fragrant Easter cakes, prepare the most delicate curd Easter with dried fruits and krashenka. They consecrate traditional dishes on the eve of the very day of the Resurrection of the Son of the Lord – on Holy Saturday.
On Bright Day, the Orthodox greet each other with the special phrase “Christ is Risen!” and hear the answer “Truly Risen!” This unusual greeting is called Christening, which is a symbol of rejoicing in honor of the great celebration.
In addition to a generous meal, this holiday is traditionally celebrated with merry festivities, inviting guests and rejoicing together on the bright day of the Resurrection of Christ.
By tradition, the table in honor of Christ’s Day is magnificent and varied, because this meal marks the end of Lent, and the centerpiece of it is occupied by Easter cakes, curd Easter and decorated eggs.
The most delicate curd delicacy with dried fruits, which is prepared in the shape of a truncated pyramid, symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher, in which the greatest miracle of the Savior’s victory over death took place, and reminds believers of the blessed gift of being.
The main decoration of the Easter table is Easter cake with sugar icing. In some families, recipes for this pastry are passed down from generation to generation, because the preparation of dough for this delicacy is a very special sacrament.
Appropriate decor for Easter will help make this wonderful day even more joyful and beautiful. Floral arrangements, nests with colorful eggs, elegant tablecloths and candles will come in handy to create a special, spring-like joyful atmosphere in the living room, kitchen or nursery. And hand-made Easter baskets filled with traditional delicacies can become wonderful souvenirs for relatives and friends.
