Easter is a public holiday in Romania, with day offs for the population, and schools and most businesses closed.
Churches across Romania officiate special Easter services, while people usually hold family Easter dinners with special Easter dishes. Meals that are commonly on every Romanian’s Easter table are the painted eggs, lamb tripe, ‘pasca’ and cake (cozonac).
Among the usual Easter traditions in Romania, there is one of having the house cleaned and all the ritual foods ready before Easter.
The cleaning usually starts on Great Thursday, as well as the egg painting. Romanians call the painted and decorated eggs “oua incondeiate”. It is a custom to knock each other’s eggs during Easter, and it is believed that people who knock each other’s eggs will see each other again after death.
Good Friday traditions, what to do and not do
Good Friday is the last Friday before Easter and Lent. Customs and traditions are observed on Good Friday, as Jesus was crucified on this day. It is the last Friday before Easter and Lent.
Black fasting is held on this day. According to Christian belief, Good Friday marked the crucifixion of Jesus and his death to save people from their sins. In this, the service called the Imperial Hours and Vespers is held, during which the Epitaph is taken out in the middle of the church for worship.
According to some traditions and customs in Romania on Good Friday women go to the graves where they light candles and mourn the dead.
To-do things
Early in the morning the house is smoked with incense and people circle it three times. It is said that if it rains on Good Friday it will be a good and fruitful year and if it does not rain it will be a dry one. People used to immerse themselves in this day in cold water three times, to be healthy all year round. The people of Moldova believe that going to the barber on Good Friday will protect them from diseases and ailments. In the past, people went home with lit candles on the way from church. According to some traditions and customs on Good Friday, people do not wash on Good Friday
In some areas the trees are smoked with incense to protect them from wild animals, diseases or pests. According to some traditions and customs on Good Friday it is said that black fasting is good for curing skin diseases and the one who fasts will be healthy all year In some parts of the country, before sunrise, people ran barefoot through the dew.
Not to-do things
On this day in Romanian folk tradition nothing is baked, neither bread nor cakes, because it is said that the housewives will burn the hands of the Mother of God. On this day no nettles are eaten because Jesus was beaten with them. Also no vinegar is used because the lips to the Savior were moistened with it. According to some traditions and customs on Good Friday animals are not sacrificed on this day. Also, housewives do not fry eggs or make preparations for Easter day.
On Good Friday farmers must not work or sow anything in the field because it will not grow. According to some traditions and customs on Good Friday it is said that it is not good to mow, wash or clean. Some people think it is not good to go to the barber today, because there is a risk, according to superstition, of losing a loved one.
Egg painting, a secular Romanian Orthodox tradition
Initially the eggs were painted only in red, which symbolises Jesus’ blood when he was crucified, with decorative motifs like the cross, the fir or oak leaf, but in modern times people also paint Easter eggs in yellow, green, blue, orange or violet.
In some regions of Romania, particularly in Bukovina, in the north of the country, there is a tradition of coloring eggs using different geometrical and floral motifs. The process involves various paints and wax. The egg painting ritual is still preserved, but only a few people know the art of decorating the eggs. The eggs are painted starting on Thursday. Initially the only accepted color was red, but other colors were also permitted: yellow, green, blue and even black. In some villages the paint is still obtained from plants.
Another old folk tradition in Romania was to have a new piece of clothing on Easter day, girls and young wives start to sew shirts for them and also for their parents, brothers, husbands or children, with about two weeks in advance. Nowadays people continue the tradition, often purchasing new clothes on Easter.
On the Saturday before Easter Sunday, there is a tradition in Romania that few people miss each year. At midnight, Romanians go to their local church to take light from God. The priest lights the first candle and everyone make sure that every candle is lit. This is seen as symbolizing the act of taking the light from God and is an essential part of any Romanian Easter celebration. Easter candles that are used at a church mass/service are kept afterwards because they symbolize protection.
After the midnight mass service the family gathers for the first Easter meal. On the first day of Easter, there is customary for the whole family to wash in a bowl were they put red eggs and silver or gold money. The one who washes the last gets all the money. They believe the custom will make everybody healthy and prosperous.
In Transylvania there are some specific traditions, one of which, on the second day of Easter is splashing girls and women. The purpose is that they remain beautiful throughout the year. The groups of boys wander the village until late at night, thus no girl will remain ‘unsplashed’.