Czech Easter Day by Day (written by Carmen, Natalia, Nico, Deny and Jirka)
Czech pupils finish school on Ugly Wednesday.
In the evening of Green Thursday, boys in the village walk with a wooden rattle and make a big noise. The meaning is to chase away Judas.
The same procedure repeats on Good Friday and on White Saturday. Easter Sunday is a day of preparations for Easter Monday. Girls paint and decorate eggs and boys prepare Easter sticks.
On Monday morning, boys walk from door to door to whip girls. The boys accompany the whipping with a special Easter carol and ask for eggs. In the afternoon, girls can get revenge by pouring a bucket of cold water on any male.
Czech pupils go to school again on Tuesday.
In the evening of Green Thursday, boys in the village walk with a wooden rattle and make a big noise. The meaning is to chase away Judas.
The same procedure repeats on Good Friday and on White Saturday. Easter Sunday is a day of preparations for Easter Monday. Girls paint and decorate eggs and boys prepare Easter sticks.
On Monday morning, boys walk from door to door to whip girls. The boys accompany the whipping with a special Easter carol and ask for eggs. In the afternoon, girls can get revenge by pouring a bucket of cold water on any male.
Czech pupils go to school again on Tuesday.
Czech Easter Customs (written by Alberto, Alejandra, Alex, Basky, Katy, Vendula and Rebeka)
Many Czech Easter customs are related to spring and beginning of new life.
In the evening of Green Thursday, boys in the village walk with a wooden rattle. They walk in groups and make a noise. The same procedure repeats on Good Friday and on White Saturday until they get some money, which they then split between themselves.
On Easter Sunday girls paint and decorate eggs. For decorating they can use different materials, for example bee’s wax, straw, water colours, onion peels, picture stickers. Boys prepare an Easter stick, which is made of willow twigs.
On Monday morning, boys walk from door to door to whip girls. The boys accompany the whipping with a special Easter carol and ask for eggs.
It is believed that these traditions will bring health, beauty and fertility.
In the evening of Green Thursday, boys in the village walk with a wooden rattle. They walk in groups and make a noise. The same procedure repeats on Good Friday and on White Saturday until they get some money, which they then split between themselves.
On Easter Sunday girls paint and decorate eggs. For decorating they can use different materials, for example bee’s wax, straw, water colours, onion peels, picture stickers. Boys prepare an Easter stick, which is made of willow twigs.
On Monday morning, boys walk from door to door to whip girls. The boys accompany the whipping with a special Easter carol and ask for eggs.
It is believed that these traditions will bring health, beauty and fertility.
Czech Easter Carols (written by David, Laura, Angel, Juanma, Honza, James and Petra)
Unlike Christmas carols, the Czech Easter carols are not well-known.
Singing of Czech Easter carols is used during whipping of girls on Easter Monday. Boys sing a carol and get eggs from girls.
Czech carols and chants are usually about giving eggs. Text of the most famous carol is “Give us dyed eggs. If you don’t give dyed ones, give at least white ones. The hen will lay a new one for you.”
Carolling is accompanied by the sound of rattles. According to the Christian tradition, all the bells are rung on Green Thursday and then they are silenced until White Saturday. Meanwhile, their toll is replaced by the clapper and rattles.
Singing of Czech Easter carols is used during whipping of girls on Easter Monday. Boys sing a carol and get eggs from girls.
Czech carols and chants are usually about giving eggs. Text of the most famous carol is “Give us dyed eggs. If you don’t give dyed ones, give at least white ones. The hen will lay a new one for you.”
Carolling is accompanied by the sound of rattles. According to the Christian tradition, all the bells are rung on Green Thursday and then they are silenced until White Saturday. Meanwhile, their toll is replaced by the clapper and rattles.
Czech Easter Food (written by Tatiana, María, Pablo, Kuba, David and Adam)
Czechs paint eggs at Easter. Originally the main colour was red, but today they use various colours. For natural brown colour they use onion skin. Traditional Easter sweet is a cake made in a shape of a little ram.
One of the traditional dishes that is served for lunch is Easter Stuffing, which is made of pork, bread and wild greens.
Typical Easter bread is called “mazanec”. Its shape is round and it has got a cross on the top. It is sweet and there are sliced almonds and raisins inside. Gingerbread in a shape of eggs, chickens and rabbits is also baked.
Small rolls, made from the same dough as the Easter bread, are called Judas rolls. Some people say that they are called so because they are the same shape as the coins Judas was given for betraying Christ.
One of the traditional dishes that is served for lunch is Easter Stuffing, which is made of pork, bread and wild greens.
Typical Easter bread is called “mazanec”. Its shape is round and it has got a cross on the top. It is sweet and there are sliced almonds and raisins inside. Gingerbread in a shape of eggs, chickens and rabbits is also baked.
Small rolls, made from the same dough as the Easter bread, are called Judas rolls. Some people say that they are called so because they are the same shape as the coins Judas was given for betraying Christ.