Irish Easter

Catholicism - the dominant religion in Ireland

EASTER (what and when?) The most important date on the Roman Catholic calendar Commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection (three days later) of Jesus Christ Represents the end of Lent – 40 days of fasting and prayer One of the most important religious dates in the Irish calendar, apart from St Patrick’s day The actual dates of Easter may be anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th in western Christian tradition

EASTER (name) Easter takes its name from the pagan goddess of spring ‘Eostre’ Many of the traditional Easter icons were originally Anglo Saxon fertility symbols

Irish Easter Traditions: Preparation

Usually starts on the first day of Lent, forty days before Easter Sunday Irish people stop eating meat, but would also quit something they cherish such as favorite food, alcohol, cigarettes and even television During the forty days of Lent fish would be eaten each Friday which is usually cooked in a soup It’s a time of self discipline and a reflection on what have to be thankful Time for Irish families to be together Time for clean house thoroughly inside and out

Traditional Irish hot cross buns Hot cross buns are traditionally baked to be eaten during Lent, the 40 days before Easter Hot cross buns are sweet, raisin-filled yeasty buns which are marked with a cross on top The pastry cross on top of the buns symbolises the cross which Jesus was killed on Hot cross bun should be kept hanging from the kitchen ceiling from one year to another to ward off evil spirits Ingredients: 4 cups bread (strong) flour Pinch of salt 2 tsp mixed spice 6 tbs butter 2 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast 1/4 cup caster sugar 1 egg 1 cup warm milk 1 cup dried seedless raisins Grated rind of an orange

Irish Easter Traditions: Good Friday

Cleaning the house completely (“spring cleaning"), sometimes as a preparation for an old ceremony where a local priest comes to bless the house Planting a small quantity of seed (crops not flowers) to create a blessing on the family Avoiding any possible bloodshed by doing no work with tools Go To Confession and remain quiet for part of the day Holy well water is said to have curative powers on this day Mark one egg laid on Good Friday to be eaten on Easter Sunday If a child is born in Good Friday and then baptized on Easter, he or she will have the gift of healing (a boy born on Good Friday will go into the priesthood) Anyone who dies on Good Friday will do directly to heaven Visits should be paid to holy wells and graveyards No fishing is done from boats – only sea food gathered on shore (seaweed; shellfish) will be part of the Easter meal One should get a haircut, to prevent headaches!

The day is a Bank Holiday, everywhere is closed (even the pubs are all closed!) People do not eat meat People would go barefoot People ate nothing until midday No wood was to be burned, no nails were driven and no animals were slaughtered on this day

Irish Easter Traditions: Easter Saturday

Attend church ceremony to have holy water blessed Drink 3 sips of it for health and sprinkle around your home and processions for good luck for the year ahead Some families asked for ashes to be blessed instead of water – with the blessed ashes sprinkled around the house for luck Attend Easter Vigil on Saturday night. The church will be decorated with purple banners. At 11 o’clock, all lights in the church are turned off and a Paschal candle is lit to symbolize Christ’s rising from the dead

Irish Easter Traditions: Easter Sunday

Rise with the sun and dance in celebration Butchers conduct a mock funeral in honor of a dead herring. This symbolizes then end of Lenten abstinence. A “herring procession" then marches to the local church Take down the “spoilin meith na hlnide," a small piece of meat pinned up on the wall during Lent, and burn it to give a pleasant smell to the inside of the house Boil and paint eggs, have rolling contests and egg hunt for children. (The idea of a rabbit laying colored eggs, which lead to the popular “Easter bunny" image, originated in Germany.) Conduct a “cludog," where children gather eggs and roast them on a special device or contraption on the farm. Shells are saved and placed around the bottom of a May bush Celebrate with a “cake dance," a contest where the best dancer wins a cake Close out Easter celebration with a bonfire where all gather round the celebrate Give colored eggs as gifts to family and friends. Celebrate day with a large Irish family feast, traditionally, leek soup and roast lamb

Quiz Let’s start…..

As a symbol of Ireland is used: a)flower b)clover c)fruit

b) clover

Good Friday events shows: a)yellow and blue eggs b)purple and pink eggs c)yellow and salmon eggs

a)yellow and salmon eggs: Jesus carries his cross Jesus is crucified

Easter takes its name from: a)East b)Aster c)Eostre

c) Eostre the pagan goddess of spring

A photo shows: a)Hot cross buns b)Gingerbread c)Cookies

a)Hot cross buns

Colours of the national flag of Ireland are: a)green, white and red b)green, white and orange c)blue, white and red

b) green, white and orange