Easter activities - HUNGARY

Easter in Hungary

Easter is a two-day holiday in Hungary, celebrated with great fanfare and religious fervour. The holidays are enjoyed to the fullest by the Hungarians. People celebrate the occasion by following customs that are native to their homeland.

A number of interesting folk customs are still alive in the European country, which make the festivities colourful. Out of the customs, sprinkling perfumed water and egg-painting are very popular and are followed even today. Go through the following lines to know all about the celebrations of Easter in Hungary.

Busojaras

The most spectacular of the Eastertide folk-festivals is the so called 'busojaras' (walk of the busos, legendary monsters), in the Mohacs district. Men wearing frightening devil masks parade through their village, shouting and making rhythmic sound with the help of old tins and dishes. According to the legends, the locals once managed to scare away the invading Turks by wearing awful looking monster masks. Hence, it has evolved as a very popular custom of Easter in Hungary.

Lent

The Hungarians regard 'Lent' as the Great Fast for Easter. Since meat is forbidden during Lent, the day before Ash Wednesday is called 'húshagyó kedd', which means 'meat abandoning Tuesday'. On Holy Saturday, what is known as 'Nagyszombat' in Hungary, people take food baskets filled with kalács (nice baked cake), red eggs and salt to the church, to be blessed by the clergyman. The blessed food is then eaten by devotes, right after the resurrection ceremonies culminate.

Centuries ago, on Palm Sunday, it was customary to bless not only branches but also the various flowers of the season. In fact, the flowers are still mentioned in the antiphons after the prayer of blessing. Thus, the name Flower Sunday (Virágvasárnap) is used in Hungary.

Good Friday, the most solemn day of Lent was spent in total fast almost all over the country. By the time Good Friday (nagy-péntek) had arrived the house was clean, the baking completed and the eggs decorated. In some regions however, the eggs were deco-rated only on Good Friday!

Midnight Resurrection Ceremonies

Holy Saturday was - still is - the day of blessing of the food. In a food basket kalács, smoked ham, red eggs [decorated eggs] and salt, in some places also wine is taken to the church to be blessed. This food will be eaten after the resurrection ceremonies.

Easter is referred to as the Festival of Meat (HÚSVÉT). On this day meat can be eaten again after the long fast (40 days).

On Holy Saturday, worshippers congregate in the church for midnight resurrection ceremonies. There, the devotees sing Easter songs, chant hymns in the praise of Lord Jesus Christ and admire the sacrifice done by him, for humanity. After the church service is over, people carry a statue of Christ and religious banners and gather to form a procession, which passes through the parish. Chanting of hymns can be heard in the procession.

Egg Painting

Easter eggs are beautifully decorated in Hungary, for the ceremonious occasion. The traditional methods of painting the eggs are still followed by people in the country. The patterns range from simple to intricate, and make the egg look very attractive. The folk patterns are drawn on the eggs by using molten wax. Eggs are also painted. The painting liquid is traditionally made from onion skin, green walnut, wild pear or any other vegetable that yield natural colour.

Easter Monday

(Dousing Day, Water Plunge Monday)

Sprinkling, the very popular custom of Easter in Hungary, is observed on Easter Monday, which is also known as 'Ducking Monday'. On the day, boys playfully sprinkle perfume or perfumed water on girls. Until some time back, young men used to pour buckets of water over young women's heads. In the present time, they spray perfume, cologne or just plain water, and then ask for a kiss and a red egg. This is a very interesting tradition of Easter in Hungary, followed since a long time.

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Easter Folk Customs in Hungary

Easter Activities


Diana