Easter in Hungary

Easter in Hungary is observed in accordance with the rituals of the Eastern Orthodox Church. On Holy Saturday, worshippers congregate in the church for midnight resurrection ceremonies. After the church service people carry a statue of Christ and religious banners in a procession through the parish, singing appropriate hymns.

The Hungarians call Lent the Great Fast (nagyböjt). Since meat is forbidden during Lent, the day before Ash Wednesday is called húshagyó kedd, meaning meat abandoning Tuesday. On Holy Saturday or Nagyszombat, people take food baskets filled with kalács, red eggs and salt to the church to be blessed by the clergy. The blessed food is eaten after the resurrection ceremonies.


3137 - handmade Easter eggs, originally uploaded by CsabX.

On Easter Monday, also known as Water Plunge Monday, boys sprinkle girls with perfume or perfumed water. While once young men used to pour buckets of water over young women's heads, today they spray perfume or cologne or just plain water, and then ask for a kiss and a red egg.


(photo: gdraskoy)

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