An Eastern European Easter

In the United States, Easter tends to fall low in rank – somewhere between MLK day and Cinco de Mayo I'd suspect. Not even as anticipated as Fourth of July, this step-child holiday comes and goes without outrageous commercialism or holiday-time parties. But in Eastern Europe, the Easter Season puts even our Christmas celebrations to shame.

Krakow’s Easter Market engulfs the main square. Towers of flowers decorate for festivities and reach high above the Easter crowds. Banners announcing Easter concerts invite even the most apprehensive to join the celebration. Piles of handmade baskets pour out of vendor stalls enticing buyers inside, while neighboring stalls sell anything from ceramics to woodwork to crocheted egg toppers. Even the malls take part in the celebration with Easter displays and decorations strategically placed in windows, stores, and common areas.

Palm Sunday Mass is no small production either. With organ-led melody, the Passion is recited in solo song with two choirs (in the choral terrace and behind the alter) volleying in strategic accompaniment. Carrying braided straw decorated with ribbon (instead of our traditional palm sprigs), Mass attendees vie for standing-room-only. Those lucky enough to find seats must still be herded slowly from pew to portal at Mass’ end.

But end of Mass doesn’t mean end of celebration. Reenactments of Christ’s Palm Sunday procession head toward the main square while Krakovians join along in traditional dress holding torch-like flower arrangements above their head. Easter music floods the square, and local vendors offer a spring-time specialty, Ocsypki – salty, grilled ewe's cheese served with a side of cranberry sauce.

Prague joins Krakow’s Easter celebration with as much eagerness or more. Church bells from the hundreds of Catholic, Hussite, and Orthodox churches announce Easter Sunday Masses. St. Vitus, Prague's national cathedral, invites celebs like cardinals and bishops to conduct the sacred sacrament. Full choirs sing angelic praises and low timbre organ music makes you think the Lord himself is entering, vibrating the pews and the people in them. And staying true to Prague international reputation, the Cardinal welcomes the congregation in four different languages and translates his homily into three.

Prague’s own Easter markets speckle main squares around town selling handpainted eggs in every color and design imaginable. The sweet smell of baked dough and almond (from spiraled, sugary pastries) fills the air. Local men (and tourists, too) purchase straw whips for their Easter Monday tradition – whipping the ladies in exchange for Easter eggs, candy, or brandy.

You haven't truly celebrated Easter until you've seen it in Eastern Europe.