Easter celebrations around the world

In April, Christians the world over mark the crucifixion of their Saviour, Jesus Christ and the sins they were liberated from with the price of His blood.

While the core of Easter is the same worldwide, cultural differences make for wholly different ways of celebrating.

Here are a few ways Easter is ushered in across the globe:

France

On Good Friday, local legend states all the bells at French churches leave their ‘homes’ and journey to the Vatican, bearing with them the mourning of the crucifixion of Christ.

On Easter morning, the bells ring to herald the resurrection of Jesus.

Tradition states the church bells are not permitted to ring between Good Friday and Easter morning, at which time chocolate and confectionery eggs are handed out to all.

Italy

A tradition dating back hundreds of years, known as Scoppio del Carro (ox-drawn cart) has many origins.

According to some, the drawing of the ox cart came to being after the Pazzi family was exiled from Florence, for attempting to overthrow the influential Medici family.

Others believe it began when Pazzo de Pazzi, a knight, returned home from the first Crusade of 1096.

It is said de Pazzi was the first man to plant the banner of the Cross on the battlements in Jerusalem, and he received a gift of fragments of the Holy Sepulchre in return.

These were then used to ignite the Sacred Fire of Holy Saturday, when he arrived back in Florence.

In modern times, Easter Sundays in Florence are marked with two white oxen pulling a richly decorated cart through the streets from Porta al Prato to the city’s main church, known as the Duomo.

A dove-shaped rocket is lit by the Archbishop, guided by a wire to trip a fireworks display.

The procession is rounded off with a particularly noisy set of fireworks, before the insignia of the Pazzi family is flown on four banners, alongside the United Nations emblem.

Bermuda

The tradition of flying brightly coloured kites at the beach holiday destination reportedly began when a teacher, struggling to explain the ascension of Christ to Heaven, demonstrated to his pupils with a home made kite.

Since then, kites are launched on Good Friday to commemorate Easter.

Kites are launched mainly from Horseshoe Bay, and the flights are followed by a non-denominational Christian service, complete with live music and games.

Mexico/Spain

Almost 2 000 people from various guilds come together to participate in San Luis Potosi’s Procession of Silence annually.

The procession begins at dusk with the street lights dimmed, and is conducted in complete silence as guilds hoist various religious symbols en route to Plaza del Carmen.

Similar processions are held in numerous European and specifically Spanish cities.

In Seville, brotherhoods organise a series of processions along a designated route, from their home church to the Seville Cathedral and back again, always the shortest distance between the two.

The archbishop at the Cathedral blesses members of the procession.