Easter Traditions Around the World
April 16, 2025
“Different cultures have very different celebrations.”
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Easter is a special day for Christians across the globe. While the highlight of Easter celebrations are the religious events, particularly the vigils and church services, Easter fanfare sometimes stretches beyond church walls.
The following are some Easter traditions across the globe:
Bermuda
Celebrants create and fly homemade kites on Good Friday Kitefest, which features bold, geometric designs. It’s also traditional to eat codfish and hot cross buns during Holy Week. On Easter Sunday, the faithful participate in sunrise services on various Bermuda beaches.
Costa Rica
Costa Ricans take Holy Week and Easter quite seriously. Each town hosts parades and processions during Holy Week, providing dramatic re-enactments of Jesus’ journey through Jerusalem to his crucifixion and resurrection.
England
Good Friday visitors to Trafalgar Square can see a classic dramatization of Jesus’ resurrection. “The Passion of Jesus” is a 90-minute performance that attracts thousands of visitors.
France
Many people visit the famed Notre-Dame Cathedral to hear its bells toll throughout Easter Sunday. There also are Paris Easter egg hunts. Parisians and tourists also can visit La Sainte Chapelle, which offers Easter concerts consisting of classical music and choral singers.
Israel
Israel is a melting pot of both Jewish and Christian faithful. Easter is a solemn celebration here. In Old Jerusalem, faithful pilgrims and priests walk the Via Dolorosa, which is the same path that Jesus took on the day he was crucified. The Way of the Cross, which is what the procession is called, is among the most amazing sights in the world.
Italy
Easter is special in Italy and particularly in Vatican City, the home of the Pope. The Pope holds a special mass on Easter in Saint Peter’s Square, which traditionally draws huge crowds. Elsewhere in Italy, masses take place at area churches and many towns host parades and other celebrations.
Mexico
Holy Week reenactments take place in devout areas of Mexico. Residents in other areas may take part in silent processions through town, or by visiting 12 churches in 12 days.
Easter Wells
Easter wells are colorful, traditional decorations in Germany and Franconian Switzerland. The custom of Osterbrunnen, which started in the early 20th century, includes decorating public fountains and wells with Easter eggs. The tradition begins on Good Friday and continues until two weeks after Easter. According to the Bavarian tourism site www.bavaria.by, before the wells are decorated, they are first cleaned in a ceremony known as “Brunnen fegen,” which loosely translates to “sweeping the well.” Once cleansed, the well is dressed and decorated. The practice traces back to the belief in water as a life-giving force. Some infants are even baptized in the well’s water, and others drink the Easter water as a protection against illness.
Easter Trees
Even though trees may be more widely associated with Christmas, Easter trees are an increasingly popular and festive tradition that trace their roots to Germany. The Easter tree is known as Ostereierbaum in Germany and is a centuries-old custom. Eggs are hung on outdoor tree branches and bushes or are placed on cut branches displayed inside. While the tradition is traced to Germany, German-influenced locales like Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Pennsylvania Dutch region of the United States also are popular places for Easter trees to appear.
When decorating Easter trees, families can use plastic eggs or even real ones. Using a sharp knife or needle, make two small holes in a raw egg. Blow out the inside of the egg until the shell is hollow. Then decorate the egg and thread a ribbon through the holes so it can be hung on the tree. If desired, place sweet Easter treats, such as chocolate eggs or pastel-colored cupcakes, under the Easter tree.
Easter Eggs
Coloring eggs is a beloved Easter tradition. Eggs long have been symbols of fertility and rebirth, making them fitting icons for spring. Dyeing eggs is an entertaining activity, but one that also may have some religious significance.
Easter is a time of celebration and reflection in many parts of the world.
