Easter in Austria

Today, I received my official working permit, so I'm now part of the Austrian and European community. I had to wait 2 months for it, and I've decided to kick of this celebration using the religious holiday of Easter. Easter in Austria is observed for a few more days that in America, so a week off seems like a good idea. Before I left, I wanted to share with you some of the traditional aspects of Easter, as I've also gone ahead and attached a few photos from last year's celebration.

Easter in Austria: Food
Food plays a prominent role in any holiday, and Easter is no exception. The pig has always been a symbol of good luck and prosperity among Indo-Europeans and the age-old custom of eating pig or boar meat is still alive, also you might find lamb on the menu, or rabbit...and not the chocolate kind. (This was a shock on my first Easter here, and I had to inform my girlfriend that us Americans don't typically eat the Easter bunny.) In addition pastries and bread also figure prominently into Vienna's Easter fare, Easter bread with raisins is baked in twisted or braided strands and with the coffee later the traditional Sachertorte might be served. At many Easter dinner tables you will find a basket of dyed eggs and of course a nice wine from the so-called "Austrian Tuscany" regions of Styria. And of course, a lovely centerpiece, typically made from a pussy willows mixed with spring flowers like tulips with and beautiful hand painted Easter eggs hanging from them. Easter dinner like other meals in most parts of Austria are a time to slow down and enjoy the time with family and friends, so sitting at the table for five or six hours at a time is not uncommon. Another part of the culture I had to adapt to.

Easter in Austria: Some Of Their Symbols And Customs
If you look back through the centuries at some of the symbols and customs associated with Easter, curious origins emerge. In the early days of Christianity, the church incorporated many pagan rites of spring into its Easter celebrations as it struggled to gain acceptance as the primary religion in Europe. Pagan rituals using bells, drums, bonfires, processions, and dancing, all once employed to drive away the bad spirits of winter and celebrate spring, were adapted by early Christians to celebrate Christ's Resurrection instead.

Easter in Austria: Fires
In the Alpine provinces of Austria, Easter fires burn on mountain peaks after sunset on Holy Saturday, and bands of musicians go through the towns, playing sacred hymns. They also burn crosses in the region I will be visiting, and I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the Nazism or Kl Klux Klan worshipping. Many of the rituals pre-date the 1940s, and the fire is seen as light. Granted, I was shocked alittle when I first saw it. They are sometimes called Judas fires, because effigies of Judas Iscariot are frequently burned in them. The Easter eve bonfires predate Christianity and were originally intended to celebrate the arrival of spring. The burning effigy once symbolized winter.

Easter in Austria: Passion Plays
Before the invention of the printing press, the church relied on visual aids such as paintings, sculpture, and even theater to teach the illiterate the gospel and to spread the faith. Passion plays focused on the events surrounding Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection. These plays were popular in the Middle Ages, but by the second half of the 18th century, largely forbidden. In Austria though, they can still be seen. The oldest from 1613 is performed in Erl in Tyrol every six years, as well as in Thiersee, also in the Tyrol, and for 200 years at the Roman quarry in St. Margarethen in the Burgenland. These plays, however, are performed during Lent or Easter, nor are some perfromed year.

Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this, and Happy Easter to you all!