Easter in the village is so much less formal than I have known Easter to be. Mind you, there are formalities. Just different ones.
Family Sets up the “picnic” under the pavilion, Neighbors wander in. There weren’t as many people as I thought. It must be an invite only kind of thing? I don’t know.
There is tons of food, wine, and beer waiting to be consumed. The table is lined with the closest family and friends and the ceremonial bread is broken.
Brothers
Wine is poured into the four crevices cut into the cake like bread. Probably to symbolize the four places Jesus was pierced with nails. Now it is like a communion bread and wine all in one. Pieces of the bread are passed around to everyone. Incense is burned, candles are lit and food is eaten. Not all in that order. 🙂
Lighting the incense, saying a prayer. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Everyone is lined up to light their candles by the Ancient cross.
The candles they will light are a soft wax. If you hold them in your hand too long they wilt like a flower and face down. Easily remedied by straightening them out. and letting them cool a bit.
I had to get a pic of this lady with the kerchief tied behind her head. If that outfit doesn’t scream fortune teller. I don’t know what does. But this is just her choice of clothes for the day.
The cross is the closest thing to a church in the village. There is a church a village or two over, and then the one in town. There are lots of these crosses all over. One might be hiking through the forest and find an old abandoned cross like this from another lifetime in Serbia. The writing on the cross is in old Cyrillic. I can’t read it.
People eat. Children get restless. Beer, cigarettes, and conversation flank the table. Children find ways of amusing themselves.
washing their hands over and over, playing in the water.
Taking walks
Learning and playing the egg tapping game for the first time.
Happy Easter from our family to yours.
Chronicles of Serbia 