Croatia celebrates Easter with faith, hope, tradition
Easter, the greatest Christian feast, marking the central event of Christianity - the Resurrection of Christ from the dead.
Across Croatia, the commemoration of Christ's Resurrection is being celebrated with solemn Masses, led in larger cities by archbishops and bishops, CE Report quotes HINA.
In Zagreb, Archbishop Dražen Kutleša led Easter Sunday Mass at Kaptol, calling on the faithful not to give in to negativity but to persevere in recognising signs of hope.
"In this historic moment, marked by great uncertainty, it is especially important not to give in to negativity but to persevere in recognising signs of hope. We must not give in to despair, because Christ's Resurrection dispels all hopelessness and fills us with the joy that springs from faith," Archbishop Kutleša said in his homily.
Croatian Easter customs
In Croatian traditional culture, Catholic Church rites are interwoven with customs of other origins, particularly those linked to the spring awakening of nature.
During Holy Week, preparations for the upcoming feast days included tidying the home, preparing food and clothing, and dyeing and decorating Easter eggs.
From Good Friday, when church bells fall silent, until their ringing resumes on Holy Saturday, villagers would be called to prayer and church by wooden rattles and clappers.
It is customary to sing traditional church folk hymns and hold processions. Fasting and abstinence end with the festive blessing of food in church and its sharing within the family circle on Easter Sunday itself.
On Easter Monday, following a long period of abstaining from merrymaking and dancing, social life begins a new.
