Easter is busy this year. What traditions do the Catholics and the Greeks share on easter? How do they differ? Considering their easter holiday coincides this year.
“Both Eastern and Western will hold easter on the same day this year — April 20 — A joint celebration that doesn’t happen often.” Charles Collins, “2025’s ‘coincidence’ could lead to common Easter date for Catholics, Orthodox” Angelus, Feb 12, 2025
For Triton senior Wlliam Hight, a typical greek (orthodox) easter starts with a big breakfast and a gift exchange “We wake up and have a big breakfast” said Hight “then we open up easter baskets with candy and small gifts”.
As a catholic and Italian American, I start easter morning with Pane de Pasqua or “Italian Easter bread”. Pane de Pasqua is a crown-shaped, sweet leavened bread that is braided and baked around a painted hard-boiled egg, It usually has sprinkles and a glaze-like frosting but not always. The braids are supposed to represent the holy trinity (father, sun, and holy spirit). The crown shape is supposed to represent the crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his crucifixion. According to Victoria Montalti, “I Made My Italian Grandmother’s Colorful Easter Bread” Business Insider
For dinner, William Hight will go to his uncle’s house to celebrate, they eat lamb as a main course. Which my family does as well. “We got to our uncles and eat a traditional lamb dinner,” said Hight. “It’s a Greek tradition”.
Greeks will typically prepare their lamb by roasting it whole over a fire “I showed up to my uncles yard and there was a whole skinned lamb on a spit” said Hight, in reference to his “craziest” easter story “it scared the crap out of me”
Triton Junior Devyn Alantzas has a similar tradition: “A tradition between my family is roasting the whole lamb over a spit,” said Alantzas. “My cousins will fight over who gets the brain, the eyes, and the tongue. by the end of the day the whole lamb is gone.”
My family and I typically have lamb roast in the oven, along with a ham. The lamb isn’t whole. We eat it with roasted vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. All ladled with hollandaise sauce.
William Hight and his family have a tradition with painted eggs: “We dye hard-boiled eggs red,” said Hight. “One person hits another person’s egg with the top, whoevers egg cracks is out.” “You’re out when both sides of your egg crack” said Hight. “Whoever wins has good luck for the rest of the year.”
My family typically paints eggs in all sorts of different colors. We do not play a game with them and instead either eat them or use them as decoration.
For dessert, William Hight will have a variety of Greek pastries. “We have Koulameides, Galatopia, and Baklava.” said Hight.
For dessert, in my family, we typically have Crostata di Ricotta or Ricotta pie. Which is a pie with a sweet and citrusy ricotta filling.
