Easter is one of the most important festival in the Christian calendar. The date of Easter Sunday varies from year to year. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon, on or after 21 March. This year Easter Sunday falls upon the 9th April 2023. PHSI Research Associate Dr Abisola Balogun-Katung shares her reflections of Easter celebrations past and present.
Easter is one of the biggest festivals for the Christian church. It is when the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion is celebrated. In more modern times it has become a celebration that everyone regardless of their religious affiliations or beliefs can partake in. Though the origin of the word ‘Easter’ is uncertain, a school of thought is that it is derived from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre, whose animal symbol is a bunny. Celebrated with family and friends, Easter Sunday lunches, egg hunts, bunnies this mix of pagan and Christian traditions (and a whole lot of commercialisation), has become one of the most exciting traditions in the UK.
I reminisce about how Easter was celebrated growing up in my hometown Lagos, a multi-cultural and -religious a city with a large population of Christians. The Easter festivities commence with Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified. This prelude to the Easter celebrations is a solemn day of deep reflection and introspection. In some areas of the city, it would be common to see re-enactments of the process to the cross and the final hours of Jesus’ life played out on the streets. Men dressed in Roman military clothing, holding swords and whips, hurling curses, and walking behind a man carrying a huge cross, donned with a purple seamless robe and a crown of thorns. They would make this journey round the streets as onlookers would shake their head in pity and some even weep. Some who observe this day, fast, and abstain from dairy foods and beef, pork and goat meat. We would have neighbours bring Frejon, a local delicacy enjoyed by emancipated Nigerian returnees from Brazil who settled in Lagos after the abolition of the slave trade, a story for another blogpost. I can almost taste the delicious and flavourful thick pudding made with coconut milk and beans usually accompanied with fried peppered fish or snails.
The next big event following Good Friday is on Sunday, Easter Sunday. The long-awaited day for many Christian adherents, the day of Christ’s resurrection! There would usually be a church service held and people would celebrate the great resurrection after three days. The joy and happiness, palpable! After the 4-hour church service, yes, 4 hours! We would be dismissed by the preacher to our homes. My family and I would drive to my Aunty Abosede’s house, now Aunty Abosede made the best Easter Sunday lunch, the roasted whole chicken, jollof rice and golden yellow plantains fried to perfection. I always looked forward to that. The parents would sit in the living room, chatting about the latest news, while the children played hide and seek or noughts and crosses.
I recall one Easter, the church across the street from my family house having an outdoor procession, jubilating, dancing and shouting, ‘He is risen’. This is how Easter Sunday was typically celebrated. The following day, Easter Monday, the wrap up to the long weekend. For those who had not had enough of the Easter Sunday festivities, they carried on into the night not minding they had to wake up in time for work the next morning. Music blaring, drinks, and food flowing endlessly. For others, like myself, it was a day of relaxation, perched on a chair, enjoying the cool mid-day breeze on my face, and getting lost in my thoughts.
Easter this year, for me would be a little different. I intend to spend it relaxing at home with my family in Newcastle. I will attend my local church service on Sunday and join in with friends to enjoy the North East cuisine. For me, it will be a time to reflect and recharge. No matter how you choose to spend Easter, with family, friends or alone, with a book, in bed or at an Easter egg hunt, make sure you spend it doing at least one thing that brings you joy. Have a lovely Easter Break.
