Easter in Brazil

Easter in Brazil Posted by carol on Apr 15, 2017 in Brazilian Profile, Culture, Customs

Páscoa no Brasil

Oi, pessoal! Hi, all! Como está a páscoa de vocês? How is your easter going?

Even though this week many Christian countries are celebrating páscoa (easter), each place has its specific costumes (customs). So today we will take a look at some cultural traditions during this feriado (holiday) in Brazil.

Easter primarily carries religious meaning, such as honoring the resurrection of Christ, but since it is a celebration, gathering with family and loved ones is an essential part of the holiday. Thefore comida (food) plays a major role during Easter practices.

Ovos de chocolate – Chocolate eggs

Chocoholics of the worlds, unite! Durante (during) this time, supermarket ceilings become packed with colorful ovos de páscoa (Easter eggs) of different kinds and sizes. White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, with hazelnuts, pieces of cookie, sprinkles, caramel, raisins, with a prize toy or with more candy inside. Whatever your escolha (choice) in chocolate may be, just olhe para cima (look up) and you won’t be disappointed. In Brazil, we’re not in the habit of decorating regular eggs for easter. Instead, we give each other delicious chocolate eggs – and sometimes coelhinhos (bunnies) made of chocolate – as part of the tradition. Tempting, isn’t it?

Easter eggs in a supermarket
(photo by Fernando Vivas)

Colomba Pascal

Another comida típica (typical food) in the Brazilian easter menu is the colomba pascal, a kind of easter cake (that resembles a panetone), whose origins come from Italy. Here, it is sold only during Easter period and it is usually filled with chocolate chips and covered in chocolate toppings. Its shape is supposed to look like a dove (in Italian, colomba and in Portuguese, pomba). As a Christian emblem, it is said to represent paz (peace).

Colomba Pascal
(photo by Harald chocolates)

Sexta-Feira Santa – Good Friday

Many catholics in Brazil abstain from beber (drinking) or comer carne (eating meat) during this day, as a symbolic act to pay homage to Christ’s sacrifice. That is why many restaurants serve dishes with peixe (fish) and family celebrations commonly prepare bacalhau (cod fish) as a typical food. Many religious rituals also take place in a number of cities, such as the reenactment of the via sacra (stations of the cross), in which the faithful accompany, from station to station, an impersonation of Jesus carrying the cruz (cross) while saying prayers.