With Easter just around the corner, what are the festive and egg-painting traditions in Lithuania?
Decorating Easter eggs (margučiai) plays a big part in Lithuania's Easter celebrations. One of the oldest methods involves using sharp objects, such as tips of needles, to paint various patterns with wax.
The egg must be boiled, and the wax needs to be hot, otherwise it will not apply correctly.
According to Irena Volodkienė, educator at Šiauliai Culture Centre, the many patterns painted on eggs include “the sun, stars, plants, snakes” – common rebirth symbols in Lithuania.
Once the wax hardens, the egg is dipped in a colourful natural dye extracted from various types of plants: grass, thatch, tree branches, flowers, even some vegetables.
Specific plants supply a specific colour of dye. For example, alder bark would colour the egg black, onion skins would give off a light yellow or dark brown tint, while beetroot would colour the egg red.
The colours themselves carry a specific symbolic meaning. Irena Volodkienė explains that, for example, the colour red represents life, and yellow is used in the hopes of attracting a plentiful harvest season. A green Easter egg symbolises spring and greenery, while a black one, soil.
“The very first egg found in spring had to be painted red. During Easter breakfast, one of the eggs was to be divided into as many pieces as there were people in the household,” says ethnographer Daina Smicoriūtė.
“Head of the family would have the first slice, followed by everyone else – from eldest to youngest. House mistress would have the last slice,” she says. “This ritual was believed to bring abundance and wealth to one’s home.”
Other important Easter traditions include egg tapping and egg rolling. One would take a hard-boiled margutis and then tap the egg of the opponent, aiming to crack their egg without breaking one’s own.
The egg rolling game involves people rolling eggs off an incline plank in turn and trying to hit previously rolled eggs. If one's egg hits another, one can take both. Whoever collects most eggs, wins.
Religious traditions
According to customs, people in Lithuania would prepare for Easter by thoroughly cleaning their homes on Holy Thursday, three days before Easter Sunday, to ward off evil spirits.
The next day, Good Friday, is usually considered a time of tranquillity and recollection, as the day commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Traditionally, people would abstain from eating meat, or would not eat at all.
The mood picks up on Holy Saturday, as families paint Easter eggs (margučiai) and head to the church to bring home Holy Water and Easter Fire. Using the lit candle brought back from the church, people fire up the stove and start preparing the meals.
Then, the Easter Sunday celebrations begin.
“First of all, people would burn their verbos [ceremonial palm branches] at home to ensure it is free of all misfortunes […],” says ethnographer Daina Smicoriūtė.
“Everyone would also have a sip of the Holy Water before the meal – you could not eat anything until Holy Water was brought home,” she adds. “After crossing themselves, a household can begin feasting.”
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