1. Traditions in PortugalEaster ( Páscoa) Braga the north of Portugal Etwinning Project Health Promoting School Castelo de Vide The south

2. Easter in Portugal As all catholic countries Portugal has a long tradition in celebrating Easter. The whole Lent is no longer celebrated, only the Holy Friday before Christ Resurrection. On Holy Friday, we can say, that almost all Portuguese Christians don't eat meat. This fasting ends on Saturday of Easter with the traditional roast kid in the family. This day there are on the table a set of typical delicacies such as “folares”, almonds, chocolate eggs and other sweets.

3. Easter in Portugal Religion Braga in the north of Portugal has a festive atmosphere during the “Semana Santa” (Holy Week). The Ecce Homo Procession on Good Friday, led by the Farricocos (barefoot men in tunics with hoods) ,is one of the most peculiar parts of the Portuguese religious tradition.

4. Easter in Portugal In the Castelo de Vide region in the south, you’ll experience a very different Easter celebration, one with Jewish origins. In the morning of Easter Eve, the region’s shepherds invade the town centre to have their flocks of sheep blessed. At night, during the “Vigília Pascal” (Paschal Vigil), people ask for forgiveness in secret. At the end of the mass, all those present bring cowbells that ring the “Cortejo da Aleluia” (Procession of Alleluia) through the town.

5. Easter in Portugal Easter Sunday Lunch Apart from Christmas Lunch , we can say that Easter Lunch is the most important meal of Portuguese Christians. Traditionally, on Easter Sunday, we have a meat plate: generally kid goat or lamb, but a lot of times also Pig (roasted pig or ham). In some areas they include in Easter menu a stuffed pie of several meats and eggs. The bread that was eaten on Easter Sunday was whiter than the bread homemade and a goody was considered.

7. Easter in Portugal In Portugal, godparents and godmothers always offer of baptism a “folar”, the Portuguese easter cake, to godchildren in tribute to the feast of Ressurrection of Jesus. “Folar” recipe:

9. Work the remaining flour with the eggs, the sugar and the milk, until obtaining a very light mass, with plenty of body. Add the margarine later, salt, to herb-candy and the cinnamon.

10. Work well the mass and, finally, join it the ferment that was to leaven.

11. Work the mass until it comes off of the hands and of the alguidar( plastic pot). Cover with a cloth and let to leaven during 2 at 5 hours in warm place.

12. After that time, divide the mass in balls and flatten them. On each one it places 1 or more hard eggs, according to the size of the base of the mass.

13. Hold the eggs with some mass ribbons. Paint with a brush with egg yolk and cook in hot oven.

14. Easter curiositiesDid you know that… The habit of offering coloured eggs or decorations starts in Portugal in the XVth century? The Easter Bonnet parade is an old New York City tradition? The word Easter comes from Eastre,the pagan goddess of Spring? German immigrants introduced the tradition of the Easter Bunny and the basket of eggs? Easter symbols (baskets, flowers, coloured eggs and rabbits) came from the pagan festivals? Before Easter Day American and British people paint Easter eggs with bright colours and designs?