One of the most unique and important events in the whole of European culture is the Easter festival in Italy. It is an event that brings together people for over a week, and it is one that brings together people from diverse social backgrounds. It is also the last event of Easter, and this is the main reason why it is so different from other religious festivals.
The Easter celebrations in Rome, known as the Sant'Erolano, are among the most ancient in Europe. They're thought to be one of the earliest European
pagan celebrations, dating from the eighth century BC. This is based on the Latin name of the festival, which comes from the goddess of fertility and the spring, Ero, who took the form of the god Liber, in gratitude for the return of the spring.
Easter is the most important feast of the year in European culture. It is also a time of celebration in Italy with their Easter eggs. The tradition dates back to the pre-Christian tradition of the Roman goddess, Ceres, and the Egyptian god, Osiris.
The Holy Week traditionally starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Christ. It’s a period of fasting, abstinence and penitence.
The Easter Monday in Rome is the celebration of “Liberazione di Cristo Re ”, the liberation of Christ. Today there is a lot of celebrations, including many Easter parades and events, which give visitors and locals the opportunity to enjoy the city and go out to lunch or to take a holiday with their families. A typical Easter Monday in Rome starts with Easter Mass, followed by a traditional, symbolic blessing from “Benedetto abitare”, blessing for the family leftovers, and ending with the blessing “Cantarella di Pasqua” when the family goes for lunch in one of the parks or a nice restaurant. Some of the foods you'll see include colomba, a dove-shaped cake, lamb, artichokes, and puntarelle, a type of chicory.
Would you like to spend Easter in Rome? Join us for our 2023! See our Upcoming tours page for more information.