Hungarian spring holidays have a long tradition and cultural significance. The celebrations usually take place in March and April and reflect many symbols and traditions of Hungarian folklore.
One of the best-known spring holidays in Hungary is National Day on March 15th. This holiday commemorates the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence, which began in 1848, and aimed to achieve Hungarian independence and freedom. During the March 15th celebrations, people remember the heroes of the revolution and war of independence, and various celebrations, parades, historical lectures, and monument dedications are held throughout the country.
On April 4th, the country remembers the martyrs of Arad. The martyrs of Arad were a group of people who carried out the executions ordered by the Hungarian government during the War of Independence against the Austrian Empire in 1849. On the commemoration day of the martyrs of Arad, the Hungarian people remember the victims and pay their respects to the heroes.
Other spring holidays include May 1st, which is the holiday of labor and workers, and Mother’s Day, which is a holiday honoring mothers in families. On Mother’s Day, people give flowers, gifts, and special foods to their mothers and express their respect for the educational and caregiving tasks that mothers perform.
Easter holidays: Easter is one of the biggest Christian holidays commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. In the Jewish religion, the Passover celebrates the liberation from Egyptian slavery. In Hungarian, it is also called the holiday of unleavened bread because the Pharaoh did not allow the Jews to wait for the bread to rise before leaving Egypt, so they ate unleavened dough made of water and flour.
Christianity placed Easter on the first Sunday after the spring equinox (March 21) following the first full moon. The 40 days preceding Easter are the Lent, commemorating Jesus’ 40-day desert fast. The last week of Lent from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday is Holy Week.
It is a widely accepted custom to bless the palms before the High Mass, which the priest then distributes among the faithful. They often pierced the palms into the ground, saying that it would drive away worms. On Maundy Thursday, the bells of the churches fall silent, it is believed that the bells went to Rome to mourn Jesus. In certain regions, it was also called Green Thursday, because they cooked dishes made of green plants (sorrel, spinach…) hoping for a bountiful harvest.
Jesus was crucified on Good Friday. Among Christians, Good Friday is a day of repentance, deep mourning, and strict fasting. Superstitious fears were associated with it in peasant life. Work related to animal husbandry and agriculture was prohibited, bread was not baked (because it would turn into stone), washing was not done (because lightning would strike the person wearing the clothes), and weaving was not carried out. On Holy Saturday, the 40-day fast ends, and the bells ring out again.
Easter Monday is the day of “sprinkling” in Hungary. In the countryside, girls were once sprinkled with well water from a bucket, and in some regions, they were even bathed in the stream – unfortunately, if it was cold at Easter, illness could result from this. White Sunday is the Sunday following Easter, the closing day of the Easter holiday. A characteristic custom of this day is matchmaking.
The Easter bunny symbol originated in Germany. Once upon a time, the image of a rabbit was discovered in the Easter moon. Also under German influence, it has become a custom to decorate the twigs of the willow tree with blown red eggs and small figurines.
Pentecost is the fiftieth day following Easter. Originally a Jewish holiday, the celebration is characterized by flowers, primarily the Pentecost rose, jasmine, and elderflower.
Renátó Romanoczki
Source:
https://sihuhu.com/2015/04/tavaszi-unnepek/
https://unnepek.center/tavaszi-unnepek/
https://www.sulinet.hu/oroksegtar/data/magyarorszagi_nemzetisegek/altalanos/kortanc_sorozat/magyarorszagi_nemetek/pages/019_tavaszi.htm
Source of imagines: blikk.hu, egeszsegter.hu
Main photo: Celebration of 15 of March. National Celebration Day in Hungary.