Easter is a festive day where ancient traditions are kept until today.
In a religious country like Portugal, Easter could not fail to be one of the most awaited festivals of the year.
One of the most important customs is the Easter visit. Houses are cleaned especially to receive the priest and his blessing. Many have the tradition of kissing the Cross, which symbolizes love for our fellow man. Families prepare the most varied and popular delicacies, the “folar”, which symbolize hospitality to the priest and his companions. Usually a glass of liquor or a glass of “porto” is also available. This is also an important date for godfathers and godmothers who traditionally, besides almonds and eggs, offer sponge cake and folar to their godchildren.
We can find countless traditions from the North to the South of the country and there are many ways to celebrate it. Do you know the different customs that exist around the country during this Easter season?

Braga comes alive in the Holy Week. The city is decorated with allusive motifs to the season, with altars, flowers, lights and an intense smell of incense. Easter is celebrated through the most varied religious traditions that take place during this festive season. The Procession of the “Burrinha”, the procession of the “Trasladação da Imagem do Senhor dos Passos”, “Domingo de Ramos” and the procession of branches, as well as the Procession of the Lord "Ecce Homo" are religious processions that according to belief make people and places blessed where they pass. On Easter Day or in the following weeks, it is also a tradition to visit the Crucifix of Christ from house to house in the parish to celebrate his Resurrection.

In Óbidos, in this magical town, Easter is celebrated with 3 important processions: the Penitential Procession of the Third Order of St. Francis, also known as the procession of the boys, the Procession of Our Lord Jesus of the Steps, the best known of all, and the Procession of the Burial of Our Lord, where people walk through the town by the light of torches that burn in the hands of young people during the walk.

In the main cities of Portugal, Lisbon and Porto, the feast is celebrated through the offering of folar and almonds by the Godfathers. It's a time when godfathers and godchildren get together to celebrate.
The game egg hunt is also known. Activities that bring kids and adults together.

In Alentejo, more exactly in Castelo de Vide, Easter in this region is known for the “Chocalhadas”, which attracts tourists to participate every year. The “Chocalhadas” are celebrated at night, where everyone gathers in the main streets with rattles in their hands in various forms to create a characteristic noise. The sound becomes immersive with the intention of making it the "prayer" during the Alleluia Parade. The celebrations end Holy Week on Sunday with the Flower Festival, also well known in the Algarve in São Brás de Alportel.

In São Brás, Easter is celebrated with processions of flowers and children marking the resurrection of Jesus. Bedspreads by the windows, decorated balconies and the flowered carpet that describes the route of the procession through the streets, are the scenery of one of the most beautiful and genuine processions in the country, in which a mass is celebrated in which thousands of faithful attend in complete devotion. The procession takes place while the people shout: "Alleluia. Christ is risen as he said, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia". Throughout the procession, hymns, responsos and the Alleluia are always sung in honor of the Lord's Resurrection.
A contest is also held for the most beautiful flowered torches and balconies of the procession, a strategy defined to better preserve this ethnographic heritage of S. Brás.

Whether the celebrations are in the villages, vigils, or processions, everything in Easter has its symbolism. Do you know why an egg is offered and the symbolism of the Rabbit?
The Egg contains the fruit of life, which represents birth and renewal.
The Rabbit is one of the animals with the ability to generate large litters. Its image symbolizes renewal and new life.
The Easter Bunny tradition is not Portuguese, it is a custom that comes from Germany. The story of this tradition tells that the bunny comes to visit the children on this day. The bunny hides the colored eggs, so that they have to find them on Easter Sunday morning. This tradition took a while to become part of Portuguese families, but the image of the rabbit stayed.
And we want to "matar dois coelhos de uma cajadada só", so we share with you our recipes for the sweet and the salted folar for you to give to your godson or goddaughter as tradition dictates.

Let's get to work or “mãos à obra”!

For the traditions,

Inspirações Team