Easter in Portugal : Discover Celebrations and Traditions

Easter Celebration in Portugal

Easter is greeted with fun, food, prayers, and family in Portugal.

It is a public holiday, so all business establishments are closed, and it is a practice to have the Easter Sunday with family, savouring roasted lamb for Lunch. The dish is called Cabrito , with roasted chestnuts to go with it.

Kids savour chocolate eggs and different kinds of almonds.

Easter Monday, though not a public holiday, is converted into one, as most people take day off.

Folar is the traditional bread, which is consumed in this season. It is similar to a large loaf of bread, but tastes way better and looks better as well. It is made with specially prepared flour, and is stuffed with sausages of every kind. Some also top it up with an egg in the middle, representing resurrection. Meat is abstained on Good Friday and also on Holy Saturday by most, and meat is replaced by codfish on those days.

A beautiful tradition of Portugal is reserved for godchildren and godparents, when the former offer an olive branch, chocolates, Easter almonds and flowers, to the latter, as a token of appreciation.

Parades and processions also have their fair share in Portugal, as it is a festival of deep Christian significance. Braga is the place to visit for processions, where there are several night time or nocturnal parades as well, the most famous of them being the Senhor da Cana Verde, meaning the Lord of the Green Cane..

Easter celebrations in other European countries