Yesterday, in my post about Lazarus’ Saturday (April 11, 2009) I mentioned a special dish, used to celebrate the dead: coliva. Coliva is the Romanian translation of the Greek κόλλυβα (kólliva) and it describes a sweet pudding made of boiled wheat. This “desert” is used liturgically in......more

Easter is the most important Romanian holiday in the Orthodox calendar. I already covered a few traditions last year – and starting today I will write a series of articles that will present even more traditions, itineraries for those who would like to spend Easter in......more

Happy Easter! Christ is risen! I am taking a short moment tonight to wish you all Happy Easter and a blessed year - blessed by the Holy Light of the One Who defied Death tonight. In the morning say a little prayer of joy... God, make me myrtle......more

It's the Thursday before Easter, also known as the Great Thursday or the Thursday of Sufferings (known in English as the Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday or even Sheer Thursday) when the orthodox-Christians from Romania celebrate four events: the washing of the Disciples' feet, the Holy Eucharist......more

One of the most beautiful Easter traditions is the “Florii” - the Palm Sunday (Duminica Floriilor) – which is the Sunday before Easter (Sunday the 20th April this year). The holiday has roots before Christianity, in the pagan rituals of Floralia (dedicated to goddess Flora, the......more