What does Easter mean?

Easter will be celebrated this weekend to commemorate Jesus Christ’s resurrection. EM asked international students what they know about the holiday and how they celebrate it.

Zsuzsa Trucko, a CEMS student from Hungary, is celebrating Easter abroad for the first time. Coming from a religious background, she will miss her family’s Easter customs. “Back home, we usually go to church on Easter to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” she says. “I won’t go to church here in Rotterdam. But I am really excited to see how the Dutch celebrate Easter,” she adds.

Sprinkling or Ducking Monday

According to Trucko, one of the most popular Easter customs in Hungary is called sprinkling. “On Easter Monday, also known as Ducking Monday in Hungary, boys pour buckets of water over girls or sprinkle perfume on them. In return, they usually receive food or beverages. The custom is associated with fertility and cleansing rites,” she explains. “However, it was more common in the past. Today, usually only people in the villages practice the custom.”  

Easter egg hunt

Katharina Malinowski, a Strategic Management student from Germany, is not as religious, but knows that Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and enjoys spending time with her family on the holiday. “We – my parents, brother and I – usually get together on Easter Sunday and have a brunch. When I was a child, my parents would hide eggs for me and my brother to find,” she says.  

The Easter story

According to the bible, Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and his body was placed in a guarded tomb. Two days later, on what we refer to as Easter Sunday, women came to visit the tomb, but found it empty. An angel stood in his place, claiming that Jesus had risen from the dead. NL