Hanna Nyzhnyk from Kiyv

International students of Milano, don’t conceal it: first and foremost, we’ve come to Italy with foodaholic intentions! Yet apart from the traditional meals, Italian Easter is rich with legends and customs which we will explore in this article.

Easter basics

So here we are on the brink of Easter. Second only in importance to Christmas as a popular holiday, but the main festivity of the year for Christian communities, Pasqua is an experience you definitely need to try at least once in a lifetime – this year falls on April 4.

Being Italy a mostly Roman Catholic country, Easter is a big deal here and celebrated with religious processions and grand masses during the Holy Week, which is considered the height of religious devotion both north and south.

For the entire week preceding Easter Sunday, called holy week the worshippers enter a period of prayer as a conclusion of Lent 40 days period, and the services intensify with the arrival of Holy Thursday, i.e the day of the Last Supper, Holy Friday (day in which they commemorate Passion) Holy Saturday (a silent day with no celebrations or bell sounds).

Anyway, this year it is highly recommended to abstain from the collective celebration and enjoy your chocolate eggs and Colomba cake safely at home.

As the legend says...

One widespread legend in Lombardy says that in Milano (or Pavia, we are not sure about that!) in 610 AD, when the Lombards reigned, the Queen Teodolinda invited Irish Piligrims and the priest San Colombano toa e generous banquet – but San Colombano refused the invitation because he was fasting for the 40-day period of Lent. The Queen got offended, so to restore peace, San Colombano blessed the table and transformed the food into white doves (colombe) which soared to heaven.

But it wouldn’t hurt to add a faint note of capitalism here: in fact, the story of the colombe as we know them today actually begins with the Motta company – wich had already hit a seller with its famous panettone, so the witty industrialits found a strategy to reuse Christmas machinery and ingredients in the subsequent months. And so the Colomba Pasquale (Easter Dove) was born – same preparation procedures, same dough, only candied oranges and no raisins, and a layer of almonds on top. Must-try!

Foodie Part = The Best Part

The first rule of Italian Easter club: calories don`t count on this day. What you absolutely can`t miss in Italian Easter celebration is the above-mentioned Colomba, i.e. the Easter version of the Christmas Panettone, but with its own symbolism, because the dove shape is a symbol of peace. Every supermarket of Milano during the Easter period transforms into a heaven for chocolate fiends: chocolate easter eggs of all sizes with surprises inside, from gigantic to candy size. The Uovo di Pasqua is also a homage to the tradition: the egg symbolizes the rebirth of life in spring. The wine flows, of course – as during the remaining 364 days of the year.

Pasqua… con i tuoi?

In spite of the famous Italian saying “Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi” [Christmas with your own, Easter with who you want], Easter Sunday remains a great excuse for a family reunion, while Pasquetta – or little Easter, i.e Easter Monday – is also a day off work and usually reserved to picnics and informal celebrations with friends.

 

Happy Easter in Milano!