Rejoicing and the renewal of hope to mark the celebration of Easter are rarely practiced in other parts of the world except in the Philippines, the Catholicism of most of its citizens being ingrained from childhood.

The diaspora, however, has brought the celebration of the Resurrected Christ to the entire globe.

Easter is mostly about hope and a fresh start. This year, more than at any other, that statement seems especially true now that many countries can celebrate the holiday compared to before the pandemic.

In Australia, chocolate bilbies — not rabbits — are on the menu for Easter.

Due to the negative perception of rabbits in Australia, which National Geographic described as being more of a pest than a pet in the region, Australia began a campaign in 1991 to replace the Easter bunny with the rabbit-eared bandicoot, or Easter bilby, a desert-dwelling marsupial that resembles a rabbit but with longer ears and pointy snouts.

“Easter is more than just hot cross buns and chocolate bilbies,” Paul Santiago, a 40-year-old Filipino entrepreneur in Melbourne, said.

“Easter Sunday is a time for many families, including Filipinos, to get together for a special meal. There are also Easter parades and events with live music, food, and games in some parts of the country,” Santiago told DAILY TRIBUNE.

He said Easter is generally observed in Australia as a period when families and communities reunite to mark the transition of the seasons and embrace fresh starts.

Warm celebration

Bonfires and plants are how Easter is marked in Germany.

From Saturday night to Easter Sunday night, branches and leaves are stacked to make a huge bonfire in some places.

The German Embassy said the Easter fire was first used in old Germanic ceremonies. It was later adopted by Christians to rid the world of evil spirits and mark the beginning of spring, life, and birth.

“The Easter fire is a fun place for kids and adults to get together,” Thea Romano, 40, a Filipino teacher in Germany, told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Romano said Germans and Filipinos who have adapted to the German culture immediately think of food and traditional treats during Easter.

“Bright hard-boiled Easter eggs (Ostereier) and boiled potatoes (Salzkartoffeln) are often served at Easter dinner, along with ham and lamb,” Romano said.

She also cited the traditional Osterreiten (Easter riding) on Easter Sunday in the farmlands southwest of Berlin.

“Men ride horses in a line on Easter Sunday to honor Jesus Christ who rose from the dead,” Romano said, adding that some prefer a walk in the park after having their meal.

Prayers of joy in Prague

The Czechs love Easter more than any other holiday as people use this season to spend time with family or get away from the city for a long weekend.

Some Filipinos living in the Czech Republic remember going to church on Easter, even though the holiday there isn’t based on Christianity but on folk traditions.

“I used to go to the Infant Jesus of Prague church with my dad to hear mass on Easter Sunday when he was alive,” said Dana Santos-Hovorka, a 35-year-old Filipino worker living in Prague for seven years now.

“My father passed on to me this tradition that we should celebrate Easter, and we should never forget to pass by the Infant Jesus of Prague to hear the Easter mass now that I’m married to a Czech citizen,” Santos-Hovorka told DAILY TRIBUNE.

She said her husband proposed to her in the church on Easter Sunday in 2017.

Santos-Horvorka has adapted to the local tradition of making lamb cake for the Easter table and making Easter eggs for carolers who pass by their homes.

“We also buy beer from smaller breweries in the area, and my husband gets a tasting set every year,” she added.