7 April 2009

Some French Easter Facts

Photo courtesy of Epicerie de Charles

In France, church bells stop ringing on the Thursday before Good Friday and do not ring again until Easter Sunday morning. The reason for this is that all the bells are supposed to fly to the Vatican carrying with them the grief of those who mourn the crucifixion; then these flying bells (cloche volant) return on Easter Sunday bringing with them lots of chocolate and eggs.

Another French custom is a contest of rolling raw eggs down a gentle slope – the surviving egg is the victory egg symbolising the stone that was rolled away from Christ’s tomb. Kids also throw eggs in the air – the first one to drop theirs is the loser who must pay a penalty.
Joyeuses Pâques.........
L x

2 comments:

  1. The sounds of the church bells on Sunday must be wonderful!
    ~Tracie

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  2. Yes I have really got used to them. I adore the bells as they ring throughout the day from 7am until 10pm - it is one of the things I adore about living in a medieval french village, it is as though time as stood still :-)

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