5 wacky Easter traditions from around the world

As a student studying abroad in the Czech Republic, I’ve had to acclimate to numerous foreign traditions and customs. But the strangest one to date, I would have say, is the country’s Easter holiday traditions, which involves lightly whipping young girls.

But the Czech Republic isn’t the only country that celebrates Easter in a way that may seem strange to Westerners. Other have wacky traditions that include self-mutilation, witches and calls to the cops.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, Easter is a celebration of the start of spring, and students get multiple days off of school for the occasion.

On Ugly Wednesday (the Wednesday before Easter), the Czech people spend the day cleaning their homes and decorating eggs. Over the following days leading up to Easter Sunday, young boys walk through the streets shaking wooden rattles in an attempt to scare away Judas (the disciple who betrayed Jesus).

Easter Monday is the day of the pomlázka, a braided whip made from twigs of the pussywillow tree. Young men lightly whip young women on their legs – a symbolic practice from pagan times that aims to chase away illness and bring good health.

Philippines

The Philippines is known its reenactments of Jesus’ walk to the cross, where he was eventually crucified. Participants walk through the streets, whip their backs until they bleed, and some even go so far as to have their feet and hands nailed to wooden crosses.

If you stop by the Philippines during Easter, the best place to see these reenactments in person is in

Article source: http://college.usatoday.com/2016/03/27/5-wacky-easter-traditions-from-around-the-world/