A predominantly Catholic country, Easter is one of the most important festivals for Slovakia. This year, the festivities take place from April 7 to 10.

For some areas of the country, religious traditions are of great importance and have preserved unique rituals and customs to this day. In some villages, for example, a huge procession is organized with a wooden cross carried through the village and the surrounding area.

In addition to Christian traditions, there is a plethora of rituals associated with ancestors who worshipped old Slavic gods. Although these customs vary from region to region, they have one thing in common: they symbolize the awakening of nature after winter, the renewal of life and hope.

One such custom is the procession of Morena. She is an effigy stuffed with straw and dressed in female clothes. She symbolizes the pagan Slavic goddess associated with winter and death. The burning of Morena is an expression of the pre-Christian wish to eliminate the risks stemming from the season. The effigy is taken out of a village or town and thrown into water, in some places even lit and burnt.

Another distinctive tradition is decorating eggs. In Slovakia, egg painting developed over centuries and became a real art. The meaning behind the custom is that the egg is a symbol of new life and resurrection. This centuries-old technique is considered an artistic handicraft. The eggs are ornamented in various ways, like with wax and onion skins, which create interesting patterns on the shell. In addition, different colors and techniques are also used to paint and decorate eggs, for example with patterns made of metal, wood or glass.

Easter Sunday is an important day when families gather and spend time together. Mostly ham, sausage, cheese, bread, eggs and other traditional dishes are served. Moreover, foods are gathered in  so-called blessing baskets comprising cooked eggs, bread, preserved meat, beetroot and horse-radish, along with various dairy products. Then people take them to church and have the food blessed by priests.

The next day,  traditions called ‘šibačka’ and ‘polievačka’ take place. Šibačka involves young men using a ceremonial switch made from willow springs decorated with ribbons to gently beat female relatives and neighbors. Polievačka, on the other hand, involves men pouring either cold water or spraying perfume on women. To the uninitiated, this may seem strange, but to Slovaks they hold a symbolic meaning, hidden messages, as well as being fun. Both whipping and the pouring of water was supposed to ensure the beauty, health and fertility of women. These distinct customs vary from region to region.

While the former is more common in west Slovakia, the latter is commonplace in the east part of the country.

On Tuesday, women are allowed to do the same to men.

Slovaks understand that folk customs are part of their history and add to their spiritual cultural heritage. New technologies and modern lifestyles bring many changes to today’s society. However, a popular trend among young Slovaks is the maintenance of diverse folklore traditions, of which they are extremely proud.