As spring emerges, trees blossom,
flowers bloom, and fields green up.
We're reminded of the earth's newborn fertility.
It's easy to understand how eggs, symbolic of new life,
have become tied to the Easter theme of rebirth.
In beautiful Slovenia,
in the remote region of Bela Krajina,
where many of Slovenia's folk tales were born,
old customs have been kept alive
in villages tucked among the hills and forests.
The region's isolation has preserved these traditions,
which, over the centuries,
have morphed from those prescribed by the seasons,
to those prescribed by the Church.
In medieval times,
to celebrate the arrival of spring after months of scarcity,
decorated eggs were offered as gifts.
Many families still dye their Easter eggs
according to tradition:
spring leaves and flowers from the garden
are pressed onto an egg, wrapped in gauze,
and then boiled in onion skins.
After the gauze is removed, the eggs are left to cool,
now beautifully decorated with stamps of springtime.
Today, Slovenian decorated eggs are a revered folk art
and prized gifts at Easter.
This woman is using a delicate technique
of drawing on the shell with a tool loaded with hot beeswax.
She then dyes the egg with natural colors.
Finally, eggs are rubbed in pig's fat to lend a nice sheen.
While techniques vary,
decorated eggs with designs inspired by nature
add heritage and local pride to Easter celebrations.
Slovenes today value this humble gift
just as they did in medieval times.
[ Women singing in Slovenian ]
As their grandmothers did,
these village women enjoy working together
as they embroider cloths to cover the Easter baskets
that'll hold their eggs and special foods for a blessing.
[ Singing continues ]
The giving of eggs can come with a playful twist.
In Italy, chocolate eggs contain hidden gifts for loved ones.
Here, in a backstreet of Rome,
a fine chocolate shop embraces Easter with enthusiasm.
And Antonello is on a mission.
With some help from behind the counter,
he arranges to have a necklace planted
inside a big chocolate egg.
The plan: on Easter Sunday,
his sweetheart will discover the gift
as a re-affirmation of his love.
[ Conversing in Italian ]
Greece celebrates Easter with particular gusto.
In fact, all of Holy Week is a school vacation.
Children like Evelina
drop by their godparents' for a little quality time,
which, today, includes dyeing eggs.
Here in Greece, the color is always red,
to symbolize the blood of Christ.
These will be great to share when Easter Sunday arrives.
[ Conversing in Greek ]
Godparents also give a big chocolate egg
and a special candle to their godchild
to hold at the Resurrection ceremony on Easter Sunday.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét