This weekend I was able to participate in more uniquely Romanian customs. In the United States, Easter has become over commercialized and lost its original meaning as a holiday for the church going folks. Easter in Romania, especially since this is a country with an overwhelming Orthodox majority, is a church centered, major holiday. For the last week, most of my Romanian friends have been observing Post, the Lenten fast. This means they have been abstaining from meat, eggs, and dairy. Post runs the entire duration of lent, but prior to holy week (Saptamana Mare) the fast is only observed on Friday and Sunday.

I traveled to Targoviste to spend Easter with Mari, Eugen, and Mihai, my host family from training last summer. I arrived Friday evening. I had made some buckeyes to share with Mari and family, but unfortunately chocolate doesn’t hold up to the heat of a crowded maxi taxi. Luckily, there is a flower shop right outside of the autogara in Targoviste. I pitched the gross melted buckeyes and bought Mari some beautiful orange Geber Daisies as a small Easter treat. Eugen wasn’t home yet, so Mari’s neighbor came to pick me up from the autogara. As soon as I got back to the flat, it was obvious that Mari had been working hard. I received a very warm greeting from Mari and was escorted to my usual chair in the kitchen. Mari immediately got back to work making the Easter feast.

Before my arrival Mari dyed easter eggs, made cozonac, cake with jam, and salata beouf. I helped her decorate the salata and assemble the cake with jam. We then set to work making prajitura cu mac (cake with poppy seeds) and meringue cookies with chocolate cream and pecans. It was after 10pm when Mari finished for the evening.

The next day, Mari and Eugen had already been to the grocery store before I was awake. Eugen and Mihai went out to the countryside to work on building the new house. Mari, Eugen, and Mihai will be moving to the countryside next summer when their new house is finished. I stayed home with Mari to help fix more food. We spent the day making cookies, cake, drob de pui, soup, and chicken. We paused halfway through the day to enjoy a lunch of the delicious chicken soup. Later in the evening we visited Mari’s parents in a nearby village. They aren’t in good health so Mari prepared Easter food for them this year. We got home from the village around 9:30pm. We had to stay awake. We still had to go to church later in the night.

Around 11:30pm we got dressed up and walked to the church across the street. Everyone from the neighborhood was crammed into the small church courtyard. Mari handed me a white candle in a red plastic holder with a metal lid. She explained that we were going to church to have our candles lit. It was yet another surreal experience. Here I was, one lone American, standing in a cramped courtyard with at least 350 Romanians on a beautiful clear night, patiently waiting. Mari happily chatted with a fellow neighbor while Mihai and Eugen teased her for talking so much. At 12 o’ clock, the church bells began to ring. The crowd instantly quieted down and made the sign of the cross several times. All of the lights had been turned off inside the small church. It was impossible to see what was happening inside. All of the sudden, the warm glow of candlelight began flooding out of the church doors. The flames were passed from person to person until the entire courtyard was glowing with the soft light. After our candles were lit, we walked back to the flat. The Easter service would continue for hours, but Mari said that we wouldn’t stay.

Upon arriving home we carried our flames from room to room. It’s a tradition. We then set the candles on the kitchen table. We are supposed to keep them lit, but Mari is afraid of fire in the house, so we put them out. It was now very late and time for everyone to go to bed.

I was the last one to wake up today, as usual. As soon as I was out of bed, it was time to eat. We all gathered around the table still in pajamas for Easter breakfast. It was a delicious meal of drob de pui (like chicken meatloaf), salata beouf, hard boiled eggs, peppers, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, cheese, and cakes. It was absolutely delicious. Before we started to eat, Mari passed out a colored egg to everyone. This is a tradition. Eugen started by cracking his egg against Mihai’s. As he cracked it he said “Hristos A Înviat.” Mihai responded with “Adevarat a Înviat”. This pattern continued around the table; Mihai broke my egg and I broke Mari’s. It was then time to feast and feast we did! After breakfast it was nap time. We all lounged around, watched some TV, played backgammon, snacked on cake, and napped.

Then it was time for lunch. Mari fixed a beer bottle roast chicken and a delicious cucumber salad. It was amazing. After lunch we watched some more TV. There is this great TV show that is sort of like an American 1970’s variety show. I don’t know the name of it, but it is put on by a national radio station, Kiss FM. It’s pretty funny. They were making fun of Manile music today. Manile is a style of gypsy music. One of the characters came out dressed in “Hot Topic Style” rocker clothes and sang a Manile song like a member of an 80’s hair metal band. It was hysterical and for some reason all I could think of was Vince Hannity (my friend/ roller derby announcer for Tampa). Mari, Eugen, and Mihai were laughing at the sketch. I was laughing because it was like watching a Romanian Vince sing bad karaoke. Vince, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry.

Now I’m just lounging in “my room” here. Everyone else is napping before dinner. Yes, my friends, we have to eat again. Today has been a wonderfully relaxing day. Eugen was making fun of me for being on my computer. I told him that I never have free time at home, which is pretty much true. Tomorrow we are getting up early in the morning to go on a picnic. I can’t wait. I hope the weather is just as nice as it was today.

Happy Easter to everyone near and far. Paște Fericit!

-Sunday, April 4th, 8:20pm local time. Mari’s Flat, the city of Targoviste, Dambovita County, South Central Romania.

Mari made beautiful Easter eggs

grilled chicken and chicken soup on the stove

This is the view from Mari's kitchen window