Hands down, the traditions of 'Semana Santa" are the ones that have always warmed my heart the most ever since I was a little girl. My first memories of attending Church and Holy week services were at Corpus Cristi Catholic Church in Miami.
I came to the states with my family, like many, from Cuba when I was six months old; I take every opportunity to claim that I was one of the original Cuban political refugees to make the United States home. These were the 60's and my people and I were on a mission - the Cuban exodus.
Nevertheless, as part of the flight to freedom, my family and I planted our migratory hopes and dreams into a duplex in 'la 35'. My abuela Mercedez coined that term; may she rest in peace. We lived in walking distance from our place of worship. I embrace a clear memory from age four attending mass in the back of the church in a special section designated to noisy infants and unruly children. A giant glass window divorced us from all of the well behaved parishioners in the front. I didn't take it personally then and I still don't. I submit, this might be the reason that I have always groveled for front row seats any time and anywhere.
I didn't know it then, but we didn't have much money and the adults were struggling at every turn, but we still managed to exercise all the good 'Pascua' family traditions (entre o altar e a mesa) ranging from religious services to comida Americana and Cubana. Today, we add some culinaria Portuguesa to our pot luck.
Like Thanksgiving, I love Easter because of the good old fashioned family time shared and the many strolls through memory lane that get served at the table along with the fixings. And if my cousin Ileana or Lourdes read this, remember to sit down to the 'Ten Commandments' like we used to. I no longer need to wait for it to show up on television - I have my very own copy.
And that is the celebratory disclaimer part of this narrative. All kidding aside, Easter is the reason for this season, as they say.
...Now, we wait!
However, before we arrive anywhere near the glorious Easter Sunday feast, we first enter into darkness in shadows to the sound of chanting, readings and psalms of the Tenebrae ( Holy Wednesday); we visit "Maundy or Holy Thursday," as we prepare to walk the path to the Place of the Skull. We then reach apex when Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Luke 23:46...Now, we wait!
What comes next is the better part of the journey. Out from the tomb arrives redemption, earthly renewal and a triumphant new beginning and that is just for starters - The Greatest Story Ever Told.
As for me, I love all of the services leading up to the Easter Vigil at my parish Immaculate Conception Church in Hialeah. What a shock?! I anxiously await to begin the walk first in darkness and later with an explosive roar to a great reveal of voices singing Gloria in Excelsis Deo! Its all gravy after that; party time!
This is hyperbolic at best, but I didn't want to leave anyone out - Wishing everyone a Happy Easter a-la-omniglot!
Language
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Gëzuar
Pashkët
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መልካም ፋሲካ (me’elkam fasika)
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Arabic
(Lebanese) |
El
Maseeh Qam (Christ has risen)
Haqan Qam (Truly he has risen - rsp) |
Aromanian
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Hristolu
s-aflà! (Christ has risen!)
Dealihea cà s-afla! (He has risen indeed! - rsp) |
Assyrian
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Ghyamta
d'maran hoya brikhta
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ঈস্টর এর শুভেচ্ছা নেবেন।
(easter er shubhechha neben) | |
शुभ ईस्टर (subh iistar)
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Bikol
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Maogmang
Pagkabuhay na Liwat ni Kristo
|
Pask
Seder
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Христос Воскресе (Hristos Voskrese) Christ
has risen
Воистина Воскресе (Voistina Voskrese) Truly, he has risen - reply Честит Великден (Čestit Velikden) |
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Felis
Påsgua
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復活節快樂
(fuhkwuhtjit faailohk)
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復活節快樂 (ho̍k-o̍ah-chat
khòai-lo̍k)
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Bona
Pasqua
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Häid
lihavõttepühi
|
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Gleðilig
páskir
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Vanuinui
vinaka ni Siga ni Mate
|
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Hyvää
Pääsiäistä / Iloista pääsiäistä
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Fröiliken
poosche
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Buine
Pasche
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Καλό
πάσχα (Kaló pásha)
Χριστός ανέστη! (Hristós anésti) - Christ has Risen Αληθώς ανέστη! (Alithós anésti) - Truly he has Risen (reply) |
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Bònn
fèt pak
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Hau
ʻoli Pakoa, E ʻōlelo mālie
Hau'oli Ka La i Ala Hou ai Ka Haku |
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(chag
pascha same'ach) חג פסחא שמח
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शुभ ईस्टर (śubh īsṭar)
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Kellemes Húsvéti Ünnepeket! (Pleasant Easter
Holidays!)
Áldott Húsvétot kívánok! (Wishing You a Blessed Easter!) |
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Selamat
Paskah
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Cáisc
Shona Dhuit/Dhaoibh, Beannachtaí na Cásca
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復活祭おめでとうございます (fukkatsu-sai omedetō
gozaimasu)
イースターおめでとうございます (īsutā omedetō gozaimasu) |
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Jouaiyeux
Pâques
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ಈಸ್ಟರ್ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಶುಭಾಷಯಗಳು(īsṭar
habbada shubhaashayagalu)
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Pasika
Nziza
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행복한 부활절이 되시길(haengpoghan
puhwarcheori toesikir)
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Su
šventom velykom!
Sveiki sulaukę šventų velykų! |
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Среќен Велигден(Sreken Veligden)
Христос воскресе(Hristos voskrese) Christ has risen Навистина воскресе (Navistina voskrese) Truly, he has risen - rsp |
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ഈസ്റ്റര് ആശംസകള്! (iistar ashamsakal!)
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L-Għid
it-tajjeb
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Caisht
sonney dhyt
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Ngā
mihi o te Aranga
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शुभ ईस्टर (śubh īsṭar)
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Bon
pasco
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ښه او خوشحال اختر
(kha aw khushal akhtar) |
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(eide
pak mobārak) عيد پاک مبارک
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Boa
Páscoa, Páscoa Feliz, Feliz Páscoa
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ਈਸਟਰ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ (īsṭar khuśyāṅvālā hove)
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Paşte Fericit
Hristos a inviat! (Christ has risen!) Adevarat ca a inviat! (Truly, he has risen - rsp) |
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Христос воскрес(Xristos voskres) Christ
resurrected
Воистину воскрес(Voistinu voskres) - reply - truly resurrected |
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Ia
manuia le Eseta
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Bona
pasca
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A'
Chàisg sona
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Христос васкрсе(Hristos vaskrse) - Christ
resurrected
Ваистину васкрсе(Vaistina vaskrse) - truly resurrected (reply) |
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Bona
Pasqua
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සුභ පාස්කුවක් (subha paskuwak)
|
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Easter
wanaagsan
|
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Heri
kwa sikukuu ya Pasaka
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Schöni
Oschtere
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Maligayang
pasko ng pagkabuhay
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ஈஸ்ட்டர் நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்
(Easter nal vaazthukkal) |
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శుభ ఈస్ఠర్ (shubha eestar)
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Feliz
Paskua
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สุขสันต์วันอีสเตอร์(sùk
săn wan èet-dtêr)
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ཡི་ཤུ་བསྐྱར་གསོའི་དུས་ཆེན་ལ་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་ཞུ།
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ርሑስ በዓል ፋሲካ። (Rhus Be’al Fasika)
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Hepi
ista
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Ma'u
ha 'aho Pekia fiefia.
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Lek
me ech'an ti ta k'uxul orae
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Malatsi
a paseka aa itumedisang
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Paskalya
yortunuz kutlu olsun
(Note: most Turkish people are Muslims and do not celebrate Easter) |
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Христос
Воскрес! (Khrystos Voskres!)
= Christ is Risen! Воїстину Воскрес! (Voyistynu Voskres!) = Truly He is Risen! - reply З Великодніми святами(Z Velykodnimy sviatamy) |
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(eid
mubarak) عید مبارک
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Bona
Pasqua
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Volapük
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Lesustanazäli
yofik
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Hüvvi
munnõpühhi
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Ẹ
ku Ayọ Ajinde
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Enjoy the Walk! The Walk to Emmaus! The Walk on Water! The 40 day Walk! And, Keep on Walking!