Easter itself lasts a week, for which the name Passion Week is used. The events of Easter are based on biblical narratives and are known as the Passion. Passio means suffering in Latin. Passion Week begins with Palm Sunday, which falls on March 24, 2024. Palm Sunday is the designation for the sixth and last Sunday of Lent. It commemorates both the glorious entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the reading of the account of the passion of Jesus Christ, called the Passion of Jesus Christ, during the services. The name of the feast is derived from the flowers with which churches are decorated and which are meant to recall the palm branches with which the people welcomed Jesus. In our country, instead of palm branches, pussy willows, i.e. willow branches with partially unfurled buds, were and are used for this purpose. It was traditional to parade with blessed branches. Blue Monday - 25 March 2024. The church was decorated with blue or purple cloth, but this is not where the adjective 'blue' comes from. It is in fact a literal translation of the German "blau", which, in addition to the colour blue, also carries the meaning of "unable to work" or even "drunk". According to tradition, on this day it was possible to forbid oneself any work. In folk tradition, therefore, there used to be a saying about "turning blue on Monday" in case one could not expect a normal work result after a Sunday celebration. Grey Tuesday - 26 March Grey, sometimes yellow, Tuesday was associated with household cleaning. The windows were washed, some whitewashing was done, but most importantly the cobwebs needed a thorough sweeping. This is probably the origin of the name Grey Tuesday. The cleansing of the dwelling did not only have a practical meaning, but also symbolized that all the "impurities" in a spiritual sense were being swept out of the cottage. The yellow colour, according to some interpretations, refers to the fact that after sweeping away the clutter and washing the windows, the rays of the sun will again enter our house. And it is the light and the sun that this exultant color symbolizes. Wicked (Sooty) Wednesday - March 27, 2024 This day commemorates how Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. It got the name Wednesday of Sassomething from the fact that chimneys were swept on this day. According to folk superstition, people were not supposed to frown on this day, lest they frown all Wednesdays in the following year. On this day they baked Judas, which was eaten on Thursday. However, some "ugly" food was eaten, or more precisely, food that was deliberately made to look unsightly. Maundy Thursday 28 March 2024 Maundy Thursday is the day of the Lord's Supper in Christian tradition. (Latin: feria quinta hebdomodae sanctae) probably got its name from the Christian name in German Greindonnerstag (Maundy Thursday), which may have been changed to Gründonnerstag (Green Thursday). Sow peas on Maundy Thursday, don't move the earth on Good Friday! In Kittel, Green Thursday was a day of carol singing. Girls used to go caroling on this day. Boys waited until Easter Monday, when they set out early in the morning with their pom poms. Since the bells don't fly to Rome until Saturday, the sound of the bells is replaced by Easter carols. When the girl had a nicely decorated egg ready for the boy, on St. Joseph's Day the boy bought her a present in return. On Maundy Thursday there used to be a meal still in Lent, according to tradition preferably green and spring-like, e.g. spinach made of nettles. The clapperboards were made of wood. They made a noise, as did clappers, grinders, wheelbarrows and various other home-made instruments, which were used according to tradition to call for services from Maundy Thursday, when the bells fell silent (they flew to Rome). In German-speaking areas the use of rattles at Easter time is very common, the word Ratsche is used. In our country, we can already find rattles in pre-Christian times, when the ancient Slavs used them to make ritual magical rounds to protect the village and crops. We will attempt to conduct a similar procession in Kittel, but for practical reasons, reminders of all the customs will be made at the event on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Good Friday, March 29, 2024 Welcome, pure conductor, flowing from the wounds of Jesus Christ. Wash the banks, the stones, wash me, sinful creature. There is no mass on Good Friday. In the Catholic liturgy, the St. John Passion is read from Scripture, often set to drama or music. Some folk traditions, often of pre-Christian origin, are also associated with Good Friday. The day is associated with magical powers. On this day, mountains were to be opened, which gave out treasures; nothing was to be lent on this day, as the borrowed item could be bewitched; one was not to move the earth (digging, hoeing) or wash clothes, as they would be soaked in the blood of Christ. However, great power was attributed to bathing - before dawn people went to the streams to ensure their robust health throughout the year. In the Kittel region, one can visit, for example, the St. Joseph's Well or the pond in front of Kittel's house. Of the Lenten meals eaten on this day, one may recall the Herbal White Easter Soup made from the magic nine herbs. White Saturday, March 30, 2024 Lent is over. Yiddish, Easter lamb, mazance, eggs, bread were baked, and pomlázky were prepared. At Easter, nests of Easter eggs were also searched for. Usually the parents made the nests and showed the children the way to them, for example by pushing a treat towards the nest. There were many families in Kittel's house, so it was a popular place for caroling. Traditionally in the Pěnčín region, a roast lamb with candle was eaten. Stuffing was not part of the cuisine until much later, in Kittel's time it was not common for expensive white pastries to be left to harden, hence the traditional svítek. Easter Sunday, March 30, 2024 Easter Sunday, or Easter Sunday, is the greatest Christian feast day, when Christ's resurrection occurred. People had food, such as roast lamb or cake, consecrated and then ate this themselves. Every guest in the house would also be given a piece of such a meal. For example, people would also donate some of the consecrated bread to the farm so that it would thrive. Easter, Red Monday 1 April 2024 Easter Monday is also called Red Monday. Traditionally, this day has been associated with pomlaza and caroling. Boys go trick-or-treating with a pom-pom and whip the girls, saying Easter carols or nursery rhymes, and the girls give them painted eggs as a reward. The red colour on Easter eggs has a special meaning and signifies the colour of the blood of Jesus Christ. But the girls did not give the boys the Easter eggs - they were a symbol of death. (text in italics, as an inset) People would decorate the Morena, a symbol of death, with blown eggs. Death Sunday is celebrated two weeks before Easter, it is the penultimate Sunday of Lent, this year it falls on 17 March 2024 Death is carried from the village - new summer to the village Death floats on the water - new summer comes to us. So this custom marks the conclusion of a cycle, bringing winter out with the grim reaper and summoning and welcoming the seasons of spring and summer. Easter egg decorating: the history of eggs in connection with the Easter holiday is very long and they are a symbol of Easter just like the pomlázka, the roast lamb or mazanec. Dyed and decorated eggs have been an integral part of Easter since ancient times and have various symbolic meanings. In pre-Christian times, the egg was considered a symbol of fertility, life and resurrection. The egg also symbolised the embryonic chaos from which the world was created, but also life force, birth, immortality, the return of spring and, thanks to the shell, a sense of security. It is sometimes seen as a locked grave in which life is hidden.

For those who want to experience the old Easter under the Black Well in the Pěnčín region with all their senses, an Easter experience board with food is prepared in the Kittel Museum. There will also be food and dishes, as well as talks and folklore customs. Recipes for tasting and for your Easter inspiration. Among other things, we will serve ugly jerky, green herb and dill spinach, Lenten Lenten herb soup, pučalka, Easter stuffing, jidáše or the Pěnčín speciality lamb with candle. Some trick-or-treaters might even dig into a lard pancake, or a bun or cake. Reservations, tickets recommended in advance at info@kittelovomuzeum.cz ADMISSION: 200 CZK - also valid for the previous program for the day 23.3.2023