Easter in the Catholic Parishes

Maundy Thursday. Good Friday. Easter Saturday. On Maundy Thursday we Christians commemorate Jesuss last supper with his disciples, and on Good Friday the death of Christ on the Cross.Therefore on Good Friday and Easter Saturday the church bells are silent. On both these days in several villages early in the morning, at midday, and in the evening boys with rattles are out and about; rattling loudly, they move from one crucifix to another, stopping and praying together before each one. The rattling replaces the otherwise customary bell-ringing at the begining of the day, at noon, and in the evening.

Easter Night. Easter is for us the greatest festival. On this day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the message that is proclaimed in all the churches in the Easter night. In the Sorbian Catholic parishes of Upper Lusatia we mark this church festival in a special way.

Easter Sunday. For centuries it has been the tradition that the Easter Riders in processions carry the news of Christ's resurrection to the neighbouring parish. We know that as early as the end of the 15th century these processions were taking place between Hoyerswerda and Wittichenau. The roots of this church custom probably go back to pre-Christian times. It was once believed that riding round the fields would defend the young seeds from the malice of the Devil. Under the influence of Christianity this was changed into the Christian processions which today represent a public declaration of the Christian faith. In recent years the number of Easter Riders has always totalled about 1,200 despite the fact that considerable sacrifices are demanded of them. Their free time is devoted to preparations for the great festival. The number of horses in the Sorbian region is not sufficient, so many Easter Riders have to hire their horses, often from far distant places. Only in this way can the tradition be kept alive. It also involves ecumenical co-operation;Protestant Christians help their Catholic brothers in acquiring horses. And what was once unthinkable is now possible - occasionally a Protestant may be riding in the procession and joining in the proclamation of Christss resurrection.