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Easter is Spain is
“Holy Week (Semana Santa) is the biggest religious celebration of the year in Spain, which means public holidays, a good deal of eating and drinking and lots of processions. Easter is a time for Spaniards to take to the streets and watch elaborate reenactments of the Passion, as well as enjoy some time off work in the company of their families and friends.”
The Local
We were very much looking forward to putting on our cultural awareness glasses and experiencing what Easter is truly like in Spain. Discovering holidays is part of the fun experience of cultural learning when you visit or live in a foreign country.
Obviously, when we moved to Spain last July 2019, none of us could have anticipated what Easter 2020 would bring—COVID-19.
The country has now been in total lockdown for over 5 weeks, and the end is nowhere in sight.
Easter isn’t canceled in Spain—or anywhere else in the world, because Easter is about faith in Jesus. Nothing can steal someone’s faith.
However, all public Easter events of the Holy Week, “Semana Santa,” were canceled.
It has been good for me to put on my cultural awareness glasses, read some articles, and watch some videos about the interesting cultural and spiritual events in Spain. I have missed out on some fascinating experiences this Easter, but I have a lot to look forward to next year.
Here’s a glimpse into a traditional Spanish “Semana Santa” celebration.
We Didn’t Miss Everything!
Thankfully, we haven’t missed out on everything!
A few nights ago, our family was standing on the front porch at 8 p.m. to applaud for the Spanish doctors and nurses. We joined the rest of the country in cheering them on to victory over the Coronavirus battle.
After the applauding stopped, we lingered awhile with our next-door neighbors. Pierre did cartwheels in the courtyard and chatted with his two neighbor friends who played with a soccer ball in their driveway.
I spoke with Delia, my neighbor, and she asked me how we were going to celebrate Easter.
“The same way you will,” I said. “At home! Our family will watch our Easter church service online, and that’s about it.”
“What are some special traditions at Easter that you do here in Spain?” I asked, wearing my cultural learning glasses.
Torrijas
“Torrijas!” she replied quickly.
“What are Torrijas?” I asked curiously.
“It’s a famous Spanish pastry—fried bread—that we only eat at Easter,” she explained. “I’ll text you some information about it.”
“Great!” I said, so thankful to have a cultural insider as a friend.
“Do you hide and eat chocolate Easter eggs for children here in Spain?” I went on to ask, still full of cultural curiosity questions.
“No, we only eat chocolate at Christmas,” she said. “For Easter, we eat Torrijas!”
Culturally Curious
I was so culturally curious that I didn’t even wait for my neighbor to send me a text about this
My research led me to some interesting articles about Torrijas. Typically, these delicious pastries can be found on every street corner during Holy Week. I’m bummed that we missed that!
“This scrumptious treat is very traditional for Easter, with recipes dating back to the 1600s. Thick pieces of bread are soaked in a mixture of milk and egg, then fried with olive oil and served with honey and sugar.”
The Local
In one of the articles, I found a recipe to make Torrijas. Why not? If we can’t buy some, we can make some—at least try!
I scoured my cupboards. We had all the necessary ingredients except for French baguette bread. I would have to send Vincent, once again, to brave the elements outside our gate and fetch me some French baguettes at the local grocery store.
Yes, it’s possible for a French man to find a French baguette in Spain!
I studied the recipe. It seemed easy enough, and it slightly resembled French toast.
So, in addition to my American cinnamon rolls that I traditionally make for special holidays like Christmas and Easter, I decided to also attempt making some Spanish Torrijas.
After all, it’s our first Easter celebration in Spain! Too bad that we couldn’t invite our neighbors over for a multi-cultural Easter brunch (American/French/Spanish)!
Wanna join me in trying a traditional Spanish Easter treat?
Recipe: How to Make Spain’s Delicious Easter Dish Torrijas
Closed Stores
Update: Today, on Easter Monday, I sent Vincent to the store to buy the French baguette bread. After ten minutes, he came back empty-handed.
“I guess it’s like in France, Easter Monday is a national holiday in Spain. All stores are closed,” he reported with disappointment.
I guess this is also a part of experiencing Easter in Spain—closed stores!
I guess tomorrow we will try again to make and eat Spanish Torrijas!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
How do you celebrate Easter in your part of the world?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
