The Spanish word for Easter, Pascua (usually, but not always, capitalized), is interesting for the fact that it doesn't always refer to the Christian holy day commemorating the Resurrection of Christ. As a word derived from the Hebrew pesah, it, like the English cognate "paschal," originally referred to the Jewish Passover, a commemoration of the exodus from Egypt — and still does. Over the centuries, it came to refer to various religious festival days in general, and thus can refer as well to Easter, Christmas, Epiphany (the appearance of the Magi, traditionally celebrated Jan. 6) and Pentecost (commemorating the dramatic appearance of the Holy Spirit to the early Christians, a day observed seven Sundays after Easter).
Pascua can stand alone to mean any one of those days when the context makes its meaning clear. Often, however, the term Pascua judía is used to refer to the Passover, and Pascua de Resurrección to refer to Easter.
In much of the Spanish-speaking world, Easter can surpass Christmas as a time of celebration and religious observance. If you're celebrating Easter today, you may want to take a look at these two features:
- No está aquí, pues ha resucitado (the Easter story in Spanish from the Gospel of Matthew, with translation notes).
- Cristo ha resucitado (a Spanish version of the popular hymn "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today").
(Note: Opening comments below are from an earlier version of this post.)
Comments
Thank you very much for this excellent post! I’m a Gringa newbie to Latin America right now, and this is great information.
I sure have noticed how big this time of year is down here. They closed up almost all the shops like we do for Christmas during the last part of Holy Week (Semana Santa)! Very different. And there were multiple Roman Catholic parades on Good Friday.
The hispanos I know say “Pascua Florida” referring to Easter, which must have something to do with the blooms of Spring.
Kaye,
When I was very young, growing up in the Far East, and didn’t know any better then, it was such an experience walking down a street alone on Good Friday: no other soul in sight, the radio stations were silent, the movie theaters closed, every store door shuttered and even the mongrels dared not cast their shadows in the empty streets. The buses did not run nor the cars and horse drawn-carriages. Tucked away they were, I supposed, or tethered and asleep. And when a tuft of heavy clouds should obscure the sun, the atmosphere is deadening solemn and, to my young heart, more than disquieting.
The explanation I got was that “God was dead.”
I’m glad that remnants of similar practice still exists, more likely adjusted to reflect current time.
Thank you for posting your experience.
Mr Erichsen,
Thanks for this Easter post.
I thought I’d give it a try, for better or for for worse, this is my English version of the shortened Hymn.
Please note that the line “Redención Él no ha dado” gave me trouble; so I paraphrased. My reason (right or wrong) is as follows.
the “no” may be a typographical error to mean “lo”: When the direct object noun is out of position, such as it being before the verb, a pronoun referring to the noun object is required immediately before the verb; but “redencion” is feminine. So ‘lo’ may be “poetic license “. (So much for a lot of hot air on my part).
I hope someone comes on and set me right. I’ve really become myopic.
Christi is risen; Alleluia!
To songs, today in joy listen, Alleluia!
And with trumpets extol; Alleluia!
Heaven and Earth intone: Alleluia!
Today our King resurrected; Alleluia!
Death He defeated; Alleluia!
He died so we be saved; Alleluia!
And the tomb be conquered; Alleluia!
His love’s perfected; Alleluia!
Redemption He bequeathed; Alleluia!
His agonies now ended; Alleluia!
In Light He arises; Alleluia!
@CoC2013Mar31
Thanks.
– A student