Because of the fact that I am not a person who usually visit the church, preferring to pray alone in peace and quiet, but not with other people, I don’t know all the rituals from the orthodox church and even less those from catholic church. Also, I want to say that I was baptised in the orthodox church, but I agree with any kind of religion on this Earth, which promote values like equality between men and women, the love towards people and for all God’s creation (animals, plants, etc.). So, I see God’s creation in all that is around me and therefore I respect it.

I can only to observe some differences between these two modalities to celebrate this event. Of course I will refuse to understand why the orthodox and catholic churches separated in 1054. Because of this event, the churches wanted to have more and more differences, and that’s why most of the times the date in which catholic and orthodox people celebrate Easter in different day.

For all Christians Easter represents the most important celebration along with the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth.

Taking in consideration that these two religions are predominant in Poland (catholic) and in Romania (orthodox), I can say that the celebration of this event has a lot of similitudes and also differences. Being a Christian celebration, the Polish and Romanian traditions connected with this event are influenced by the two churches in big proportions.

For catholic and orthodox people, the Easter is preceded by a long period of lent for 40 days. The differences between these religions are: the intervals of time dedicated for lent don’t coincide; if the Catholics don’t eat meat (but they can eat fish meat), they don’t drink alcohol only on Friday and Saturday and they adopt an inner peace during the entire period of lent; for the Orthodoxes, the lent consist in not drinking alcohol or any other stimulating substance, not eating animal origin food (eggs, meat, milk), even oil, only some days having some exceptions for fish meat, and adopting a inner peace (praying and meditate at Jesus life) and love for the others. Marriages and baptises don’t take place in this period and people go to church to confess their sins to be forgive by God.

As we are closer to the Easter’s Sunday, the masses dedicated to this event begin to intensify in both churches, culminating with the Holy Week. This week begins with "Palm Sunday”, celebration which in the past was dedicated to Roman goddess of flowers and spring, Flora, but we can discover a lot of celebration which were transformed from pagan traditions in Christian traditions and some Christians they really believe that these celebrations have Christian origin. Also in the same time these people will consider as heretic anyone who isn’t agree with the fact that these traditions have Christian origin. Sometimes church has a big influence on people way to think, indoctrinating them and made them become fanatics.

In this day, Christians bring to the church pussy willow branches and other types of flower, commemorating the entry of Jesus in Jerusalem, after it these branches and flowers will be blessed during a church service,  people will take home this branches which will be placed near icons or crucifixes.

Thursday from the Holly Week is called Holly Thursday, day in which Christians celebrates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his apostles. Also in this day the priest wash the feet of 12 people, the same like Jesus Christ did to his apostles.

On the Holly Friday, the catholic church doesn’t organize any mass, but in the orthodox church are a lot of masses. In this day some people don’t eat nothing, even drink. Also, then a lot of Orthodoxes walk under the table for three times, which symbolize that we are buried in Jesus tomb, the death meaning just a walk in this life, existing life after death.

On the Holly Saturday, Christian came to the church with food to be blessed. In this day have place a special mass which celebrates the Jesus resurrection. This mass takes like 2 hour in catholic churches, and all night in orthodox churches.

Because I am in Poland and I want to experience the Polish culture as much as possible, I went to the catholic church’s mass dedicated to Jesus resurrection. It was for the first time when I took part in one of catholic church’s mass and I can say that there are some difference between Catholics and Orthodoxes: the modality to make the cross when you pray, the time allocated to the mass and the way in which the mass take place (in the catholic church the mass begins with the blessing of fire and sharing "the light” with the people, while in the orthodox churches the priest shares "the light” with people at the midnight, after it they will go with this light at home and then to the cemeteries; they will come back to the mass which continues).

On Sunday, the first day of Easter, here in Poland I saw that they take part at the mass  and have prepared a lot of food for this event, which usually is celebrated with family. In Romania (orthodox families) the first thing that someone does after getting up they will announce the others that Jesus has resurrected, and they will answer with "It’s true that He resurrected”. Before the family has breakfast, this person will wash his have with the water in which stayed a red egg and a silver or a gold coin, after that the person will eat anaphora and drink wine. Unfortunately I will not celebrate the Easter with my family, but I felt very well during this event in one polish family, who made me feel like home.

I was surprised that in Poland is the tradition to paint and draw eggs, which for me represents a great art. Also, there exist a lot of type of food considered tradition, like it is "biały barszcz” for Poles and lamb dishes for Romanians.

With all of this differences between Poles and Romanian’s ways of celebrating the Easter, I am sure that they can feel like home and can’t miss a thing if they will chose to celebrate Easter in the other country.