Christian traditions

Christian traditions span the globe, from Ethiopian Orthodox fasts and Filipino Simbang Gabi to Swedish Lucia, Mexican posadas, Easter in Greece and the harvest services of Britain.

Christian traditions span the globe, from Ethiopian Orthodox fasts and Filipino Simbang Gabi to Swedish Lucia, Mexican posadas, Easter in Greece and the harvest services of Britain. They centre on Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, Pentecost, saints' days and the sacraments of baptism, communion, marriage and burial. Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Pentecostal churches each have their customs, and local cultures have shaped them in distinct ways. Here they are described with respect for the believers who keep them, and for the variety of ways of keeping them.

The church year

The year begins with Advent and builds to Christmas, then Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week and Easter, followed by Pentecost and the long season of ordinary time. Saints' days mark local patrons, and many towns have a patronal feast with a procession and fair. Orthodox churches keep their own calendar, so Christmas falls on 7 January in several countries. Fasting seasons shape food, and feasts follow.

Around the world

Christians in different countries have made the faith their own: the dawn masses of the Philippines, the carols of Wales, the gospel choirs of the American South, the white-clad pilgrims of Lalibela, the Corpus Christi carpets of flowers in Spain, and the Nativity scenes of Naples. These customs combine faith with local food, music and craft, and are among the most visible traditions of the world.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background on Christian (faith). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

🇬🇪 Tbilisi, Georgia and 4 moreGeorgian polyphonic singing Several voices at once, sung without instruments at Georgian feasts and weddingsPerformance

🇵🇭 Manila, PhilippinesPasyon A Tagalog epic of Christ's passion, chanted without a break during Holy WeekSpiritual

🇺🇦 Kyiv, UkraineBanduraБандура A Ukrainian plucked string instrument played to accompany epic songs and folk balladsPerformance

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreChristmas carol Festive songs and hymns sung during the Christmas season and door to doorPerformance

🇹🇻 TuvaluMusic of Tuvalu Rhythmic storytelling dances and choral singing from the Polynesian atolls of TuvaluPerformance

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, DenmarkFaroese chain danceFøroyskur dansur A living medieval chain dance guided by sung ballads in the Faroe IslandsPerformance

🇳🇬 Calabar, NigeriaCalabar Carnival An annual December street festival and cultural gathering held in Calabar, NigeriaFestival

🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesKrewe Carnival clubs that stage parades, balls, and pageantry along the Gulf CoastFestival

🇦🇲 Yerevan, ArmeniaArmenian carpetՀայկական գորգ A handwoven textile tradition of knotted pile rugs and sacred geometric symbolsCraft

🇵🇭 PhilippinesPandanggo A lively Philippine folk dance of quick steps, clapping and balanced lightsPerformance

🇲🇬 MadagascarValiha A bamboo tube zither from Madagascar, played for recreation and spirit ritualsPerformance 🇩🇲 Dominica and 4 moreBéléBèlè A Caribbean drum, call-and-response song, and courtship dance traditionPerformance

🇳🇬 NigeriaMmanwuMmanwụ An Igbo masquerade tradition invoking ancestral spirits through masked performanceSpiritual

🇨🇺 CubaAbakuá An Afro-Cuban initiatory brotherhood rooted in West African sacred traditionsSpiritual

🇧🇷 Belém, BrazilCarimbó A dance and music genre from the Amazon region of Brazil, centered around a wooden drum.Performance

🇲🇦 Marrakesh, Morocco and 5 moreGnawa musicڭْناوة or كْناوة A spiritual musical tradition of Morocco that blends West African rhythms with Islamic ritual to heal and connect communPerformance

🇵🇹 Lisbon, PortugalMarchas Populares Neighbourhood teams march, dance and sing through Lisbon's June nights for St AnthonyFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇵🇷 Ponce, Puerto RicoVejigante A masked folkloric character in Puerto Rican festivals, wearing ornate masks and performing a role of mischief or resistFestival

🇧🇴 Oruro, Bolivia and 3 moreMorenada A Bolivian folk dance featuring heavy masks and rattling instruments, performed in festivals across the Andes.Performance

🇬🇪 Tbilisi, GeorgiaGeorgian danceქართული ცეკვა Martial, courtship, and celebratory regional dances from across GeorgiaPerformance

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRio CarnivalCarnaval do Rio de Janeiro Five days of samba parades, costumes and street parties in Rio, ending at LentFestival

🇲🇽 Guadalajara, Mexico and 1 moreMariachi A Mexican string and trumpet music tradition featuring charro attire and communal singing.Performance

🇲🇬 MadagascarFamadihana A Malagasy reburial custom where families gather to rewrap and honour their ancestorsRite of passage

🇨🇴 Barranquilla, ColombiaBarranquilla CarnivalCarnaval de Barranquilla A four-day street festival of music, masquerade and dance in coastal ColombiaFestival

🇨🇴 Pasto, ColombiaBlacks and Whites' CarnivalCarnaval de Negros y Blancos A week of street games, parades and music held every January in Pasto, ColombiaFestival

🇧🇴 Oruro, BoliviaCarnival of OruroEl carnaval de Oruro A Bolivian festival of masked pilgrimage dances honoring the Virgin of the MineshaftFestival

🇵🇭 Cebu City, Philippines and 4 moreSinulog Festival An annual Philippine dance festival and Catholic devotion honouring the Santo NiñoFestival

🇪🇸 Pamplona, Spain and 5 moreProcessional giants Towering costumed figures carried through town streets during communal festivalsFestival

🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain and 2 moreDiada de Sant Jordi A Catalan feast day of literature and love, marked by giving books and red rosesFestival

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreMummers' play A comic folk drama of staged combat, death, and revival by an eccentric doctorPerformance

🇵🇭 Kalibo, PhilippinesAti-Atihan A week of drumbeats, street dancing, and devotion to the Infant Jesus in AklanFestival

🇪🇸 Valencia, SpainCremà The ceremonial burning of large artistic street monuments across the Valencian communityFestival

🇲🇽 Mazatlán, MexicoCarnival of MazatlánCarnaval de Mazatlán An annual five-day festival of parades, fireworks, poetry and dance in coastal MexicoFestival

🇲🇽 Mexico City, MexicoPassion Play of Iztapalapa A community passion play staged across Iztapalapa during Holy WeekSpiritual

🇪🇸 Alicante, SpainBonfires of Saint John in AlicanteFogueres de Sant Joan A midsummer festival of towering satirical monuments, music and fire in AlicanteFestival

🇪🇸 Seville, Spain and 5 moreAzulejo Painted, tin-glazed ceramic tiles that cover walls and floors across Portugal and SpainCraft

🇺🇸 New Orleans, United StatesJazz funeral A New Orleans funeral march led by brass music, moving from mourning to joyful danceRite of passage

🇩🇴 Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicDominican Carnival A February street festival of masks, music and parades across the Dominican Republic.Festival

🇵🇷 Puerto Rico and 1 moreParranda A Puerto Rican Christmas custom of night-time visits with songs, food and drinkPerformance · Supper

🇲🇽 Papantla, Mexico and 1 moreDanza de los Voladores A Mesoamerican rite of dance and rope, flown from a tall pole to ask for rainSpiritual

🇦🇹 Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria and 2 moreSilent NightStille Nacht, heilige Nacht A Christmas carol composed in Austria in 1818, now sung worldwide as a symbol of peace.Performance

🇺🇦 UkraineTraditional Ukrainian wedding A wedding spread over many days, with matchmaking, bread, wreaths and songRite of passage

🇬🇧 Llangollen, United Kingdom and 5 moreEisteddfod A Welsh festival of poetry and music competitions, featuring the chairing and crowning of winning bards.Festival

🇧🇾 BelarusBatlejkaБатле́йка A two-level puppet booth from Belarus, playing Nativity and folk scenes at ChristmasPerformance 🇹🇴 TongaLakalaka A formal group dance of Tonga where singers stand in rows and move their arms to express songs.Performance

🇨🇦 Canada and 2 moreMummering A festive midwinter custom of disguised visits, music and playful guessing gamesFestival · Tea-time and snacking customs

🇺🇦 Kyiv, UkraineVertepвертеп A two-tiered Ukrainian puppet theatre that mixes the nativity story with satirical comedy and folk music.Performance

🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreGuelaguetza An annual Oaxacan festival of indigenous dance, music, costumes and communal sharingFestival

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Bandura: Julianhayda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Barranquilla Carnival: el heraldo, Public domain, source
Mariachi: Elidealista, CC0, source
Famadihana: Saveoursmile (Hery Zo Rakotondramanana), CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Carnival of Oruro: Pame82s, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Chichilaki: Mostafameraji, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Diada de Sant Jordi: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Cremà: Paula Ramírez Morant, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pasyon: Judgefloro, CC0, source
Dominican Carnival: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, source
Ati-Atihan: Bernardo "Berniemack" Arellano III, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mummering: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jerry_curtis/, CC0, source
Vertep: Микола Василечко, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Guelaguetza: A01321718, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Christmas carol: Prathyush Thomas, GFDL 1.2, source
Music of Tuvalu: Avenue, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Faroese chain dance: Eileen Sandá, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Calabar Carnival: Raji kunle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Krewe: Tim Ross, Public domain, source
Armenian carpet: VincentKeers, Public domain, source
Pandanggo: John Charlton, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Valiha: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Mmanwu: Northcote Whitridge Thomas, Public domain, source
Abakuá: M. Puente, Public domain, source
Carimbó: Palácio do Planalto, CC BY 2.0, source
Gnawa music: Lucyin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Marchas Populares: Taisir85, CC BY 4.0, source
Vejigante: Oscar Rohena, CC BY 2.0, source
Morenada: Alfredobi, CC BY 3.0, source
Rio Carnival: Sergio Luiz, CC BY 2.0, source
Parranda: Marine 69-71, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Danza de los Voladores: A01333649, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Silent Night: Franz Xaver Gruber (1787–1863), Public domain, source
Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
Eisteddfod: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Batlejka: user:Хомелка, CC BY 3.0, source
Processional giants: Jesús Serna, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Sinulog Festival: Herbert Kikoy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mummers' play: Aladjov, CC BY 3.0, source
Blacks and Whites' Carnival: camiloAndres, CC BY 2.0, source
Carnival of Mazatlán: The New Foxy, CC0, source
Passion Play of Iztapalapa: Eneas De Troya, CC BY 2.0, source
Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante: Fernando Pastor, CC BY 2.0, source
Azulejo: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jazz funeral: Photo by Infrogmation, CC BY-SA 3.0, source