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.

🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 moreHalloween An annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageFestival · Sweets given and shared 🇪🇪 EstoniaJaanipäev An Estonian midsummer festival marking the shortest night with bonfires, songs and independence memories.Festival

🇳🇴 Norway and 3 moreJulebukkingGå julebukk A Scandinavian Christmas custom where masked visitors go door to door for songs and treats.Festival 🇱🇹 LithuaniaVėlinės A Lithuanian remembrance day honouring deceased souls with cemetery prayers and candlesSpiritual

🇪🇪 EstoniaJaanipäev Estonia's midsummer night of bonfires, song and fortune-telling, on 23 and 24 JuneFestival

🇮🇪 Galway, Ireland and 1 moreBrigid's crossCros Bhríde A cross of woven rushes or straw, made for Saint Brigid's Day on the first of FebruaryCraft

🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreJack-o'-lantern A carved pumpkin lantern lit with a candle to brighten and protect Halloween nightsFolklore

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreImbolcLá Fhéile Bríde A Gaelic festival heralding spring and honoring Saint Brigid with woven rush crossesSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 5 moreKupala Night A summer solstice folk festival marked by bonfires, water rituals and herbal gatherings across Eastern Europe.Festival

🇮🇪 Dublin, Ireland and 4 moreMay Day A traditional European festival welcoming summer with greenery, dances and bonfiresSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals

🇸🇪 Gävle, SwedenGävle goatGävlebocken A towering straw Yule goat built each Advent in the central square of GävleFestival

🇭🇺 Mohács, HungaryBusójárás A six-day winter carnival of carved wooden masks, folk music, and parades in MohácsFestival

🇸🇪 Gävle, Sweden and 1 moreYule goatJulbocken A straw goat of northern Christmas, once a harvest spirit, now a tree ornamentFestival

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreYule log A log kept burning on the hearth through the twelve days of Christmas, for luckSeasonal

🇩🇪 Nuremberg, Germany and 5 moreChristkind The traditional Christmas Eve gift-bringer across Central Europe and Latin AmericaFestival

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 5 moreFastelavn A pre-Lenten carnival in Northern Europe where children dress up, sing for treats, and break candy-filled barrels.Festival · Sweets given and shared

🇨🇿 Vlčnov, CzechiaRide of the KingsJízda králů A Moravian spring procession where horsemen escort a silent boy king holding a roseFestival

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 12 moreKoliadaКоляда A traditional winter caroling and solstice festival kept across Slavic EuropeFestival

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 1 moreDidukhдідух A wheat sheaf kept at Christmas to honour ancestors and pray for a bountiful harvestHome

🇨🇿 Czechia and 2 moreEaster whippingpomlázka An Easter Monday custom of tapping women with braided willow switches for vitalitySeasonal

🇩🇪 Cologne, GermanyCologne CarnivalKölner Karneval A street festival in Cologne with parades, masquerades and a ruling trioFestival

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

🇪🇸 SpainOlentzero A Basque Christmas tradition of a charcoal burner bringing presents in midwinterFestival

🇪🇸 Barcelona, Spain and 4 moreCaganerEl Caganer A defecating figurine placed in Catalan nativity scenes to bring good luck and fertilize the earth.Festival

🇧🇪 Binche, BelgiumGillesGille Costumed carnival figures of Binche and surrounding Belgian townsFestival

🇱🇹 LithuaniaSaint Jonas's FestivalJoninės A Lithuanian midsummer night of bonfires, wreaths, song and morning dewSeasonal

🇱🇹 LithuaniaUžgavėnės A Lithuanian winter-ending festival of masks, mock battles and pancakesFestival

🇳🇱 Amsterdam, Netherlands and 3 moreZwarte Piet Saint Nicholas's companion in the Low Countries, who hands out sweets to childrenFolklore · Sweets given and shared

🇮🇪 Dublin, IrelandShamrockseamróg A small three-leaved clover, worn in Ireland on St Patrick's Day as a national emblemFolklore

🇺🇦 Chernivtsi, Ukraine and 3 moreMalankaМаланка A Ukrainian folk celebration of masked mummers, feasting and New Year blessingsFestival · Feasts and festival meals

🇱🇺 Luxembourg and 3 moreBuergbrennen A bonfire festival marking the end of winter on the first Sunday of Lent in LuxembourgSeasonal

🇦🇹 Austria and 5 moreKrampus Saint Nicholas's horned companion, who comes for misbehaving children on 5 DecemberFolklore

🇬🇧 United KingdomPlough Monday England's old start of the farming year, kept with ploughs, straw bears and sword dancesSeasonal

🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreSwabian-Alemannic FastnachtFastnacht A late-winter carnival of masks and jesters kept before Lent in the Alemannic landsFestival

🇬🇷 Greece and 4 moreVasilopitaΒασιλόπιτα A New Year bread or cake with a coin baked inside, shared out slice by sliceTable custom · Sweets given and shared

🇬🇧 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

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreEvil eye A belief in harm cast by envious glares, met with protective charms and spoken blessingsFolklore

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreKallikantzarosκαλικάντζαρος A malevolent goblin of Greek and Balkan folklore, active in the Christmas season.Folklore 🇱🇻 Riga, LatviaZiemassvētki Latvia's midwinter festival of solstice customs, mumming and tree decorationSeasonal

🇧🇪 Aalst, BelgiumAalst CarnivalAalst Carnaval A three-day street carnival of satire, costumed parades and folk rituals in AalstFestival

🇸🇮 Ptuj, Slovenia and 1 moreKurentovanje A rite of spring and carnival in Ptuj with masked bell-ringers chasing winter awayFestival

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreZaduszkiZaduszki, Dzień Zaduszny A Polish day of prayer for the dead on 2 November, kept with candles at the gravesSpiritual

🇧🇪 Binche, BelgiumCarnival of BincheCarnaval de Binche A Belgian pre-Lenten festival known for masked dancers and orange tossingFestival

🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandLajkonikLajkoniki An annual hobby-horse pageant through the streets of Kraków each JuneFestival

🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 3 moreBanitsaБаница A layered Bulgarian cheese pastry baked for morning meals and holiday fortunesTable custom · Breakfast

🇵🇹 Barcelos, Portugal and 1 moreRooster of BarcelosGalo de Barcelos A Portuguese tale of a roast rooster that crowed to clear an innocent manFolklore

🇲🇹 Nadur, MaltaNadur Carnival An unscripted five-day costume festival filling the streets of Nadur before LentFestival

Photo credits on this page

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

Jack-o'-lantern: Toby Ord, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Imbolc: Culnacreann, CC BY 3.0, source
Kupala Night: Ivan Sokolov, Public domain, source
May Day: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source
Gävle goat: Sinikka Halme, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Busójárás: User:Themightyquill, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Fastelavn: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Easter whipping: Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Banitsa: Sheku80, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Buergbrennen: luxpim, CC BY 2.0, source
Malanka: Viktoriyasechkar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Užgavėnės: Algirdas at Lithuanian Wikipedia, GFDL, source
Saint Jonas's Festival: Unknown author, CC0, source
Jaanipäev: Jaan Künnap, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Aalst Carnival: Wikisid, CC BY 3.0, source
Kurentovanje: Aleš Kravos, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Olentzero: Josu Goñi Etxabe, Public domain, source
Caganer: Roeland P., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Gilles: Marie-Claire, CC BY 3.0, source
Yule goat: John Bauer, Public domain, source
Yule log: Pehr Arvid Säve (1811—1887), Public domain, source
Julebukking: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Krampus: Naturpuur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Plough Monday: Rawpixel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Swabian-Alemannic Fastnacht: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Vasilopita: Μυρμηγκάκι, Public domain, source
Eisteddfod: Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Batlejka: user:Хомелка, CC BY 3.0, source
Evil eye: FocalPoint, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ride of the Kings: Filipzverina, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Processional giants: Jesús Serna, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Cologne Carnival: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Koliada: Konstantin Trutovsky, Public domain, source
Christkind: Roland Berger, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Didukh: Bo&Ko, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Nadur Carnival: Thyes, Public domain, source
Lajkonik: Igor123121, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Zaduszki: Ivan Mrkvička, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kallikantzaros: Katolophyromai, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Shamrock: Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Zwarte Piet: The illustrator is Daan Hoeksma, who died in 1935. The author is liste, Public domain, source
Rooster of Barcelos: Adriculas, Public domain, source