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.

🇮🇹 Rome, Italy and 4 moreChristmas A festival of Jesus's birth, kept on 25 December with gifts, lights and shared mealsFestival

🇮🇪 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

🇮🇹 Rome, Italy and 4 moreValentine's Day A Christian feast day and cultural celebration of love kept on February 14 in many countries.Festival

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreChristmas tree A decorated evergreen or artificial tree placed indoors to mark the Christmas season.Festival

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreChristmas Eve The evening before Christmas, marked by church services, family meals, and gift preparations across Christian cultures.Festival · Dinner

🇪🇸 Valencia, Spain and 5 moreFeast of Corpus ChristiCorpus Domini A Christian feast celebrating the presence of Christ in the bread and wine of the EucharistSpiritual

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreCandlemas A Christian feast of candle blessings marking the end of the Christmas seasonSpiritual

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

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

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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreChristmas carol Festive songs and hymns sung during the Christmas season and door to doorPerformance 🇱🇹 LithuaniaVėlinės A Lithuanian remembrance day honouring deceased souls with cemetery prayers and candlesSpiritual

🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 moreAdventadventus A four-week Christian season of waiting and preparation for Christmas and the Second Coming.Festival

🇮🇪 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

🇮🇪 Waterford, IrelandPatternpátrún A parish feast honoring a patron saint, marked by prayers at holy wells and local gatherings in Ireland.Spiritual

🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 morePontifical Swiss GuardPontificia Cohors Helvetica The Swiss military corps charged with guarding the Pope and the Apostolic PalaceCeremony

🇻🇦 Vatican City and 1 moreConclave Cardinals sealed in the Sistine Chapel, voting until two thirds agree on a new popeSpiritual 🇪🇪 EstoniaJaanipäev An Estonian midsummer festival marking the shortest night with bonfires, songs and independence memories.Festival

🇪🇸 Seville, SpainHoly Week in SevilleSemana Santa de Sevilla A week of solemn processions and floats through the streets of Seville to mark the Passion of Christ.Spiritual

🇳🇴 Norway and 3 moreJulebukkingGå julebukk A Scandinavian Christmas custom where masked visitors go door to door for songs and treats.Festival

🇮🇹 Naples, Italy and 5 moreGreasy pole A slippery pole climbed, walked or crossed to win a prize at the top or the far endGame

🇪🇸 Santiago de Compostela, SpainBotafumeiro A giant swinging censer of brass and silver that fills the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral with incense during solemn fSpiritual

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

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreName day A calendar tradition where people celebrate the feast day of the saint after whom they are named.Festival

🇪🇸 Santiago de Compostela, Spain and 7 moreCamino de SantiagoEl Camino de Santiago A Christian walking pilgrimage across Europe to the shrine of Saint James in SpainSpiritual

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

🇪🇸 Pamplona, Spain and 3 moreRunning of the bullsencierro Runners sprint ahead of loose bulls through barricaded town streets in summerFestival

🇷🇺 Russia and 2 moreMaslenitsaМасленица A seven-day Eastern Slavic festival of pancakes and bonfires marking the end of winter before Lent.Festival · Breakfast

🇩🇪 Nuremberg, Germany and 5 moreChristmas marketWeihnachtsmarkt A seasonal street market held during Advent in German-speaking regions and beyond, featuring stalls, food, and crafts.Festival · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies

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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreBoxing Day A public holiday on 26 December in Commonwealth nations for gifts and shopping.Festival

🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl A fitted dress with apron from the German-speaking Alps, worn for festivals and weddings.Dress

🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreAdvent calendarAdventskalender A daily countdown to Christmas using doors, images, or small gifts.Festival

🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreSt John's Eve Bonfires, feasting and worship on the short night before John the Baptist's feastSpiritual

🇩🇪 Germany and 12 moreSt. Martin's DayMartinstag A November feast of lantern walks, bonfires, roast goose and new wineSpiritual

🇪🇸 Pamplona, SpainFestival of San FermínSanfermines An annual nine-day festival in Pamplona featuring bull runs, parades, and street music.Festival

🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany and 2 moreAdvent wreathAdventskranz An evergreen ring of candles lit week by week in the lead-up to ChristmasSeasonal

🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden and 4 moreSaint Lucy's Day A December festival of light and song held across Scandinavia and Italy to honour a Christian martyr.Festival · Breakfast

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreFat Thursday A Thursday before Lent when doughnuts, grilled meat and Carnival take overFestival · 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

🇮🇪 Ireland and 2 moreWake A gathering before a funeral, where family and friends keep watch over the deadRite of passage

🇧🇪 Belgium and 5 moreSaint Nicholas Day The feast day of Saint Nicholas, kept in Advent with gifts, shoes and church servicesSpiritual

🇮🇪 Ireland and 6 moreSaint Stephen's Day A Christian feast day celebrating the first martyr with feasts, rides and folk customs.Spiritual · Feasts and festival meals

🇺🇦 Kyiv, Ukraine and 14 morePysankaписанка A wax-resist egg decorating tradition kept by Slavic communities for Easter and spring renewal.Festival

🇮🇹 Siena, ItalyFerragosto A public holiday on 15 August marking the Assumption of Mary and the traditional start of the Italian summer break.Festival · Lunch

🇮🇹 Siena, ItalyPalio di SienaIl Palio A bareback horse race held twice a year in Siena's Piazza del Campo, representing the city's historic wards.Festival

🇷🇸 Serbia and 1 moreVidovdanВидовдан A Serbian church feast on 28 June, kept in memory of those who died at KosovoSpiritual

🇷🇸 SerbiaSlavaСлава An annual Serbian family feast honouring their patron saint with blessed bread and wineSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals

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
Bandura: Julianhayda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Christmas tree: Lechhansl, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Christmas: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Public domain, source
Imbolc: Culnacreann, CC BY 3.0, source
Boxing Day: Sigismund von Dobschütz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Saint Lucy's Day: Fredrik Magnusson, CC BY 2.0, source
St John's Eve: Jules Breton, Public domain, source
Slava: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Festival of San Fermín: SanchoPanzaXXI, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Kupala Night: Ivan Sokolov, Public domain, source
Advent calendar: Andrea Schaufler, CC BY 2.5, source
Palio di Siena: Mirco, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Maslenitsa: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Running of the bulls: The original uploader was Bernard bill5 at Dutch Wikipedia . Later ver, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Jaanipäev: Jaan Künnap, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Greasy pole: Andrepoiy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Fat Thursday: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Conclave: User Maus-Trauden on de.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Saint Nicholas Day: Chmee2, CC BY 3.0, source
Christmas carol: Prathyush Thomas, GFDL 1.2, source
Faroese chain dance: Eileen Sandá, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Camino de Santiago: stephenD, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pontifical Swiss Guard: The White House, Public domain, source
Holy Week in Seville: Sevilla Congress & Convention Bureau, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Advent: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Julebukking: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Botafumeiro: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez ( Lmbuga Commons )( Lmbuga Galipedia ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Marchas Populares: Taisir85, CC BY 4.0, source
Name day: Sendker, Public domain, source
Pattern: code poet, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Pysanka: Lubap, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Christmas Eve: Carl Larsson, Public domain, source
St. Martin's Day: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, source
Feast of Corpus Christi: Fennec ., Public domain, source
Vidovdan: Радосав Стојановић at Serbian Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Saint Stephen's Day: Carlo Crivelli, Public domain, source
Candlemas: Andrea Mantegna, Public domain, source
Valentine's Day: Upload: Chordboard, Public domain, source
Wake: Julio Romero de Torres, Public domain, source
Ferragosto: Ra Boe, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Christmas market: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Advent wreath: Burkhard Mücke, CC BY 4.0, source