Easter Fire
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On Easter Sunday, and the following Monday, large bonfires called "Easter Fires" are lit at dusk in sections of Northwestern Europe. This practice extends northward into Denmark, westward into the east of the Netherlands, southward into Switzerland and Austria, and eastward into the German Harz mountains. In the Netherlands, most of these fires take place in the provinces of Drenthe, Groningen, and Gelderland, with the largest being in Twente, a part of Overijssel.
It is a Saxon, pre-christian tradition, that is still performed each year. There are several explanations of the meaning of these fires. The Saxons probably believed that around the time of Easter, spring becomes victorious over winter. The fires were supposed to help chase the darkness and winter away. It was also a symbol of fertility, which works in a literal sense in that the ashes were scattered over the meadows and thereby fertilised the soil. The pre-christian meaning of easter fires is hardly experienced anymore. Nowadays they are meant to bring the community together, which guarantees a pleasant night combined with the consumption of gin or lager and snacks.
Some municipalities hold an annual competition to build the highest, or the neatest fire. The hamlet of Espelo in the municipality of Rijssen-Holten holds the world record with an easter fire that measured 27 meters high.
[edit] External links
- Paasvuursite (Easter Fire Site) (Dutch)
