Water, beauty, and faith – Easter traditions

Easter is a time full of symbols and traditions – not only the most well-known ones like the blessing of Easter baskets or painting eggs, but also lesser-known rituals where the main role is played by… water. Washing oneself at dawn in a river, sprinkling the house with holy water, or washing the face with water used to boil Easter eggs were believed to ensure health, beauty, and protection from evil. Where did these customs come from, and why were they thought to hold special power at this time of year?

Morning bath in the river – for health, youth, and beauty

One of the most charming, though now rarely practiced, rituals was washing in water – a river, stream, or spring – before sunrise, especially on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This custom was particularly popular in Lesser Poland, Subcarpathia, and the Cieszyn Silesia region. It was believed that so-called living water, drawn at dawn, had extraordinary healing and cleansing properties – both physical and spiritual.

Girls would dip their faces in it to preserve beauty, keep their skin clear, and attract suitors. The sick hoped for healing, and heads of households brought the water home to share it with family members. Drinking just a few sips was thought to prevent sore throats, while sprinkling the house with it was believed to protect from illness and evil.

Water from boiled eggs – a ritual of feminine beauty

Though it may sound unusual today, in many homes up until the first half of the 20th century, it was common to wash one’s face with the water in which Easter eggs were boiled. This homemade potion was mainly reserved for women – it was believed to work like an elixir of youth. It was thought to benefit the complexion, smooth the skin, lighten discoloration, and – interestingly – remove freckles, which in the past were seen more as a flaw than a charm.

Blessing of fire and water – traces of ancient rituals in the Church

Holy Saturday is a day of liturgical silence, yet rich in symbolism. One such ritual, still preserved in the Catholic Church, is the blessing of water and fire. Though liturgical in nature, its roots reach back to pagan times. Holy water was believed to protect against evil spirits, illnesses, and crop failure. People would sprinkle it on their homes, fields, livestock, and themselves – trusting it would bring blessings for the entire year.

Fire – lit outside the church and brought into the sanctuary – symbolized the victory of light over darkness, life over death. In many Polish villages, householders would take the blessed fire home to light their own hearth, believing it would bring prosperity and protection to the family home. In his book Zwyczaje i obrzędy wielkanocne (Easter customs and rituals), Father Andrzej Zwoliński writes that these rituals are nothing more than a Christianized version of ancient spring ceremonies, associated with cleansing and the beginning of a new vegetation cycle.

Hanging, dragging, and sometimes drowning Judas

One of the more controversial Easter customs was the symbolic punishment of Judas Iscariot – the disciple who betrayed Jesus. In many Polish villages, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, people would make a dummy out of rags and straw. It would first be hung on a tree or church bell tower, then dragged through the streets, beaten with sticks, and finally burned or… drowned in a river.

This custom was both carnivalesque and moralizing – meant to condemn betrayal and remind people of the moral consequences of evil deeds. Unfortunately, over time in some areas, it turned into acts of symbolic violence against the Jewish community – as noted by Professor Marcin Zaremba in his book Wielka Trwoga (The Great Fear), residents of Jewish homes were sometimes forced to pay a ransom to remove the Judas effigy placed in front of their house. This tradition disappeared after World War II.

Water in the Easter basket – symbol of life and protection

Though today we mainly associate the Easter basket with eggs, sausage, bread, and horseradish, in some regions of Poland – especially in the eastern provinces – people also included a small vessel of water. After being blessed in church, this water became a domestic sacramental – it was used to sprinkle family members, the house, fields, and the well.

It was believed to protect against illness, evil forces, and even lightning strikes. This water was often kept for the whole year – stored in a small bottle on a home altar or in a cupboard, and used only in special situations.

Easter traditions – od zapomnianych rytuałów po znane tradycje

There are, of course, many more Easter customs – some long forgotten, others still with us every year. Some have survived almost unchanged, while others evolved over time. We still celebrate, for example, śmigus-dyngus – joyful and full of energy, though not everyone knows its original meaning. If you’d like to learn the history behind this tradition, don’t miss tomorrow’s article!