Lent Traditions Around the World- 2

Denmark

In Denmark, there is a festival called Fastelavn celebrated seven weeks before Easter. Fastelavn is a carnival-type festival where children dress up in costume and go door-to-door for candy and sweets. A popular baked good associated with the day is Fastelavnsbolle (lit. Fastelavns bun), a round sweet roll usually covered with icing and filled with cream. A barrel filled with candy is beaten and the first two kids who break the barrel are crowned Cat king and Cat queen because a cat used to live in the barrel.

Poland

Even though Lent starts on Ash Wednesday but there are two celebrations preceding Lent which are worth mentioning. The last Thursday of the carnival is called “Fat Thursday” and Poles eat lots of doughnuts this day. Chrust or faworki are also very popular this day. The carnival ends on Shrove Tuesday known as Sledziowka, after the herrings eaten on that day as a herald of the coming Lent.

(Tomorrow: India and Mexico)

 

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