Easter Guide 2023
A time for faith and renewal
Easter Message from our CEO
Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the unwavering support that you show towards Project Compassion each year. Your generosity continues to make a difference in the lives of those living in vulnerable and marginalised communities, and provides support to the work that our local and international partners do.
Each year, as we enter the season of Easter and look forward to spending time with our loved ones, I find myself reflecting on what this time of the year represents. To me, it is a time for new beginnings, faith renewal, and a time to think of the blessings and miracles we witness daily.
Project Compassion 2023 brings to you the stories of four resilient and inspiring individuals whose livelihoods and futures have been impacted by your kindness.
There is the story of Laxmi from Nepal, whom after losing her father at a young age, was at risk of falling further into extreme poverty. But with the generosity of our supporters and the work of our partner Caritas Nepal, Laxmi joined a child's club, became a leader in her school and is now a mentor to other young girls in her village.
There is also the story of Tereesa is a Gamilaroi woman from Western Sydney who struggled with homelessness while raising her four children. Thu from Vietnam, who lost his leg after stepping on a land mine. And finally, there is Priscilla from Zimbabwe, whose life and livelihoods have been impacted by the effects of climate change.
This Easter, I would like to invite you find joy and beauty in everything, despite all the burdens and worries that this world can bring. On behalf of everyone at Caritas Australia, I hope that you enjoy this guide and that you can share it with your friends and family this holy season.
With gratitude,
Chief Executive Officer
Caritas Australia
Fun facts about Easter and traditions from around the world
Learn more about this wonderful holiday and how it is celebrated across the globe
Whether you may choose to attend an Easter Sunday service at your local parish, host an intricate Easter egg hunt with your friends and family or go to a colourful Easter bonnet parade, each year, we surround ourselves with our loved ones to celebrate this magical time of the year.
To make this wonderful holiday even more fun, we have gathered a few interesting facts about Easter, its history and how it is celebrated in other parts of the world.
Origin of the Easter egg
Easter eggs are believed to have originated in medieval Europe. However, they may not necessarily be related to any Christian traditions. Historians believe that Easter eggs come from ancient Anglo-Saxon festivals in the spring to celebrate pagan goddess Eostre.
The goddess, whom Easter is thought to be named after, represented the dawn in spring, and eggs were buried and eaten during the festival. During this time, eggs were associated with fertility and the rebirth of nature after harsh winters.
Many pagan traditions from the festival were adopted by Christian missionaries to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, as a way to encourage conversion.
Easter eggs are often said to tie into the celebration because they represent new life, though the metaphor may have been applied retroactively.
History of Pancake Day
Pancake Day, or also known as Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3 and March 9.
However, Pancake Day started out as a Pagan celebration.
Before the Christian era, Slavic cultures believed that the change of seasons was a struggle between Jarilo, the god of vegetation, fertility and springtime, and the evil spirits of cold and darkness, and that they had to help Jarilo in his worthy efforts.
The whole celebration of the arrival of spring lasted seven days and a large part of this was making and eating pancakes. The hot, round pancakes symbolised the sun and by eating pancakes, they got the power, light and warmth of the sun.
Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up any eggs and fats in the pantry before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.
Origins of the Easter egg hunt
One of the most beloved Easter traditions across the globe is the chocolate egg hunt. For children and adults alike, there is nothing more exciting than waking up on Easter Sunday and going on a scavenger hunt for chocolate eggs scattered all around the house.
In Christian traditions, the Easter egg is seen as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus. The egg is likened to the tomb from which Christ arose. However, the specific custom of the Easter egg hunt is linked to the Protestant Christian Reformer Martin Luther. It is believed that he would have Easter egg hunts where the men would hide the eggs for the women and children. probably has this connection back to this idea of eggs being the tomb.
Easter across the globe
Ukraine
Painting eggs is a Ukrainian tradition.
For generations, the people of Ukraine have been decorating eggs as a calling out to the Gods and Goddesses of health and fertility. This traditional act of pysanka is made by using wax and dyes.
Italy
In Italy, Easter (known as Pasqua) is celebrated with elaborate feasts. Especially because Easter marks the end of Lent, Easter cuisine in Italy signifies abundance. Depending on the region, Italians may eat torta di Pasqua, a savory cheese bread sprinkled with holy water; “La Colomba,” a dove-shaped cake with candied orange peel and an almond sugar glaze; hard-boiled eggs; chocolate; and much more.
Easter Lunch is the main meal, once again celebrating the cuisine of spring. Dishes such as wild asparagus, rolled egg tagliatelle, roasted lamb, new potatoes, artichokes, fennel, broccoli rabe, and other seasonal vegetables are commonly served. Easter sweets include l’uovo di Pasqua, 6-feet tall chocolate Easter eggs as well as different cakes.
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, Easter (also known as Fasika) is still ahead on the calendar and will be observed on 16 April.
Easter is the most celebrated religious holiday in Ethiopia, even more so than Christmas. Many Orthodox Christians fast for days, eating no animal products, prior to Easter. On Easter eve worshippers, wearing traditional white clothing, attend lengthy church services lasting into the early morning. Church goers return home to sleep and break the fast with “doro wut,” a spicy chicken stew loaded with butter.
Project Compassion 2023
Get to know the stories of some of the lives your support has helped transform.
Project Compassion 2023
Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s biggest fundraising appeal. Over the six weeks of Lent, people from all across Australia engage in activities to raise funds and lend a helping hand to those who need it most. This year, we bring to you the inspiring stories of four resilient people, whose lives have been transformed by the generosity and kindness of our supporters.
Keep reading to find out more about their stories of hope and strength.
Laxmi from Nepal
Sixteen-year-old Laxmi lives in one of the most remote communities in Nepal which experiences high levels of poverty.
Laxmi left school after her father died, leaving her at risk of falling further into extreme poverty. Laxmi joined a child club, supported by Caritas Nepal, where she was encouraged to go back to school.
With your generous support, she has become an active member of the child club, where she developed the skills and confidence to become a leader, advocating for clean water taps at her school. Laxmi is now excelling in her studies and working towards her dream of becoming a civil engineer.
She has become a mentor to other girls in her village, encouraging them to stand up for their rights, creating lasting change For All Future Generations.
Priscilla from Zimbabwe
Climate change is presenting unprecedented challenges for people living in the most vulnerable and remote communities in Zimbabwe.
Priscilla lives with her husband, Charles, and two grandchildren in the Hwange region, which is currently experiencing an intense drought.
With the support of Caritas Hwange, Priscilla and her community learnt conservation farming to grow drought-resistant crops.
From her increased harvest, she was able to sell her crops and start poultry farming, selling eggs to grow her income stream and helping pay for her grandchildren’s education.
Caritas Hwange also helped rehabilitate the dip tank in her community so that Priscilla’s cattle can be healthy and free from tick-borne diseases.
With the knowledge and skills acquired through the program, Priscilla and her family have a safety net to protect them during this current drought.
Thu from Vietnam
When Thu was only 12 years old, he lost his leg after stepping on an unexploded land mine from the Vietnam War. Living with a disability in rural Vietnam presented many challenges for Thu, who worked mainly as a rice farmer. After his wife, Linh, suffered a stroke, Thu also had to take on the additional role as the carer for his wife.
Thu joined the Empowerment of People with Disabilities program, supported by Caritas Australia through our local partners, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD).
Through the program, Thu learnt livelihood, financial and independent living skills and also joined a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA), where he could interact with other people with disabilities.
The VSLA helped Thu to obtain a loan so that he could set up a barber shop and earn extra income to support his family. The project also helped him build an accessible toilet for Linh, who has also become more independent thanks to the support of a physiotherapist.
Tereesa from Australia
Tereesa is a Gamilaroi descendant, born and raised on Darug land and a young mother of four children aged between 6 to 11 years old. She left high school after falling pregnant with her first child and, as a single mother, she struggled with homelessness and finding a stable environment for her children.
Growing up in the western suburbs of Sydney, Tereesa never had an opportunity to learn about her culture.
After she joined Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation’s Young Mums and Bubs Group, supported by Caritas Australia, Tereesa reconnected with her culture again through Indigenous art. Her artistic skills flourished at Baabayn and her artwork was chosen for the Vivid festival in Sydney in 2022.
Baabayn also helped Tereesa access housing for her family, as well as access to psychological support and driving lessons. Today, Tereesa works at Baabayn, providing support to young mothers and mentoring the next generation of young people.
Click on the link below to find out more and to donate to this year's Project Compassion.
Easter Activities
Ideas on what to do with friends and family during this magical time of the year.
Much like with Christmas, Easter is another Christian public holiday where businesses close and the country slows down so that everyone can have the opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family. Easter also provides everyone with the chance to engage in numerous activities held around the country and celebrate. Whether you choose to host your own Project Compassion fundraiser during this time, visit your local parish, spend some time at home or outdoors, here are a few activities you can engage in during this time.
Attend your local parish
Each year, parishes across Australia hold a number of fun activities to celebrate Lent and Easter and bring the local community together during this special time. Whether it is attending Easter Sunday mass, arts and crafts fairs, an Easter egg hunt or any other family-friendly activity, why not visit your local parish?
Connect with Caritas session
Caritas Australia is hosting a 'Connect with Caritas' session.
This event provides an opportunity to celebrate the Feast Day of St Oscar Romero, and it invites the wider community to connect with our staff and partners.
In this session, you will get to discover how our work is making a difference now and for all future generations.
You will also have the chance to hear from Sr Ivy Khoury, Africa Program Coordinator at Caritas Australia, and Super Dube, Program Coordinator at Caritas Hwange.
‘Connect with Caritas’ is a unique opportunity to ask questions about our programs in Africa, and to dig deeper into the work of our partner in Zimbabwe.
The event will take place on Thursday 23 March from 7 pm to 8 pm (AEDT).
Hold your own fundraiser
You can also host your own Project Compassion fundraiser to help vulnerable communities across the globe to break the cycle of poverty and forge a brighter future. You can participate on your own, at your school, church, home or your workplace. The choice is yours. To register or find out more, visit our website.
Easter Reflection
Let us try to make Easter special and give time to each other as we share the gift of new life. As we grow in faith and love, may we all come together to celebrate in our ways in tradition together as one human family.
Let us take this opportunity for renewal to extend peace and solidarity to every living being on this Earth.
On behalf of everyone at Caritas Australia, we thank you for taking the time to read our Guide and wish you a happy Easter.
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