Sophomore Mewded Yaregal 

Q: What are your traditions for Easter/Orthodox Easter?

A: The tradition is that we always went to church to celebrate this holiday with my family & friends. After we come home, all our families will gather together and we will celebrate it.

Q: What are some unique stories that you had about this holiday?

A: The stories I have is that when we go to church with my friend’s, we can’t eat food until 5pm but when we were younger. Our mom’s would give us food and tell us to hide and eat it.

Q: What are some personal feelings you have associated with the holiday?

A: This holiday is my favorite because of the time I spent with my family that I didn’t see for a long time.

Q:  What foods do you eat during this time? 

A: We eat different kinds of Ethiopian food like Doro Wat, Tibs, and others.

Q: Would you recommend these traditions/food to other people who celebrate Easter/Orthodox Easter?

A: I will recommend this food for other people because it’s very delicious. 

AVID Teacher Ms. Wells

Q: What are your traditions for Easter/Orthodox Easter?

A: I celebrate Easter by dying Easter eggs with my children and “helping the Easter Bunny” hide the eggs and make Easter baskets with candy. We hide the eggs in my backyard or my parents’ backyard for the kids to find and they collect them and put them in their baskets. We also attend church and I like to wear a hat because it’s traditional for women and girls to wear a pretty hat on Easter. Sometimes people attend a church service at sunrise.

Q: What are some unique stories that you had about this holiday?

A: Growing up, I always wondered why my older sister didn’t have to go to church with the rest of us on Easter morning – it was because she was helping the Easter bunny hide the eggs!

Q: What are some personal feelings you have associated with the holiday?

A: Spring is my favorite season, so I love having a holiday that celebrates spring and being outside.

Q:  What foods do you eat during this time? 

A: Traditional Easter basket treats are chocolate bunnies, marshmallow “Peeps” (baby chicks), and jelly beans. Traditional Easter foods are lamb, hot cross buns (rolls with a cross marked into the top), and spring vegetables like asparagus. Also, everyone has lots of hard-boiled eggs leftover from the Easter egg hunt that need to be eaten. My kids like to peel off the shells and eat them as soon as we finish the Easter egg hunt but if we have any left after that, we cut them up into an egg salad with mayonnaise which can be spread into sandwiches.

Q: Would you recommend these traditions/food to other people who celebrate Easter/Orthodox Easter?

A: I think dying eggs of different colors is really fun and gives you a chance to be creative!

Sophomore Tselot Yaregal

Q: What are your traditions for Easter/Orthodox Easter?

A: Our tradition for this holiday is that we attend more than an hour that ends like 3 or 4 church services, while in church. We do Prostration as many times as you want and when the celebration comes to an end, we go to the Priest and they give how many times we will do Prostration after that. We will break our fast and celebrate with family and friends.

Q: What are some unique stories that you had about this holiday?

A: We do Prostration a lot, my leg was hurting because I didn’t practice. We’d always wait because it was always raining. When we go to the bathroom, our place will be taken because there are a lot of people.

Q: What are some personal feelings you have associated with the holiday?

A: My personal feeling for this holiday is nice because it makes me happy when I gather with my family and friends, then go to church and celebrate.

Q:  What foods do you eat during this time?

A: In my country we eat a difference for this holiday but we specifically eat Doro Wat (Spicy Chicken Stew) with Injera (Flat bread made with teff). Also drink homemade drinks like Tella and Tej.

Q: Would you recommend these traditions/food to other people who celebrate Easter/Orthodox Easter? 

A: Yes, I recommend it because there will be a beautiful celebration in church, after church we gather with family and friends and celebrate, it’s so fun.