Marco Ristorante Italiano: Easter in Italy

While you probably won't see the Easter bunny if you're in Italy for Easter, you will find some interesting Italian Easter celebrations. Like all holidays in Italy, Easter, Pasqua in Italian, has its share of rituals and traditions. The Monday following Easter, la Pasquetta is also a holiday throughout Italy.

While Easter mass will be held in every church in Italy, the biggest and most popular mass is held by the Pope at Saint Peter's Basilica. On Good Friday, the Pope celebrates the Via Crucis or Stations of the Cross in Rome near the Colosseum. A huge cross with burning torches lights the sky as the stations of the cross are described in several languages. At the end, the Pope gives a blessing.

Since Easter is the end of the Lent season, food plays a big part in the celebrations. Traditional Easter foods in many places include lamb or goat, artichokes, and special Easter breads that vary from region to region. Pannetone and Colomba (dove shaped) breads are often given as gifts as are large hollow chocolate eggs that usually come with a surprise inside.