Good Friday in Serbia

Велики петак – The Friday before Easter

Eggs are coloured on Good Friday and it is a sad and silent day. The first egg coloured in red is called “the guardian of the home”. It is believed to have a special power. It is not uncommon to see a red egg somewhere in a Serbian house long after Easter has passed, as Serbs believe that one of the red eggs is supposed to be kept until the next year.

Easter eggs in Europe are often made of chocolate and sold in supermarkets, but this does not apply to Serbia. A real chicken egg, hard-boiled and dyed or decorated, takes the central place in the Easter celebration.

Almost every household, regardless of how religious they are, will paint at least ten eggs on Good Friday. While eggs can be painted any colour using any technique that comes to mind, according to Serbian beliefs, the first set of eggs should be dyed red. For Serbs, eggs symbolise the eternal life of Jesus.

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