Easter in the Spanish-Speaking World

Quick Answer

Easter (la Pascua) takes place during the spring and is a very important religious holiday. Keep reading to learn more about this springtime celebration!

easter eggs with various designs and colors

What is la Pascua?

Easter is celebrated during the spring, between the twenty-second of March and the twenty-fifth of April, depending on the lunar cycle. Given that Catholicism is the official religion in many Latin American countries, this holiday holds great significance in many cultures. It is common to attend religious ceremonies each day of la Semana Santa(Holy Week). Many countries have adopted commercial traditions as well, such as holding Easter egg hunts and giving gifts from the Easter Bunny (el conejo de Pascua).

The table below shows some common Easter traditions found throughout el mundo hispanohablante(the Spanish-speaking world):

Tradition	Country/Region
Visiting twelve different churches in one day to demonstrate religious devotion	Mexico
Burning papier-mâché versions of Judas(Judas) and other historical figures	Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela, Paraguay, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile
Sprinkling colorful sawdust in intricate patterns to form alfombras(carpets)	El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras
Taking a vacation to the beach during Holy Week	Latin America
Exchanging chocolate Easter eggs and going on Easter egg hunts	Argentina

Vocabulary Related to Easter

The table below lists a few vocabulary words that are related to Easter:

Vocabulary Word	Translation
la búsqueda de los huevos	egg hunt
la cesta	basket
el conejito	bunny
el cristianismo	Christianity
la cruz	cross
la Cuaresma	Lent
el Domingo de Ramos	Palm Sunday
el Domingo de Resurrección	Easter Sunday
el dulceo el caramelo	candy
¡Felices Pascuas!o ¡Feliz Pascua!	Happy Easter!
la primavera	spring
el ramo	palm
la Semana Santa	Holy Week
el Viernes Santo	Good Friday