One of the notable differences in in the celebration of Easter in US church traditions and Mexico is that Easter is anticlimactic when compared to the rest of Holy Week.  We as Lutheran Christians use those days as repentant contemplation in preparation for the triumphant celebration of his resurrection. In much of Latin America the suffering of Christ is seen as ongoing, remembered with processions, acting out of the passion complete with floggings, etc.  One also notes a lot of emphasis of the suffering and piety of Mary, more than Christ. On Easter morning the big Catholic churches are nearly empty, a sad commentary on the emptiness of a doctrine that doesn’t emphasize the complete forgiveness that Christ gives us.   

Because there is no tradition of Mexican Easter celebration, the traditions we see in our more established Lutheran churches here, have taken on some of the same customs used in churches in the US.  Many have sunrise services with joyful hymns followed with breakfasts – often juice and fruit, sweet breads and occasionally here in Mexico foods like eggs with chorizo, tortillas, refried beans, salsas.  One of our congregations in Mexico has all the women wear white and has a procession to the altar with Easter lilies. They also have an Easter picnic, complete with an egg hunt and piñata. 
      
I guess what I will miss the most this year will be celebrating Easter with a bigger congregation complete with music.  For instance, I know that my daughter is playing her trumpet in her congregation, a treat for a mom that I will be sad not to hear.  The contrast will be even more drastic this year because my husband is serving a vacancy in a tiny new congregation that has not established customs of their own and we will probably just have our normal little service and Bible class.  However without some of the traditional hustle bustle of preparing for a big holiday, it also helps me to focus on the real reason of celebrating that in the sermon and Bible class.

Marlene Schlomer