Easter – still a religious holiday in Finnmark?

The religious side at Easter has disappeared for many. Finnmarkings. The word Easter is originally from the Hebrew word pesach that directly translated means to pass. And there are many Norwegians who do. They pass the content of Easter. When the holidays finally arrive, many go from the city and to the mountains.

The Christian content of Easter is weakened. Church passage is unnatural even if we stay home. And while the Kingdom celebrates Easter from Friday before Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday (no other country has such a long Easter holiday!) Looking forward to « regular » everyday life. Especially the week is heavy for old and lonely people who receive minimal help as many working helpers are free.

For all life with all its contradictions, Easter is expressed that gives us the opportunity to live with the entire alphabet from A to Z. It is especially in the border situations that make us use the entire alphabet. There may be fatal accidents in the Easter mountains, war, hunger and natural disasters.

The « Easter Crime » has replaced the service of the worship service. It is a little difficult to understand why we depict an entire spring week to celebrate British killings! But Easter is celebrated in many ways. As mentioned, many are not even aware of why we have a week’s spring holiday in March or April. Today’s modern people in the western world are in many ways the grandson of God. There is a distance to the faith, but still contact.

When we celebrate Easter at Vidda, in the archipelago, on the southern latitudes or at home and see some of these symbols at the breakfast table, in a weekly magazine, on TV or out in nature we may think a little about what they mean. Life becomes poorer if we do not give room for both grief and joy, Good Friday and Easter morning. For all their lives with all its contradictions are expressed at Easter that gives us the opportunity to live with the entire alphabet from A to Z.

Knut S. Bakken

Retired