Easter Traditions and Cathedral Services in Wales for 2023

If you are visiting Wales over Easter, you have chosen well. Easter is a time for reflection, renewal, and celebration in Wales. The holiday is celebrated with traditional customs that date back centuries. From the solemnity of Good Friday to the joyousness of Easter Sunday, Welsh Easter traditions are a testament to the country’s rich history and culture. Join us as we explore some of the most notable Welsh Easter traditions. We’ll also highlight the Easter Cathedral services across Wales which are available to visitors and natives alike.

Pre-Easter Traditions

In the 19th Century, children on Angelsey in North-West Wales would go ‘egg-clapping’ in the run-up to Easter. This practice, termed ‘Clapio Wyau’ in Welsh, saw children visit nearby local farms and collect hen’s eggs from generous neighbours. The eggs would be displayed on the Welsh Dresser at home and help feed the family over the Easter period. Today children still carry out a version of the tradition with the help of a wooden ‘egg clapper’, but the eggs these days are chocolate!

On Palm Sunday (Sul Y Blodau – translated as ‘Sunday of Flowers’) people in Wales would tend the graves of their family members and decorate them with flowers such as daffodils, rosemary and primroses. Fig dishes would often also be served on this day.

Good Friday Traditions and observances

Good Friday (Y Groglith) is a solemn day in the Christian calendar, and Welsh people mark this day with reverence and reflection. In the past, businesses were closed and people would walk barefoot to church on Good Friday.

Many churches across the country continue to hold special Good Friday services, including the Stations of the Cross, which is a reenactment of Jesus’ journey to the cross.

As well as attending church on Good Friday, many people still choose to honour the tradition of eating fish instead of meat as a sign of respect for the sacrifice of Jesus.

In another Good Friday tradition, known as ‘making Christ’s bed’, children in Tenby would use long reeds collected from the river to make figures of Jesus. They would attach these figures to a wooden cross and place them in a quiet field to rest peacefully.

Traditions celebrating the joy of Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration in Wales. Many people attend church services and participate in various activities that mark the joy of the resurrection.

One of the traditions on Easter Sunday was the practice of ‘clapping the resurrection’. This custom, which is being revived as part of the Easter Vigil at St Peter’s in Carmarthen, involves the congregation applauding loudly at the end of the Easter Sunday service as a way of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.

Another tradition around Easter, believed to have originated in Celtic times, was the custom of ‘lifting’, which was popular among the lower classes. This involved young men lifting young women on a chair or table (or vice versa), often outside the church, as a sign of good luck and fertility. Bystanders would clap and cheer.

Easter Monday Customs

A popular Easter Monday (Llun y Pasg) tradition, observed in some places to this day, involves a procession before sunrise to the summit of a local mountain or a hill before sunrise to watch the come up and celebrate the resurrection.

In Llangollen in Denbighshire, villagers went further and would walk to the summit of Dinas Bran to celebrate the sunrise with three somersaults! In other parts of Wales, a bowl of water was taken to the top of the nearest hill to see the sun ‘dance’ on the water’s reflection.

Cathedral Services for Easter in Wales

Cathedrals play a significant role in Easter celebrations in Wales. Many cathedrals hold special services during Holy Week, including Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. These services provide an opportunity for people to reflect on the religious significance of Easter and to come together in worship.

Discover all the Easter services at The Church in Wales Cathedrals below:

Easter services at Roman Catholic Cathedrals in Wales:

Easter in Wales

Easter is a time of great significance in Wales, and the traditions associated with this holiday reflect the country’s rich history and culture. From the solemnity of Good Friday to the joyousness of Easter Sunday, Welsh people come together to celebrate the period and to reflect upon on the meaning of this important holiday.