So, what’s up with Good Friday & Easter?

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Among the many festivals and holidays celebrated in Malaysia, there are some that aren’t that widely known.

Despite Malaysia being home to a sizable minority of Christians (about 9% as of 2020), many Malaysians do not know much about the meaning and significance behind the twin festivals of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

So, here’s what you need to know about this holiday and how it’s celebrated locally and overseas!

Good Friday

Marking the day of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, Good Friday is regarded as a holy day of quiet and even sorrowful reflection on his sacrifice.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday don’t fall on the same date each year because they are based on the full moon and differing Eastern or Western Christian traditions.

Since the majority of Malaysian Christians typically follow the Western Catholic or Protestant traditions, Good Friday usually falls on late March to late April, with the 2025 date being April 18.

Customs

Good Friday is typically a quiet day of observance thanks to its solemn nature.

Though not recognized as a public holiday in Peninsular Malaysia, the large Christian populations of Sabah and Sarawak do observe it as one.

In Malaysia, observance is mainly focused on church services, which usually include sermons, hymns and prayers. After that, a traditional pastry of hot cross buns – a spiced bun marked with a cross on the crust – is usually enjoyed.

However, in predominantly Christian regions of the world, Good Friday can also mean a general ban on public festivities and celebrations, such as in Germany.

In other regions of Europe, large processions of worshippers donned in elaborate costumes can be seen bearing giant crosses or floats to reenact the Passion of Christ or his final moments.

Some of the most famous of these parades can be found in Italy and Spain, where the observances extend into a longer Holy Week. In Italy, effigies of Jesus Christ mounted on floats are carried through narrow streets while in Seville, Spain, brotherhoods of penitents walk the streets wearing masks with tall, pointed tips called capirotes.

Easter Sunday

As a celebration of the rebirth of Jesus Christ three days after his death (hence the Sunday), Easter takes on more of a celebratory tone, with various feasts and even games being held during this joyous day. This is also the time when a famous bunny makes their appearance!

In 2025, Easter Sunday will be celebrated on April 20.

Celebrations

Although not recognized as a public holiday in either West or East Malaysia, many local Christians still celebrate it with services at church while enjoying traditional Easter pastries and delicacies.

Overseas, Easter is often celebrated as a public holiday through various iconic cuisine and cheeky games.

Some of the most widespread icons and traditions of Easter are the Easter Bunny and dyed eggs.

Easter eggs are not just colourful decorations and symbols of Jesus Christ’s empty tomb, they are also used during egg hunts or egg rolling games or simply as a fun DIY activity.

Meanwhile, the Easter Bunny takes on a role akin to Santa during Christmas, dishing out gifts, eggs and snacks to children in the form of decorations or mascots.

Despite the ubiquity of the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs, many local Easter traditions and activities also exist.

In Italy, huge bonfires or, in the case of Florence – explosive carts, are brought out into the streets in fiery, feverish festivals. A huge array of traditional foods such as abbacchio lamb and colomba pasquale bread are also enjoyed widely throughout Italian households.

In far northern Denmark, paper crafts in the shape of snowflakes and hearts are often given out to loved ones. The receiver then guesses who the sender is, with the winner being awarded some chocolate eggs!

But above all, one of the most striking pyrotechnic displays of Easter can be found in the Greek town of Vrontados, when its Orthodox Christian inhabitants fire ferocious barrages of fireworks at each other in a thrilling display of joy and jubilation.

Looking for more festivals? Check out five of the world’s most happening spring festivals. If you’re thinking of visiting Europe for Easter, then also consider visiting some of Austria’s many romantic cities, particularly its capital Vienna!