culture

April 11, 2026

VASKRS in Serbian Homes: Ethnologist Explains CUSTOMS Full of Symbolism, Faith, and Joy Passed Down Through Generations

Vaskrs, the most important Christian holiday, is accompanied by a wealth of customs among the Serbian people that combine faith, symbolism, and family unity. As Dr. Vesna Marjanović, ethnologist and anthropologist, points out, these customs have deeply rooted meanings and are passed down through generations.

VASKRS in Serbian Homes: Ethnologist Explains CUSTOMS Full of Symbolism, Faith, and Joy Passed Down Through Generations

TL;DR

  • Vaskrs (also known as Uskrs) is the most important Christian holiday for Serbs, rich in customs that unite faith, symbolism, and family.
  • Egg coloring is a central tradition, with the first red egg symbolizing life, fertility, renewal, health, and protection, and is kept until the next Vaskrs.
  • The competitive egg-tapping ritual involves breaking others' eggs to win them.
  • The first meal after the Lenten fast is often Vaskrs eggs.
  • Traditional Vaskrs meals include roasted lamb or pork, depending on the holiday's timing.
  • Other customs include visiting graves, specific Easter cakes (komka, buzdovani), and painting eggs black ('kaluđeri') in mourning homes.
  • Farming traditions involved burying Vaskrs eggs for good luck and fertility.
  • Vaskrs is spent with family, while Bright Monday (Svetli ponedeljak) is for visits and gift-giving.

Continue reading the original article