Pasqua & Pasquetta

Pasqua is Easter Sunday, the central feast of the Catholic calendar, and in Italy it is usually marked by church in the morning and a long family lunch at home or at a relative’s house. The date changes every year, falling on a Sunday between late March and late April; Pasquetta is the Monday immediately after. People commonly say Buona Pasqua, exchange chocolate eggs, and gather around a table set for a full meal rather than a quick lunch. Typical foods include baked pasta, savory pies, roast lamb in many households, hard-boiled eggs in regional dishes, slices of colomba, and large hollow uova di cioccolato that often contain a small surprise inside.

The rhythm changes on Pasquetta, also called Lunedì dell’Angelo. After the formality of Sunday, Monday is associated with going out: families and groups of friends head to parks, the countryside, a lake, the seaside, or an agriturismo if the weather is good. Many bring packed food for a picnic, while others organize a barbecue or book a simple lunch out of town. Cars leave the cities early, and parks and roadside picnic areas fill up by late morning. It is a day for relaxed clothes, football in a field, card games, and finishing Easter leftovers such as colomba, hard-boiled eggs, and torte salate. People often wish each other Buona Pasquetta before setting off.

The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.