Monday, March 21st at 9PM on MPB TV
Taking you on a spring journey through Spain, Slovenia, Italy, and Greece, Rick Steves' European Eastercelebrates this 2,000-year-old story in a variety of cultures. Ancient rituals of woolly beasts scaring away winter in Slovenia and elegant, masked Carnival parties in Venice are a prelude to the austerity of Lent. A few weeks later, Palm Sunday crowds fill St. Peter's Square in Rome, and the streets of Sevilla are packed as the Passion of Christ unfolds day by day through Holy Week. The despair of Good Friday gives way to Easter Sunday, when the joy of the Resurrection fills family gatherings, small-town festivals, and churches of every size all across Europe — just as spring floods the world with new life. You'll join villagers blessing olive branches and coming together in age-old processions, and you'll feel the emotion of this special time as Andalusians carry towering parade floats and Greek priests toss showers of flower petals. Exploring a rich and fascinating mix of traditions — from its pagan roots to its glorious finale — Rick Steves' European Easter sheds new light on this timeless holiday.
