The Easter bells – les cloches de Pâques

 

The Easter bells – les cloches de Pâques

One of the main French Easter traditions are the Easter bells or les cloches de Pâques. 

Today on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter, church bells across France are silenced to mourn the death of Christ and they remain silent until Easter Sunday. 

According to legend, the bells would fly to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. 

They would then begin their journey back to the French churches, but would pick up eggs along the way before scattering them into the gardens. 

The bells would then ring on Easter Sunday to announce the Resurrection of Christ and therefore ‘return’. 

So in France it is the bells rather than the Easter bunny who delivers the Easter eggs.

We await their return on Sunday and we are hopeful that they bring a few Easter gifts for us.

Belle journée a tous ♥

Leeann x