What Easter Is Called Across Europe

Map created by @JakubMarianThe map above shows the name for Easter in various European languages (colour coded based on origin).

Here is a full list:

1. Derived from the Semitic/Greek “Pascha” (Red)

The vast majority of European languages use a variation of the Hebrew Pesach (Passover) via the Greek Pascha.

• English (Dialectal/Archaic): Pace (Northern England/Scotland)
• French: Pâques
• Spanish: Pascua
• Portuguese: Páscoa
• Italian: Pasqua
• Romanian: Paști or Paște
• Greek: Πάσχα (Páscha)
• Dutch: Pasen
• Frisian: Peaske
• Icelandic: páskar
• Faroese: páskir
• Norwegian/Danish: påske
• Swedish: påsk
• Irish Gaelic: An Cháisc
• Scottish Gaelic: a’ Chàisg
• Welsh: Pasg
• Cornish/Breton: Pask
• Basque: Pazkoa
• Turkish: paskalya
• Russian/Ukrainian/Belarusian: Пасха (Pásxa)
• Sami Languages: beassážat, băssášj, pessijâš, пэшшк (peššk)
• Albanian: Pashkët

2. Derived from Germanic “Eostre/Ostern” (Brown)

These names come from a Germanic pagan goddess or the month associated with her.

• English: Easter
• German: Ostern
• Luxembourgish: Ouschteren
• Low German: Oostern

3. Meaning “Great Night” or “Great Day” (Blue/Light Blue)

Common in Slavic and Baltic languages.

• Polish: Wielkanoc (“Great Night”)
• Czech: Velikonoce
• Slovak: Veľká noc
• Slovenian: Velika noč
• Latvian: Lieldienas (“Great Days”)
• Lithuanian: Velykos
• Belarusian: Вялікдзень (Vjalikdzen’)
• Ukrainian: Великдень (Velýkden’)
• Bulgarian/Macedonian: Великден (Veligden)

4. Meaning “Resurrection” (Green)

Found primarily in South Slavic languages and as formal terms in East Slavic.

• Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian: Uskrs (Ускрс) or Vaskrs (Васкрс)
• Russian: Воскресение Христово (Voskresénie Khristóvo)
• Macedonian: Воскресение (Voskresenie)

5. Meaning “Meat-eating/Ending of Fast” (Purple/Grey)

Finno-Ugric languages often focus on the end of the Lenten fast.

• Hungarian: húsvét (literally “taking meat”)
• Finnish: pääsiäinen (“release/letting out”)
• Estonian: lihavõttepühad (“meat-taking holidays”)

6. Other Unique Etymologies

• Upper Sorbian: jutry
• Karelian: Äijypäivy (“Grand Day”)
• Komi: ыджытлун (ydžytlun) (“Great Day”)
• Maltese: L-Għid il-Kbir (“The Great Feast”)

What do you call it?