Malkamaanantai - Holy Monday

Happy Easter

I got this card from my aunt Anna in 1955.

 

Easter is one of the popular holidays in Finland. It is the start of warm spring when the snow has mostly melted and the freezing weathers are behind. This year we still have lots of snow but the weather is a little warmer so hopefully the snow melts in soon.

 

Easter is preceded by a quiet week (Hiljainen viikko) that culminates on Good Friday (Pitkäperjantai – meaning Long Friday). The actual Easter starts with Easter Sunday (Pääsiäissunnuntai) and ends with Easter Monday (Toinen pääsiäispäivä). Good Friday Easter Monday following the Easter Sunday are a days off.

 

Pääsiäinen means “to get away from fasting” referring to the Lent that is taken to run from Ash Wednesday (Tuhkakeskiviikko) to Maundy Thursday (Kiirastorstai).

 

The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week in Finnish called ‘Hiljainen viikko – Quiet week’ or ‘Piinaviikko – Torment Week’ is also used. In Finland the Holy Week’s days have their own names:

 

Palm Sunday – Palmusunnuntai or Virposunnuntai
Holy Monday – Malkamaanantai
Holy Tuesday – Tikkutiistai
Holy Wednesday – Kellokeskiviikko
Maundy Thursday – Kiirastorstai
Good Friday – Pitkäperjantai
Holy Saturday – Pääsiäislauantai, Lankalauantai or Hiljainen Lauantai
Easter Sunday – Sukkasunnuntai or Pääsiäissunnuntai