Semana Santa or Holy Week and Domingo de Pascua, sometimes called Domingo de Resurreccion, or in English Easter Sunday are very important religious holidays in Spain, as well as for Catholics around the Mediterranean. For most Catholics, Lent has meant a time of prayer and reflection, a call to perform works of charity and abstain from meat. So, when Easter Sunday arrives, everyone is ready to feast.

In Spain, the food and customs vary from town to town, region to region, but you can count on a table filled with food. Sometimes the customs are ancient and seem unusual to us. For example, in the town of Galaroza, Huelva (in the region of Andalucía), the tradition is to walk in a procession to the Ermita de Santa Brigida to celebrate mass and on the way, eat fresh bread with hard-boiled eggs. Hence, the day is called “Dia del Huevo y el Bollo.”

We thought that we would share with our readers Easter menus from around the Mediterranean:

• Italy - Roman Easter Menu Recipes and Neapolitan Easter Menu Recipes.
• Greece - Greek Easter Sunday Menu and Recipes (Greek Orthodox Easter will be celebrated toward the end of April this year)

Check back later this week for Easter recipes from other food guides on About.com

If you will be visiting Spain during Holy Week, be sure to read what About.com’s Guide to Travel in Spain says in his FAQ Semana Santa in Spain and get a preview in his Pictures of Semana Santa Procession, Seville, Spain.