Rabbit chocolates that have become symbols of Easter, embodying Belgian identity and the meaning of fertility. Pexels

A garden somewhere in Belgium. Children, with serious expressions, are combing the lawn. They bustle about as if on a treasure hunt, but the reason is simple. They are searching for hidden chocolate eggs. The competition to find even one more is quite intense. Because chocolate is at stake, it is an extremely serious time for the children, yet it also gives adults a brief respite, so it is a win-win for both. Whether or not they know the meaning, this treasure hunt is already half a success in that people of all ages enjoy it.

During the Easter period in April in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, the origin of this scene goes back to the twelfth century. At that time the Church observed a ‘time of silence’ from Thursday to Saturday of ‘Holy Week’, refraining from ringing bells. This time was set aside to commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus. Another story born of imagination was added to that silence. According to a legend handed down, during this period the bells flew to Rome, heard the news of the resurrection of Jesus, scattered that joy everywhere through the symbol of resurrection, the ‘egg’, and returned here ringing vigorously.

As time passed, real eggs were replaced by chocolate eggs, and they have become the protagonists of the season today. Like the Korean myth in which a bear ate garlic, became Ungnyeo, and gave birth to Dangun, the story of the ‘silent bells’ is also a bold narrative, but the difference is that in modern times the legend and capitalism interlock and live on with even greater completeness.

If you name the most important annual events in Korea, people generally recall Seollal and Chuseok. Placed at turning points of the seasons, Seollal has symbolized the start of the year, and Chuseok the completion of the harvest. In Belgium, Christmas and Easter perform that role. Rooting key axes that divide the flow of everyday life in religious tradition, people have marked the cycles of life. Easter, literally, is a day that commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. The narrative of resurrection after death is sufficiently symbolic even apart from religion, but in countries of the Catholic cultural sphere of Western Europe, especially in the southern region of Belgium, it has carried even greater meaning.

Today in Belgium the religious significance of Catholicism has somewhat faded compared with the past, yet it still continues naturally in many places such as schools, hospitals, local festivals, and everyday food culture.

The tale that began with the silent bells, and the egg and rabbit that symbolize life and fertility, merged with chocolate that expresses the identity of Belgians and took root as symbols of Easter. In addition, the custom of eating a meal that served as both breakfast and lunch after worship has developed into today the ‘Easter brunch’, enjoyed even by people with no religious ties. At tables laden with bread, soft-boiled eggs, charcuterie, and cheese, unhurried time with family unfolds, and when you see pastel-toned Easter decorations added to streets that were monochrome all winter, you can feel that, regardless of faith, people still live within that rhythm.

From early to mid-April, spring break, the so-called Easter break, begins across Belgium and in many other European countries. At this time many people head to the Alps for the last skiing of the season, while others move toward the North Sea following the warmer spring sunlight. It is a time when the end of winter and the beginning of spring meet. Easter, beyond its religious meaning, naturally overlaps with the feel of the season.

In that light, the blessing of Jesus seems to have continued for thousands of years. How great a grace it is that he returns not in another season but precisely in spring. He gives us chocolate, grants us ski trips and rest, and, like spring, shows another beginning and possibility; indeed Jesus is an icon of resurrection and hope regardless of time and place.

I suddenly wonder whether we may consume his sacred suffering and sorrow in this way. Personally I am a Buddhist, but for his love and mercy that have walked toward humanity, at this moment I can only give thanks to God the Father Jesus.

▶Choi Yoon-Jeong

Following the traces of her mother-in-law, a former chef who passed down the family name ‘Bourgeois’, she is currently planning and operating in Belgium a pop-up restaurant ‘tour-tour’ that weaves together travel and cooking. Instagram @choirigine