Between March 24 and 31, Easter will be marked by every kind of festival, from the traditional (Rome, Seville, Cuzco) to the spectacular (Florence, Tobago) and the downright painful (San Fernando, San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Quito).
Two months later, Orthodox Christianity celebrates, too. In Corfu Town, locals will lob pottery out of windows; in Arachova in central Greece a strongman contest will take place along with a procession featuring an effigy of Saint George and uphill races only for the elderly.
Easter derives from the pagan festival "eastre" which marked the return of spring. Early Christians later grafted on to these proceedings the celebration of Christ's Resurrection - which is why the ancient pagan practices relating to fertility are still discernible in Easter eggs and bunnies. But whatever its roots, Christians the world over pull out all the stops for Easter. Here is a selection of the best celebrations.
Rome, Italy
March 24-31
The highlight of the week is the spectacular via Cruces procession on Good Friday (March 29). It begins at the Colosseum, led by the Pope bearing a wooden cross, and ends at the top of the Palatine Hill. Thousands light his way with torches.
Getting there: Fly Virgin Express (020-7744 0004) to Rome Fiumicino from London Heathrow via Brussels for £129 return. Recommended reading: The Italians by Luigi Barzini.
Seville, Spain
March 24-31
Citizens of each barrio (neighbourhood) parade religious statues, while men dressed as "Nazareno" in hoods, cloaks and sandals carry pasos (litters) weighing more than their own body weight for up to eight hours a day. The processions pause for saetas - flamenco dirges which are sung from windows by the city's finest musicians. Emotions run high.
Getting there: Magic Cities (020-8939 5439) offers a weekend package (three nights) from London Gatwick to Seville with British Airways for £653pp. Recommended reading: South from Granada by Gerald Brenan.
Quito, Ecuador
March 24-31
The backpacker haven of Quito forgets about tourists for a week of spectacular Easter processions in the streets of the old colonial centre. Townspeople dressed as Roman centurions whip the purple-robed and hooded penitents from religious brotherhoods to re-enact the sufferings of Christ.
Getting there: Fly Iberia Air (0845 6012854) direct to Quito from London Heathrow for £1,333 return. Recommended reading: Sweat of the Sun, Tears of the Moon: A Chronicle of an Incan Treasure by Peter Lourie.
Ayacucho, Peru
March 24-31
The inland city of Ayacucho, meanwhile, has a horse race around its main square. Torchlit processions of hooded penitents, spectacular floral carpets and street paintings also take place. But watch out for the pedlars selling local Indian delicacies. They include pimientos detonantes - seriously hot chillies.
Getting there: Fly Varig Airlines (0845 6037601) to Lima from London Heathrow for £690 return. A 45-minute flight connects to Ayacucho. Recommended reading: Mansio Serra De Leguizamon and the Conquest of the Incas by Stuart Stirling.
Cuzco, Peru
March 25
In the ancient Incan capital of Cuzco, Christ is also the patron saint of seismic activity. On Easter Monday, the Black Jesus statue is paraded around town just as Inca chieftain mummies were carried in pre-colonial times. The statue is then crowned with crimson nacchu flowers symbolising the blood of Christ. Interestingly, nacchu were also offered to the Inca's Supreme Being, Wiracocha, whose dedicated temple lies beneath the foundations of the present cathedral.
Getting there: Fly American Airlines via Expedia (0870 0500808) direct to Cuzco from London Heathrow for £1,316 return. Recommended reading: Inca Cola by Matthew Paris.
Buccoo, Tobago
March 26
All eyes turn to the south-east corner of the island, where the village of Buccoo has hosted the Goat Races since 1925. Boys sprint behind fleet-footed goats down the 100m racetrack to the roar of a betting crowd. Welcome to the Ascot of the Caribbean.
Getting there: Fly British Airways (0845 7733377) to Tobago from London Gatwick for £600 return.
Recommended reading: A House for Mr Biswas by VS Naipaul.
Verges, Girona
March 28
In Catalonia, Maundy Thursday's torchlit procession features five dancers dressed in luminescent skeleton costumes who perform La Dansa de La Mort (the dance of death).
Getting there: Fly Virgin Express (020-7744 0004) to Barcelona from London Heathrow for £115 return. Verges is about a 2-hour drive from Barcelona. Recommended reading: Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell.
San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Spain
March 28-29
The heart of La Rioja, Spain's best wine-producing region, retains a medieval tradition outlawed elsewhere in Spain in the 18th century. Penitents from a particularly zealous brotherhood dress in white hooded habits with holes in the back. They then cover their skin in wax sprinkled with glass fragments before parading by torchlight, whipping themselves with flax switches.
Getting there: Fly Go (0870 6076543) to Bilbao from London Stansted for £260 return. San Vicente is a two-hour drive from Bilbao. Recommended reading: Spain by Jan Morris.
Iguig Calvary Hills, Philippines
March 29
The 14 stations of the cross are depicted by a wailing procession covering 11 hectares of rolling terrain near Iguig, Cayagan, in which suffering is etched on the faces of the participants.
Getting there: Fly Singapore Airlines (020-8563 6767) to Manila from London Heathrow for £675 return. Iguig in Cagayan province is a three-hour drive from Manila. Recommended reading: A Short History of the Philippines by Teodoro Agoncillo.
San Pedro Cutud, Philippines
March 29
Not far from the buzzing capital, Manila, the town of San Pedro Cutud takes its remembrance of Good Friday to astonishing levels of piety. During the Passion procession, at least three penitents bear heavy, wooden crosses to Calvary Hill where they are nailed to a cross and crucified - without being killed. Thousands turn up to watch this bloody spectacle.
Getting there: Fly Singapore Airlines (020-8563 6767) to Manila from London Heathrow for £675 return. San Pedro Cutud is two hours' drive north of Manila. Recommended reading: Playing with Water by James Hamilton-Paterson.
Prizzi, Sicily
March 31
In the barren hinterland of western Sicily, two iron-masked devils accompanied by "Death" take up pitchforks at dawn and rampage through the streets of Prizzi. But before they can prevent the risen Christ from finding his mother, they are dramatically slain by angels. Once good has triumphed over evil, everyone sits down to a fine family feast.
Getting there: Fly Meridiana (020-7839 2222) to Palermo from London Gatwick from £200 return. Prizzi is about a two-hour drive from Palermo. Recommended reading: The Golden Honeycomb by Vincent Cronin.
Florence, Italy
March 31
On Easter Sunday a cart pulled by two white oxen arrives at the Piazza del Duomo, accompanied by costumed revellers. A holy fire, kindled from shards said to come from Jerusalem's church of the Holy Sepulchre, lights the sacred dove-shaped Colombina rocket during mass. The rocket zooms out of the cathedral along a wire, sets fire to the huge array of fireworks attached to the cart and returns to the church. If the explosions are spectacular enough, the Florentines are blessed in business and good health for another year.
Getting there: Fly via Ebookers (0870 0107000) to Florence from London Gatwick for £112 return. Recommended reading: The Tuscan Year by Elizabeth Romer.
Villaralto, Cordoba
March 31
Jesus takes a back seat in Villaralto, near Cordoba, Andalucia. Instead, effigies of Judas hang from balconies on every street. On Easter Sunday, after breakfasting on hot chocolate and doughnut twists, the townspeople attend church. With the Lord resurrected once more, the Judas effigies are ripped to shreds and everybody celebrates the demise of the traitor.
Getting there: Fly Virgin Express (020-7744 0004) to Malaga from London Heathrow for £156 return. Villaralto is about 2 hours away by car. Recommended reading: Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart.
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
March 31
This colonial town in Guanajuato also celebrates Easter with effigies of Judas Iscariot. The papier-mché figures are stuffed with straw then set alight in the Garden Square to a crescendo of firecrackers.
Getting there: Fly KLM (0870 0500808) to Mexico City from London Heathrow for £496 return. San Miguel is a four-hour drive from Mexico City. Recommended reading: The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene.
Sulmona, Italy March 31
On Easter Sunday in a town in Abruzzo, local people re-enact the Virgin Mary's discovery that her son has been brought back to life. The risen Christ, Saint John and Saint Peter (three enormous statues) are carried on litters into Piazza Garibaldi. On seeing her son, Mary "runs" frantically towards him (putting great strain on the friars bearing her up), throws off her black shroud and reveals a splendid green vestiture and the reborn hope in her heart. As the Virgin starts to run, 12 doves are released into the sky above the packed square.
Getting there: Fly Ryanair (0870 1569569) to Ancona from London Stansted for £179 return. Sulmona is a three-hour drive away. Recommended reading: Love and War in the Apennines by Eric Newby.
Patmos, Greece
April 28-May 5
On the sun-soaked island of Patmos, where Saint John is said to have completed the Book of Revelations, the monks parade through the main town of Chora on each day of Holy Week. On Easter Sunday, red eggs symbolising the blood of Christ (and the return of spring) are distributed to the crowd.
Getting there: Fly Easyjet (0870 6000000) to Athens from London Luton for £279 return. Patmos is a four-hour journey from Athens by boat to Patmos via Rhodes. Recommended reading: Mani by Patrick Leigh Fermor.
· See whatsonwhen.com's Easter pages for more information on these and other Easter events.
