The Resurrection of Christ – the largest Orthodox holiday, which is called Easter, marks the entire Christian part of the world’s population, which is almost two and a half billion people. There is no strictly certain day of celebration according to the calendar. So when and how is Easter being celebrated today in Russia, in Ukraine, in Belarus, in other countries? In ancient times there was much controversy over the establishment of the day of the celebration of Easter. And in different faiths Easter is celebrated not at the same time.
For the Orthodox, the celebration of Easter is determined by calculation. This is the nearest resurrection after the first spring full moon, after the day of the vernal equinox. Easter is a common holiday, but they celebrate it in different countries in their own way, although the main traditions, symbols and attributes are respected by all.
The most basic attribute at the celebration of Easter is, of course, the ICON OF THE CHRIST OF THE SAVIOR, because on this day the Sunday of Jesus Christ is celebrated. The icon of Christ the Savior symbolizes eternal life. Special importance during the celebration of Easter is attached to the Easter fire.
Easter candle is one of the most important attributes of the holiday. Standing in the service in the church, you need to hold a lit candle in your hands. It is good if you bring a burning candle to the house and light a hearth from it. This will be the consecration of your home. After the candle burns out, the candle end should be preserved all year. According to the legend of your house, all thunderstorms will be avoided.
The most famous and common symbols of Easter are: Easter, Easter cake and painted eggs. They are always set in the center of the holiday table. It is accepted that after Great Lent, eggs consecrated in the church should be the first meal.
On Easter Day, painted Easter eggs are of particular importance to the Orthodox. They are left in the church, they are served to the poor, they are exchanged when they meet with all their friends and relatives. Eggs are painted in different colors. Now there are even special, painted for church motifs, films that are put on an already boiled egg and when sinking into hot water tightly fit the egg. Outwardly, it looks like hand-painted. Russia has long had a tradition of making artistic eggs from sugar, chocolate, wood, glass, and even from gold and silver. They are often decorated with precious stones. Russian eggs “pysanky” were covered with intricate patterns, and sometimes they were painted kinds of icons, temples and whole scenes. Indeed, in the days before the 1917 revolution, Easter eggs were a special decoration of noble families, including the last Russian Tsar Nicholas. Every year the famous Romanian jeweler Faberge presented Easter eggs skillfully made of precious metals and stones.
By the way, most of these famous Faberge Easter eggs, costing incredible money, were exported abroad, but not so long ago were bought out and returned to Russia. But special importance is attached to the red color of Easter eggs. This color serves as a reminder to mankind about the blood of Christ the Savior spilled on the cross.
Easter eggs, consecrated in the church, are credited with great magical properties. For example, they consider that the house in which the Easter egg is kept, or when it will not be subjected to fire. In the old days, consecrated Easter eggs were patted on the back of livestock, before pasture in a field on pasture on the first grass after winter.
Many folk games are associated with Easter eggs. So for example – rolling eggs. Eggs were rolled from a hillock or on a special tray, and those eggs that were hit by a let-out egg were taken by the player. At such games were their champions, who per game scored on a bucket of eggs. It sometimes turned into real spectacles that attracted many viewers.
Easter cake is also a symbol of faith in Jesus Christ, because it symbolizes how Christ ate bread with the disciples so that they would believe in his resurrection. From here came the custom to keep Easter cakes at Easter in the church, leaving them there for the night. Easter cake, baked according to a special recipe, can last up to 40 days.
Easter cake
Curd Easter is also an indispensable symbol of Easter. Cottage cheese Easter is cottage cheese with sour cream, molded in the form of a pyramid, most often decorated with raisins or raisins. Usually, Easter is decorated by depicting on it a cross and the letters XB, which mean “Christ is Risen.” Easter is a kind of symbol of the Holy Sepulcher. Easter is substituted on the festive table of the “Easter lamb” in order to remind you that the time of the Old Testament victims is irretrievably gone.
They bake cakes, cook Easter and paint eggs on a clean Thursday – before Good Friday, and on the night from Saturday to Sunday they are taken to the Temple for consecration. After consecration, they bring it home and place it in the center of the table. Sanctified eggs, cakes are shared with relatives and neighbors.
The easter wreath or bouquet is popular in many places. According to legend, he is a symbol of eternal life. Since Easter is also a holiday of spring, they decorate their dwellings with bouquets of flowers and fir branches.
