Orthodox Easter
Orthodox Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, believed by Christians to be the son of God, on the third day after his crucifixion and burial. It is perhaps the holiest of all Christian holidays.
Orthodox Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, believed by Christians to be the son of God, on the third day after his crucifixion and burial. It is perhaps the holiest of all Christian holidays.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer URLNames: Orthodox Easter, Pascha, Resurrection Sunday
Pronunciation: PAH-sha
Orthodox Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, believed by Christians to be the son of God, on the third day after his crucifixion and burial. It is perhaps the holiest of all Christian holidays.
Origin
According to Christian belief, on the third day after being crucified and buried, Jesus rose from the grave and appeared to his disciples. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to Christianity, fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament.
The earliest recorded observance of Easter occurred in the 2nd century.
When it is celebrated
Orthodox Easter takes place according to the Julian calendar, rather than the more modern Gregorian calendar used by most western countries. It is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following Passover and typically occurs between April 4 to May 8.
Who observes this holiday
Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and other Eastern Orthodoxy churches celebrate Orthodox Easter. These churches originated in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Macedonia, Romania and Russia.
Traditions
Church services on Easter Sunday are joyous, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is also a time for family gatherings. Lamb, a prominent symbol within Christianity, is often a centerpiece of the meal. Eggs figure prominently in meals and traditions, as a symbol of Jesus’s rebirth. Hard-boiled eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Christ.
About Jesus Christ
In the Christian religion, Jesus Christ is the son of God, representing him on earth. He was born to Mary by immaculate conception, so that he could teach, suffer, and die for people’s sins. Not much is known of his childhood, but it is believed he was a carpenter by trade, until John the Baptist met him and recognized him as the son of God. In time, Jesus attracted disciples, with whom he traveled spreading the word of God. He is believed to have performed miracles including turning water into wine, and healing the ill. While many people became followers of Jesus, others felt threatened by him—and eventually he was betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas. He was tried and condemned, then tortured and crucified. He rose from the tomb where he was buried after three days—a last miracle that is celebrated on Easter Sunday.