Today is the Russian Easter, or Pascha as it is more commonly known across Russian-speaking countries. Celebrated in most of Eastern Europe. It is a lively holiday that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the coming of Spring. These days in Russia, Pascha is more than a question of faith - it is a celebration [...]
In just about three weeks Christians will celebrate Easter, or Pascha as it is known in many Eastern European parts of the world. So what’s the difference? And why is Easter always celebrated on Sunday? This week, we explore Easter as a symbolic Salute to Spring. Pascha or Easter: East meets West [...]
Many holidays are different in the Russian and Western cultures with most of the differences coming from the fact that the two worlds used separate – the Gregorian and the Julian - calendars. There is Christmas (December 25th and January 7th) and New Year’s (January 1st and January 13th), as well as some other, not quite [...]
While Western Christians celebrated Easter on April 8, Eastern Christians have yet to prepare for this great holiday. This difference occurs because Orthodox Christians use the old Julian calendar, but Catholics and Protestants use the newer Gregorian one, named after Pope Gregory XIII who introduced it in 1582. Another interesting fact is that Russian Easter falls [...]
It’s time to get ready for Easter, the most important religious event for Christians and a great holiday for everyone. Celebration of Easter goes far beyond church and encompasses such household traditions as special greetings, meals, decorations and games. Most Easter customs are similar in different cultures. Egg Decorating and Hiding In [...]
Since old times Easter symbols have been eggs and Kulichi (Easter cakes). An egg is considered the most ancient pagan token of resurrection. Painted eggs are the traditional attribute of Easter breaking of the fast. The tradition of presenting painted eggs to the Day of Jesus Resurrection comes from very old times. By the twelfth century [...]
Easter is celebrated on 15 of April this year. On the first Easter day, as on Christmas, priests came to houses of the faithful and served public prayer. All relatives and friends visited to congratulate each other during this day. They were invited to the table to enjoy Easter dishes. The table groaned with food: ham, [...]
