I Go to the Orthodox ChurchFestivals: Easter |
The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the Julian Calendar to calculate when Easter is, instead of the more modern Gregorian Calendar used by other Christians. This year Easter in the Orthodox Church is on May 1st - other Christians celebrated Easter on March 27th. In 2006 Easter Sunday will fall on April 23rd. Easter is the most important festival of the year. We celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead and his gift of eternal life to each of us. |
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We go to church in the middle of the night, just before midnight. Everything is dark. We leave the church and go round it in a procession carrying icons and holding candles. We sing very quietly: "The angels in heaven O Christ our Saviour sing of your resurrection. Enable us on earth to glorify you in purity of heart". This procession reminds us of the women going to the tomb of Christ to anoint his body with myrrh and spices. They found the tomb empty and angels telling them that Christ had risen from the dead. When we come back to the church we hear a loud shout "Christ is Risen!". Everything is brightly lit, the bells are ringing, and everyone keeps shouting "Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!" |
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At Easter we have lots of good things to eat, including red painted eggs. We prepare for Easter with a long fast called Lent so it is good to eat all the food we have not eaten during the fast. |
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