Easter in Russia, as in other countries, is a holiday of holidays, a celebration of celebrations. But today the world is changing rapidly, and most importantly, what remains unchanged is fading into the background. Rarely today do young people, especially in big cities, understand the meaning of Easter, go to confession and sincerely support age-old traditions. But Easter is the main thing that brings light and joy to entire nations, to the families and soul of every believer.
What is "Easter"?
Christians understand the word “Easter” as “the passage from death to life, from earth to heaven.” Believers observe strict fasting for forty days and celebrate Easter in honor of Jesus' victory over death.
Pronounced "Pesach" (Hebrew word) and means "passed by, passed by." The roots of this word go back to the history of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.
The New Testament says that the destroyer will pass by from those who accept Jesus.
In some languages the word is pronounced like this - “Piskha”. This is an Aramaic name that spread to some European languages and is still preserved today.
No matter how the word is pronounced, the essence of Easter does not change; for all believers this is the most important celebration. A bright holiday that brings joy and hope to the hearts of believers all over the Earth.
The history of the holiday before the birth of Christ, or Old Testament Easter
The holiday originated long before the birth of Christ, but the significance of the Passover holiday in those days was very great for the Jewish people.
History says that the Jews were once held captive by the Egyptians. Slaves suffered a lot of bullying, misfortune and oppression from their masters. But faith in God, hope for salvation and the mercy of God always lived in their hearts.
One day a man named Moses came to them, who and his brother were sent to their salvation. The Lord chose Moses to enlighten the Egyptian Pharaoh and deliver the Jewish people from slavery.
But no matter how hard Moses tried to convince Pharaoh to let the people go, they were not given freedom. The Egyptian pharaoh and his people did not believe in God, worshiping only their own deities and relying on the help of sorcerers. To prove the existence and power of the Lord, nine terrible plagues were visited on the Egyptian people. No bloody rivers, no toads, no midges, no flies, no darkness, no thunder - none of this could have happened if the ruler had let the people and their cattle go.
The last, tenth plague, like the previous ones, punished Pharaoh and his people, but did not affect the Jews. Moses warned that each family should kill a one-year-old, virgin male lamb. Smear the doors of your houses with the blood of the animal, bake a lamb and eat it with the whole family.
At night, all the first-born males in houses among people and animals were killed. Only the houses of the Jews, where there was a blood mark, were not affected by the disaster. Since then, “Easter” means past, past.
This execution greatly frightened the pharaoh, and he released the slaves with all their herds. The Jews went to the sea, where the water opened up, and they calmly walked along the bottom. Pharaoh wanted to break his promise again and rushed after them, but the water swallowed him up.
Jews began to celebrate the liberation from slavery and the passage of executions by their families, calling the holiday Easter. The history and significance of Easter are captured in the Bible's book of Exodus.
Easter according to the New Testament
On Israeli soil, Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary, who was destined to save human souls from the slavery of hell. At the age of thirty, Jesus began preaching, telling people about the laws of God. But three years later he was crucified along with others disliked by the authorities on a cross that was installed on Mount Golgotha. This happened after the Jewish Passover, on Friday, which was later dubbed Passion. This event adds new meaning, traditions and attributes to the meaning of the Easter holiday.
Christ, like a lamb, was slain, but his bones remained intact, and this became His sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
A little more history
The day before the crucifixion, on Thursday, took place where Jesus presented the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. Since then, the meaning of Easter has not changed, but the Eucharist has become the new Easter meal.
At first the holiday was weekly. Friday was a day of sorrow and Sunday was a day of joy.
In 325, at the First Ecumenical Council, the date for the celebration of Easter was determined - on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. The Russian Orthodox Church uses To calculate what day Easter falls in a particular year, you need to make a rather complex calculation. But for ordinary lay people, a calendar of holiday dates has been compiled for decades in advance.
Over the long period of existence of the holiday, it has acquired traditions, which are still followed in families, and signs.
Lent
Easter in Russia is one of the main holidays, even for those people who very rarely go to church. Today, in the era of high technology and urbanization, among generations who prefer the computer to face-to-face communication, the church is slowly losing its power over the hearts and souls of people. But almost everyone, regardless of age and strength of faith, knows what Lent is.
Older generations in families pass on traditions. Rarely does anyone decide to adhere to the entire fast; more often than not, only in the last week do people somehow follow the rules.
For 40 days, believers must eat without eating animal products (and on some days fasting is stricter), not drink alcohol, pray, confess, take communion, do good, and not slander.
Lent ends. The Easter service has a special meaning and scope. In modern Russia, services are broadcast live on central channels. In every church, even the smallest village, candles are lit all night and chants are sung. Millions of parishioners all over the country stay up all night, pray, attend services, light candles, and bless food and water. And the fast ends on Sunday, after everything has been done, those who fast sit down at the table and celebrate Easter.
Easter greeting
From childhood, we teach children that when greeting a person on this holiday, you need to say: “Christ is Risen!” And answer these words: “Truly He is Risen!” To find out more about what this is connected with, you need to turn to the Bible.
The essence of Easter is the passage of Jesus to his Father. The story goes that Jesus was crucified and his body was taken down from the cross and buried. The coffin is a cave carved out of the rock, closed with a huge stone. The bodies of the dead (there were also victims) were wrapped in fabrics and rubbed with incense. But they did not have time to perform the ritual with the body of Jesus, since according to Jewish laws, working on the Sabbath is strictly prohibited.
Women - followers of Christ - on Sunday morning went to his tomb to perform the ritual themselves. An angel came down to them and told them that Christ had risen. Easter from now on will be the third day - the day of the resurrection of Christ.
Entering the tomb, the women were convinced of the words of the angel and conveyed this message to the apostles. And they told this good news to everyone. All believers and non-believers had to know that the impossible had happened, what Jesus said had happened - Christ had risen.
Easter: traditions of different countries
In many countries around the world, believers paint eggs and bake Easter cakes. There are a lot of recipes for Easter cakes, and in different countries they also differ in shape. Of course, this is not the essence of Easter, but these are traditions that have accompanied the holiday for many centuries.
In Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine they “fight” with colored eggs.
In Greece, on the Friday before Easter, working with a hammer and nails is considered a great sin. At midnight from Saturday to Sunday, after the solemn service, when the priest proclaims “Christ is Risen!”, the night sky is illuminated by a grandiose fireworks display.
In the Czech Republic, on the Monday following Easter Sunday, girls are whipped as a compliment. And they can pour water on the young man.
Australians make chocolate Easter eggs and figurines of various animals.
Ukrainian Easter eggs are called "pysanky". Children are given clean white eggs as a symbol of their long and bright path in life. And for the elderly - dark eggs with a complex pattern, as a sign that there were many difficulties in their lives.
Easter in Russia brings light and miracles to the homes of believers. Blessed Easter eggs are often credited with miraculous powers. On Sunday morning, when washing, a consecrated egg is placed in a basin of water, and each family member should wash with it, rubbing their cheeks and forehead.
The red Easter egg has a special symbolism. In Greece, red is the color of sorrow. The red eggs symbolize the tomb of Jesus, while the broken ones represent open tombs and the Resurrection.
Signs for Easter
Each nation has its own unique signs associated with this day. doesn’t always believe in them, but it’s interesting to know about it.
Some peoples consider it a good omen to swim in a spring on Easter night and bring this water into the house.
On the eve of Easter, people clean up their homes, cook and bake, but in many countries it is considered a sin to work on Saturday. In Poland, Easter omens prohibit housewives from working on Friday, otherwise the entire village will be left without a harvest.
“If in this life only we hope in Christ,
then we are the most pitiful of all people! (1 Cor. 15:19).
It would seem that the meaning of Easter - as we usually call our main holiday - is quite transparent. Alas! Experience tells a different story. I will give only two of the most typical examples.
A lesson in one “Orthodox gymnasium”. Wanting to identify the level of knowledge of the children, I ask: “How did Christ and the apostles celebrate Easter?” – A reasonable answer follows: “They ate Easter cakes and colored eggs”! There is nothing to object to this! What about the adults?
Easter night breaking of fasts in one church. Indeed, we eat eggs and Easter cakes (and not only). “Suddenly” an important thought occurs to one already middle-aged singer, and he turns in confusion to the priest (with a theological education). “Father! So we sing and sing "Christ is Risen!", and we call the holiday “Easter”! So, after all, Jews celebrate Easter, but do not believe in Christ at all! Why is that?!"
This is no exception: then What Since childhood, we perceive it at the everyday level as some kind of beautiful ritual, it seems to us self-evident and does not require study.
Let’s give ourselves an “Easter lesson” and ask: what associations does the Easter greeting “Christ is Risen!” give rise to in our minds? - “Truly he is risen!”
A night religious procession with candles, everyone will immediately answer, joyful singing and mutual kisses. Dishes familiar from childhood appear on the home table - red and painted eggs, rosy Easter cakes, vanilla-scented Easter cottage cheese.
Yes, but this is only the external attributes of the holiday, a thoughtful Christian will object. – And I want to know why our holiday of the Resurrection of Christ is usually called the Hebrew word “Easter”? What is the connection between Jewish and Christian Passover? Why did the Savior of the world, from whose birthday humanity begins to count the New Era, have to die and be resurrected? Couldn't the all-good God have established New Union (Covenant) with people differently? What is the symbolism of our Easter services and holiday rituals?
The historical and symbolic basis of the Jewish Passover is the epic events of the book of Exodus. It tells about the four-century period of Egyptian slavery, in which the Jewish people were oppressed by the pharaohs, and the wonderful drama of their liberation. Nine punishments (“plagues of Egypt”) were brought down on the country by the prophet Moses, but only the tenth made the cruel heart of the pharaoh soften, who did not want to lose the slaves who were building new cities for him. It was the defeat of the Egyptian firstborns, which was followed by the “exodus” from the House of Slavery. At night, while waiting for the exodus to begin, the Israelites eat their first Passover meal. The head of each family, having slaughtered a one-year-old lamb (lamb or kid), anoints the doorposts with its blood (Ex. 12:11), and the animal itself, baked on the fire, is eaten, but so that its bones are not broken.
“Eat it this way: let your loins be girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staffs in your hands, and eat it with haste: this is the Passover of the Lord. And this very night I will walk through the land of Egypt and will strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to beast, and will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. And your blood will be a sign on the houses where you are; and I will see the blood and pass by you, and there will be no destructive plague among you when I strike the land of Egypt” (Ex. 12:11-13).
So on the night of the first spring full moon (from the 14/15th month of Abib, or Nisan) in the 2nd half of the 13th century before the birth of Christ, the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt took place, which became the most important event in Old Testament history. And Easter, which coincided with deliverance, became an annual holiday - a remembrance of the exodus. The very name “Easter” (Heb. P e sah- “passage”, “mercy”) indicates that dramatic moment (“tenth plague”) when the angel of the Lord, striking Egypt, seeing the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts of Jewish houses, passed by And spared the firstborn of Israel (Ex. 12:13).
Subsequently, the historical character of Easter began to be expressed by special prayers and a story about its events, as well as a ritual meal consisting of lamb meat, bitter herbs and sweet salad, which symbolizes the bitterness of Egyptian slavery and the sweetness of newfound freedom. Unleavened bread reminds us of hasty preparations. Four cups of wine accompany the Easter meal at home.
The night of the exodus became the second birth of the Israeli people, the beginning of its independent history. The final salvation of the world and victory over the “spiritual slavery of Egypt” will be accomplished in the future by God’s Anointed One from the line of King David - the Messiah, or, in Greek, Christ. This is how all the biblical kings were called at first, but the question of who would be the last in their ranks remained open. Therefore, every Passover night the Israelites waited for the appearance of the Messiah.
Performance: “Heavenly Easter”
“With all my heart I wished to eat this Passover with you
before My suffering! I’m telling you, I won’t eat it anymore,
until it is accomplished in the Kingdom of God" (Luke 22:15-16)
The Messiah-Christ, who came to deliver all people from the spiritual “slavery of Egypt,” takes part in the Jewish “Passover of expectation.” He completes it by fulfilling the Divine plan inherent in it, and thereby abolishes it. At the same time, the nature of the relationship between God and man changes radically: having fulfilled his destiny temporary Union God bless one the people become “old” (“obsolete”), and Christ replaces them New - And eternal! –Union-Covenant with everyone humanity. During His last Passover at the Last Supper, Jesus Christ utters words and performs actions that change the meaning of the holiday. He Himself takes the place of the Passover sacrifice, and the old Passover becomes the Passover of the new Lamb, slain for the purification of people once and for all. Christ institutes a new Easter meal - the sacrament of the Eucharist - and tells the disciples about His imminent death as an Easter sacrifice, in which He is the New Lamb, slain “from the foundation of the world.” Soon He will descend into gloomy Sheol (Hades) and, together with all the people waiting for Him there, will accomplish a great Exodus from the kingdom of death to the shining Kingdom of His Father. It is not surprising that the main prototypes of the Calvary sacrifice are found in the ritual of the Old Testament Easter.
The Passover lamb (lamb) of the Jews was “male, without blemish” and was sacrificed on the afternoon of the 14th of Nisan. It was at this time that the Savior died on the cross. Those executed had to be buried before dark, so the Roman soldiers, in order to speed up their death, broke the legs of two robbers who were crucified with the Lord. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, and they did not break His legs<...>. For this happened in fulfillment of the Scripture: “Let not His bone be broken” (John 19:33, 36). Moreover, the very preparation of the Paschal lamb was a prototype of the Savior’s death on the cross: the animal was “crucified” on two cross-shaped stakes, one of which ran along the ridge, and the front legs were tied to the other.
This deepest relationship between the old and new Easter, their concentration (the abolition of one and the beginning of the other) in the person of Jesus Christ explains why His holiday Resurrection retains the Old Testament name Easter. “Our Passover is Christ sacrificed,” says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 5:7). Thus, in the new Easter, the final completion of the Divine plan for the restoration of fallen (“old”) man to his original, “paradise” dignity took place—his salvation. “The Old Easter is celebrated because of the salvation of the short-term life of the Jewish firstborn, and the new Easter is celebrated because of the granting of eternal life to all people,” this is how St. John Chrysostom succinctly defines the relationship between these two celebrations of the Old and New Testaments.
Easter is a forty-day holiday
The Day of the Bright Resurrection of Christ - as “a holiday and a triumph of celebrations” (Easter chant) - requires special preparation from Christians and is therefore preceded by Great Lent. The modern Orthodox Easter (night) service begins with the Lenten Midnight Office in the church, which then turns into a solemn procession of the cross, symbolizing the myrrh-bearing women who walked to the Savior’s Tomb in the pre-dawn darkness (Luke 24:1; John 20:1) and were informed of His resurrection in front of the entrance to the tomb cave. Therefore, the festive Easter Matins begins in front of the closed doors of the church, and the bishop or priest leading the service symbolizes the angel who rolled away the stone from the doors of the Tomb.
Joyful Easter greetings end for many on the third day or with the end of Easter week. At the same time, people perceive Easter greetings with surprise and embarrassedly clarify: “Happy belated Easter?” This is a common misconception among non-church people.
It should be remembered that Bright Week does not end the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. The celebration of this greatest event for us in world history continues for forty days (in memory of the forty-day stay on earth of the Risen Lord) and ends with the “Giving of Easter” - a solemn Easter service on the eve of the Ascension. Here is another indication of the superiority of Easter over other Christian celebrations, none of which are celebrated by the Church for more than fourteen days. “Easter rises above other holidays, like the Sun above the stars,” St. Gregory the Theologian reminds us (Conversation 19).
"Christ is Risen!" - “Truly he is risen!” - we greet each other for forty days.
Lit.:Men A., prot. Son of Man. M., 1991 (Part III, Chapter 15: “Easter of the New Testament”); Ruban Yu. Easter (Bright Resurrection of Christ). L., 1991; Ruban Yu. Easter. Bright Resurrection of Christ (History, worship, traditions) / Scientific. ed. prof. Archimandrite Iannuariy (Ivliev). Ed. 2nd, corrected and supplemented. SPb.: Publishing house. Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” on Shpalernaya Street, 2014.
Yu. Ruban
Questions about Easter
What does the word "Easter" mean?
The word “Passover” (Pesach) literally translated from Hebrew means: “passing by”, “transition”.
In Old Testament times, this name was associated with the exodus of the sons from Egypt. Since the ruling pharaoh opposed God’s plan to leave Egypt, God, admonishing him, began to successively bring down a series of disasters on the country of the pyramids (later these disasters were called “plagues of Egypt”).
The last, most terrifying disaster, according to God's plan, was to break the stubbornness of Pharaoh, finally suppress resistance, and induce him to finally submit to the Divine will.
The essence of this last execution was that all the firstborn among the Egyptians had to die, starting from the firstborn of cattle and ending with the firstborn of the ruler himself ().
A special angel had to carry out this execution. In order to prevent it from striking the firstborn along with the Egyptians and Israelites, the Jews had to anoint the doorposts and lintels of their homes with the blood of a sacrificial lamb (). That's what they did. The angel, seeing houses marked with sacrificial blood, walked around them, “passed by.” Hence the name of the event: Easter (Pesach) - passing by.
In a broader interpretation, the holiday of Passover is associated with the Exodus in general. This event was preceded by the offering and consumption of Passover sacrificial lambs by the entire community of Israel (at the rate of one lamb per family; if a particular family was small, it had to unite with its neighbors ()).
The Old Testament Passover lamb prefigured the New Testament, Christ. Saint John the Baptist called Christ the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. The Apostles also called the Lamb, by Whose Blood we were redeemed ().
After the Resurrection of Christ, Easter, among Christianity, began to be called a Holiday dedicated to this event. In this case, the philological meaning of the word “Easter” (transition, passage) received a different interpretation: the transition from death to life (and if we extend it to Christians, then as a transition from sin to holiness, from life outside of God to life in the Lord).
Little Easter is sometimes called Sunday.
In addition, the Lord Himself is also called Easter ().
Why do they celebrate Easter if Easter was celebrated before the birth of Jesus Christ?
During the Old Testament, the Jews, following Divine will (), celebrated Easter in memory of their exit from Egypt. Egyptian slavery became one of the darkest pages in the history of the chosen people. Celebrating Passover, the Jews thanked the Lord for the great mercies and blessings He had shown associated with the events of the Exodus period ().
Christians, celebrating Easter, remember and glorify the Resurrection, which crushed, trampled death, and gave all people the hope of a future resurrection into eternal blissful life.
Despite the fact that the content of the Jewish Passover holiday is different from the content of Christ's Passover, the similarity in names is not the only thing that connects and unites them. As you know, many things, events, and persons of the Old Testament served as prototypes of New Testament things, events, and persons. The Old Testament Passover lamb served as a prototype of the New Testament Lamb, Christ (), and the Old Testament Passover served as a prototype of Christ's Passover.
We can say that the symbolism of the Jewish Passover was realized at the Passover of Christ. The most important features of this educational connection are the following: just as through the blood of the Passover lamb the Jews were saved from the destructive action of the destroying angel (), so we are saved by the Blood (); just as the Old Testament Passover contributed to the liberation of the Jews from captivity and slavery to Pharaoh (), so the Sacrifice of the Cross of the New Testament Lamb contributed to the liberation of man from slavery to demons, from the captivity of sin; just as the blood of the Old Testament lamb contributed to the closest unification of the Jews (), so the Communion of the Blood and Body of Christ contributes to the unity of believers into one Body of the Lord (); just as the consumption of the ancient lamb was accompanied by the eating of bitter herbs (), so Christian life is filled with the bitterness of hardship, suffering, and deprivation.
How is the date of Easter calculated? Why is it celebrated on different days?
According to Jewish religious tradition, during the Old Testament, the Lord's Passover was celebrated annually on the 14th of the month of Nissan (). On this day the slaughter of the Easter sacrificial lambs took place ().
From the Gospel narrative it convincingly follows that the date of the Passion of the Cross and death chronologically corresponded to the time of the onset of the Jewish Passover ().
From then until the Lord Jesus Christ, all people, dying, descended in souls into. The path to the Kingdom of Heaven was closed to man.
From the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, it is known that there was a special area in hell - Abraham's bosom (). The souls of those Old Testament people who especially pleased the Lord and... fell into this area. How contrasting the difference between their state and the state of sinners was, we see from the content of the same parable ().
Sometimes the concept of “Abraham’s bosom” is also referred to the Kingdom of Heaven. And, for example, in the iconography of the Last Judgment, the image of the “womb...” is used as one of the most common and significant symbols of Paradise dwellings.
But this, of course, does not mean that even before the Savior’s crushing, the righteous were in Paradise (Christ’s victory over hell took place after His Passion on the Cross and death, when He, being body in the tomb, descended in Soul to the underworld of the earth ()).
Although the righteous did not experience the severe suffering and torment that the fierce villains experienced, they were not involved in the indescribable bliss that they began to experience upon their liberation from hell and elevation to the Glorious Heavenly Villages.
We can say that in a sense, Abraham's womb served as a prototype of Paradise. Hence the tradition of using this image in relation to the Heavenly Paradise opened by Christ. Now everyone who seeks can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
At what point in the service on Saturday does Holy Day end and Easter begin?
On Saturday evening, usually an hour or half an hour before midnight, as the abbot decides, a feast day is celebrated in churches. Despite the fact that in separate manuals the sequence of this service is printed together with the celebration of Holy Pascha, according to the Charter, it also refers to the Lenten Triodion.
The vigil before Easter emphasizes the importance and significance of the expectations of the coming Triumph. At the same time, it recalls the vigil of the people of God (sons) on the night before their exit from Egypt (we emphasize that the Old Testament Easter, which prefigured the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, was connected with this event).
In continuation of the Midnight Office, incense is performed around, after which the priest, lifting it on the head, takes it away (Face to the East) into (through the Royal Doors). The shroud is placed on, after which incense is performed around it.
At the end of this service, it happens (to commemorate how they walked, with aromas, to the Tomb of the Savior), and then Easter is celebrated.
At the end of the procession, believers stand with reverence in front of the temple gates, as if before the Holy Sepulcher.
Here the rector begins Matins: “Glory to the Saints...”. After this, the air is filled with the sounds of the festive troparion: “Christ is risen from the dead”...
In the Orthodox community, there is an opinion that if a person died on Easter day, then his ordeal is easier. Is this a popular belief or church practice, tradition?
We believe that in different cases such a “coincidence” may have a different interpretation.
On the one hand, we understand well that God is always open to His () and (); the only important thing is that the person himself strives for unity with God and the Church.
On the other hand, we cannot deny that on the days of the Main Holidays of the Church, and, of course, during the Easter Celebrations, the unity of believers with God is manifested in a special way. Let us note that on such days the churches are (often) filled even with those Christians who are very far from regularly participating in church services.
We think that sometimes death on Easter can indicate special mercy towards a person (for example, if a saint of God dies on this day); however, considerations of this kind cannot be elevated to the rank of an unconditional rule (this can lead to superstition).
Why is it customary to paint eggs at Easter? What colors are acceptable? Is it possible to decorate Easter eggs with stickers with icons? What is the correct way to deal with shells from blessed eggs?
The custom of believers to greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!” and giving each other colored eggs goes back to ancient times.
Tradition firmly connects this tradition with the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Marina Magdalene, who, according to , went to Rome, where, having met Emperor Tiberius, she began her mission with the words “Christ is Risen!”, giving him, at the same time, a red egg.
Why did she give the egg? The egg is a symbol of life. Just as from under a seemingly dead shell life is born, which is hidden until time, so from the tomb, a symbol of decay and death, Christ the Giver of Life rose, and one day all the dead will rise.
Why was the egg given to the emperor by Marina Magdalene red? On the one hand, the color red symbolizes joy and triumph. On the other hand, red is a symbol of blood. We are all redeemed from a vain life by the Blood of the Savior shed on the Cross ().
Thus, by giving eggs to each other and greeting each other with the words “Christ is risen!”, Orthodox Christians profess faith in the Crucified and Risen One, in the triumph of Life over death, the victory of Truth over evil.
It is assumed that in addition to the above reason, the first Christians painted eggs the color of blood not without the intention of imitating the Old Testament Easter ritual of the Jews, who smeared the doorposts and crossbars of the doors of their houses with the blood of sacrificial lambs (doing this according to the word of God, in order to avoid the defeat of the firstborn from the Destroying Angel) () .
Over time, other colors became established in the practice of coloring Easter eggs, for example, blue (blue), reminiscent of, or green, symbolizing rebirth to eternal blissful life (spiritual spring).
Nowadays, the color for dyeing eggs is often chosen not based on its symbolic meaning, but on the basis of personal aesthetic preferences and personal imagination. Hence the large number of colors, even unpredictable ones.
It is important to remember here: the color of Easter eggs should not be mournful or gloomy (after all, Easter is a great Holiday); in addition, it should not be too provocative or pretentious.
It happens that Easter eggs are decorated with stickers with icons. Is such a “tradition” appropriate? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to take into account: an icon is not a picture; this is a Christian shrine. And it should be treated exactly like a shrine.
It is customary to pray to God and His saints in front of icons. However, if the sacred image is applied to an eggshell, which will be peeled off and then, perhaps, thrown into a garbage pit, then it is obvious that the “icon” can also end up in the trash along with the shell. It seems that it won’t be long before blasphemy and sacrilege.
True, some, fearing to anger God, try not to throw the shells of consecrated eggs into the trash: they either burn them or bury them in the ground. This practice is acceptable, but how appropriate is it to burn or bury the faces of saints?
How and for how long is Easter celebrated?
Easter holiday is the oldest church holiday. It was established back in . Thus, Paul, inspiring his brothers in faith to a worthy, reverent celebration of the Day of the Resurrection of Christ, said: “Cleanse out the old leaven, so that you may be a new dough, since you are unleavened, for our Passover, Christ, was sacrificed for us” ().
It is known that the early Christian one united under the name Easter two weeks adjacent to each other: the one preceding the day of the Resurrection of the Lord and the following. Moreover, the first of the designated weeks corresponded to the name “Easter of Suffering” (“Easter of the Cross”), while the second corresponded to the name “Easter of the Resurrection.”
After the First Ecumenical Council (held in 325 in Nicaea), these names were forced out of church use. The week preceding the day of the Resurrection of the Lord was given the name “Passionate”, and the week following it – “Bright”. The name “Easter” was established after the Day of the Resurrection of the Redeemer.
Divine services during Bright Week are filled with special solemnity. Sometimes the entire week is referred to as one Bright Feast of Easter.
In this Christian tradition one can see a connection with the Old Testament, according to which the holiday of the (Jewish) Passover was combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted from the 15th to the 21st of the month of Nissan (on the one hand, this holiday, celebrated annually, was supposed to remind the sons of the events of the exodus of their people from Egypt; on the other hand, it was associated with the beginning of the harvest).
In the continuation of Bright Week, worship is carried out with the doors wide open - in commemoration of the fact that, through the Resurrection, victory over death, the gates of Heaven were opened to people.
Easter is celebrated on Wednesday of the 6th week, in accordance with the fact that before His Day, the Lord who rose from the Tomb, walking on the earth, showed himself to people, testifying to His Resurrection.
There are six weeks in total until the day of Easter: the first is Easter; second - Fomina; the third - the holy myrrh-bearing women; the fourth is about the paralytic; the fifth is about the Samaritan woman; the sixth is about a blind man.
During this period, the Divine dignity of Christ is especially glorified, the miracles He performed are remembered (see: ), confirming that He is not just a Righteous Man, but God Incarnate, Who Resurrected Himself, trampling death, crushing the gates of the kingdom of death - for our sake .
Is it possible to congratulate people of other faiths on Easter?
Easter of Christ is the most solemn and great Feast of the Universal Church (according to the metaphorical statement of the Holy Fathers, it is as superior to all other Church Holidays as the radiance of the sun surpasses the radiance of the stars).
Thus, Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, visiting Rome, greeted the pagan emperor Tiberius with precisely this proclamation. “Christ is risen!” she told him, and presented him with a red egg as a gift.
Another thing is that not every non-religious (or atheist) is ready to react to Easter greetings (if not with joy, then at least) calmly. In some cases, this kind of greeting can provoke irritation, rage, violence and anger.
Therefore, sometimes, instead of an Easter greeting to this or that person, it is appropriate to literally fulfill the words of Jesus Christ: “Do not give what is holy to dogs and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces” ().
Here it is good to take into account the experience of the Apostle Paul, who, by his own admission, preaching the faith of Christ, tried to adapt to the circumstances and psychological state of people, being for the Jews - like a Jew, for the sake of gaining the Jews; for those under the law - as under the law, for the sake of acquiring those under the law; for those who are strangers to the law - as a stranger to the law (without being, however, himself a stranger to God's law) - in order to win those who are strangers to the law; for the weak - as the weak, for the sake of gaining the weak. He became everything to everyone in order to save at least some of them ().
Is it possible to work and clean on Easter days?
It is customary to prepare for Easter in advance. This means that the work that can be done in advance is better done in advance. It is better to postpone work that is not related to the Holiday and does not require immediate completion (for the duration of the Holiday).
So, for example, the ancient Christian monument “Apostolic Constitutions” gives a firm instruction that neither in Holy Week, nor in the following Easter (Bright) Week, “let not slaves work” (Apostolic Constitutions. Book 8, Chapter 33)
However, there is no unconditional, unrelated to circumstances, ban on any kind of work at all during the Easter period.
Suppose there are many types of professional, official and social activities that require the indispensable participation of one or another person, regardless of his desire and from.
This type of activity includes: law enforcement, military, medical, transport, fire fighting, etc. Sometimes, in relation to this type of work on the Feast Day, it is not superfluous to remember the words of Christ: “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” ().
On the other hand, exceptions regarding work can occur even when it comes to such everyday work as cleaning the house or washing dishes.
In fact, is it really possible that if during the Easter holiday the table is filled with dirty plates, spoons, cups, forks, food waste, and the floor suddenly inappropriately floods with some kind of drink, all this will need to be left as is until the end of the Easter celebrations?
What is the tradition of consecrating bread - artos?
On the Bright Day of Easter, at the end of the Divine (after the prayer behind the pulpit), a solemn consecration of a special - a (literally translated from Greek “artos” means “bread”; in accordance with the meaning of the name Easter (Pesach - transition) is performed as a transition from death to life , in accordance with the consequence of the Resurrection as the Victory of Christ over death, the Cross crowned with thorns, a sign of victory over death, or an image, is imprinted on the artos.
As a rule, the artos is placed opposite the icon of the Savior, where it then remains during Bright Week.
On Bright Saturday, that is, on Friday evening, the artos is fragmented; at the end of the Liturgy, on Saturday, it is distributed for consumption by the faithful.
Just as during the continuation of the Bright Holiday believers eat Easter in their homes, so during Bright Week this consecrated bread is presented in the houses of God - the temples of the Lord.
In a symbolic sense, artos is compared with the Old Testament unleavened bread, which the people of Israel were to eat during the Passover week, after their liberation by the right hand of God from Egyptian slavery ().
In addition, the practice of consecrating and keeping the artos serves as a reminder of the apostolic practice. Accustomed to eating bread with the Savior during His earthly ministry, they, according to Him, gave Him part of the bread and laid it at the meal. This symbolized the presence of Christ among them.
This symbolic line can be strengthened: serving as an image of the Bread of Heaven, that is, Christ (), artos serves as a reminder to all believers that the Risen One, despite the Ascension on, is constantly present in, in accordance with the promise: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age " ().
Easter or the Resurrection of Christ is an ancient holiday for the entire Orthodox world. It is considered the most important religious holiday of the year. On this day, festive services and breaking the fast after Lent are held.
This is a holiday that moves by date. Calculated according to the lunar calendar. Passover is celebrated after the Jewish Passover, on the first Sunday after the full moon, which in turn first occurred after the spring equinox. The holiday falls on the time interval from March 22 to April 25 according to the Julian calendar. Easter commemorates the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel says that on Friday of Holy Week the Lord was crucified on the cross and buried. On the night from Saturday to Sunday, women came to the Holy Sepulcher. One of them was the sinner Mary Magdalene. They discovered that the coffin was empty. Then two men came down to them and asked why they were looking for the living among the dead. In addition, the holiday is associated with pagan beliefs about the revival of nature after winter, life and renewal. You can learn the history of the holiday from the primary source – the Bible, in the book “Exodus”. The name "Passover" comes from the Hebrew word "passover", which means "to jump over something." So the Lord “jumped over” the houses of the Jews when He sent troubles and struck the firstborn of Egypt because the Egyptian Pharaoh did not want to free the Jewish people from slavery. This day began to be called Easter. The word acquired a new meaning after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ on the eve of the Jewish Passover. Divine services in the temple take place at night from Saturday to Sunday. The service consists of several parts:- "Midnight Office" Dedicated to the prayer of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Midnight Blagovest - the ringing of bells announces the Resurrection. Candles and lamps are lit. Priests in white rank sing “Angels in Heaven...”. Then a religious procession is held. Eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cottage cheese and everything that is prepared for the festive table are blessed.
- “Matins” begins after returning to the temple and opening the “gates of heaven.” Prayers are fulfilled proclaiming the resurrection and victory of Christ. After the hymn they say the Easter greeting - “Christ is Risen!”, and answer - “Truly He is Risen!”. They kiss three times and exchange colored eggs.
- Following Matins, the festive liturgy begins. It ends with illumination of kvass bread - artos.
Different countries have a wide variety of traditions for celebrating Easter. They dance, dance in circles, sing folk holiday songs, beat and roll eggs at speed, and make wishes. Easter brings together close and distant relatives, of different ages and social levels, at the festive table; grievances and misunderstandings remain forgotten in the past. The holiday unites souls, gives hope and love to people.
Easter is one of the most important religious holidays for many believers. On this Sunday, not only church services are often held, but also festive feasts with Easter cakes and Easter cakes, colored eggs, and folk festivals. However, what is Easter? What symbolism do Easter attributes have? What was the history of the holiday?
Easter in Ancient Times.
Initially, the holiday appeared thanks to the Jewish people. Then Passover had a connection with the liberation of the Jews from the slavery of the Egyptians. This liberation took place thanks to the prophet Moses.
It should be noted that before the name of the holiday sounded like Passover, which can be translated as “to pass.” At the same time, the name of the holiday meant “to spare”, “to deliver.”
The Jewish people set aside 7 days to celebrate Passover. Believers sought to spend this time in Jerusalem.
In memory of the events that took place on Passover, Jews conjured a male lamb that was only one year old. The lamb had to be distinguished by the absence of blemishes. At the same time, its meat was baked over fire. The lamb was eaten completely, leaving even the bones intact. In addition to such a table, it was customary to use unleavened bread, known as matzo, and bitter herbs. On Easter evening, people ate gruel, which was prepared from fruits and nuts, and drank wine. The father of the whole family had to tell in detail how the Jews escaped Egyptian slavery. Bread could only be consumed unleavened, as this symbolized a hasty departure from Egypt and the inability to leaven baked goods with them.
Easter in the era of early Christianity.
After Jesus Christ, the holiday was rethought. As a result, its meaning has changed dramatically. Now Easter began to represent the prototype of the death and miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the protector of all mankind. Currently, it is not possible to name the exact date when the Resurrection of Jesus Christ occurred, and the date of the holiday is changeable. It should be noted that calculating the date of an important religious holiday is not as easy as we would like.
The Jewish people used a lunar calendar instead of a solar calendar. However, there are certain differences. The amount of difference is 11 days. There are 365 days in a solar day and 354 days in the lunar calendar. At the same time, errors are rapidly accumulating in the lunar calendar, which are not so easy to correct. For this reason, it is currently impossible to name the exact date when Easter should be celebrated.
The Gospel states that Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday the 14th day, and the resurrection took place on the 16th day. Moreover, both dates fell in the month of Nissan. Previously, this day was called the Lord's day. Subsequently, the Slavs began to call this day Sunday. Nissan corresponded to March - April.
People began to choose a day to celebrate Easter only in the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD. This was explained by the fact that Christians who lived in different territories used different calendars. Due to the use of different calendars, the date of Easter began to differ markedly. In addition, the Easter of the Jews and Christians of Asia Minor existed in the form of separate holidays.
The Church took into account the nuances of the current situation. As a result of this, in the 4th century it was decided that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon, which falls in spring. This period can occur from April 4 to May 8. Every year the Bishop of Alexandria notified about the holiday, who used special calculations by astronomers. All churches knew on what day Easter should be celebrated.
In this period, Lent was already a symbol of the suffering and worldly death of Jesus Christ. At the same time, it was customary to call Easter Easter. The fast ended only on Sunday night. Then the believers celebrated the Resurrection of Christ and rejoiced. It should be noted that many Easter attributes were formed during the period of early Christianity.
Easter in the Middle Ages and Modern Times.
In the 8th century, Rome adopted the Eastern Paschal. Easter was then celebrated for 500 years based on agreements made between the Eastern and Western churches.
In 1582, the Julian calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar. As a result, a new Paschal was introduced in 1583 by Pope Gregory XIII. From now on, Catholic Easter may be earlier than the Jewish holiday or coincide with it, ahead of Orthodox Easter by about a month.
Easter today
In the first third of the 10th century, several attempts were made to create a New Julian calendar, which would be even more accurate than the Gregorian calendar. Despite this, the endeavor was not successful. As a result, it was decided that Easter and all other religious holidays of a transitory nature should be celebrated according to the Julian calendar, and not of a transitory nature - according to the calendar used by the Church.
Currently, the Julian calendar is the basis for the Russian, Jerusalem, Serbian, and also Georgian Churches, Mount Athos. It should be noted that the Finnish Orthodox Church fully uses the Gregorian calendar. Other Churches use the old calendar style for moving holidays, and the new calendar for non-moving holidays.
Nowadays, it is customary to fast for 7 weeks before Easter. This time is enough for people to repent of their mistakes and realize them, and undergo purification on a spiritual level.
According to tradition, a special service begins on Sunday. Among the differences, it is worth noting the unique structure and special words that are usually pronounced. Believers strive to attend a church service, and then take communion and be christened. It should be noted that Christening represents mutual kisses upon meeting, hugs and changes in two phrases, namely “Christ is Risen!” - “Truly He is Risen.”
Easter celebrations last 40 days. It was this number of days that Jesus Christ appeared before his disciples, after which he went to God the Father in heaven. The first week is especially important, and Sunday is truly important. It is on this day that it is customary to celebrate Easter, visit each other, exchange eggs and prepared Easter cakes, Easter cakes.
What do Easter attributes mean?
Many people prepare Easter cakes, paint eggs, and celebrate Christ. What is this connected with? Why do such attributes persist for a long time?
Kulich is a symbol of church artos, large-sized sacred bread with the image of a crown of thorns, a cross or an image of the Resurrection. For a long time, this particular bread symbolizes the victory of Jesus Christ over worldly death, because he continues to live, but differently. The apostles were accustomed to leaving an empty space at their table. At the same time, they put a small piece of bread, thinking about Jesus Christ. The following ritual still exists: the sacred bread must be carried in a procession around the church, and then left on the festive table. On Saturday, after the blessing is held, baked goods are distributed to believers who live in poverty.
What does this have to do with the egg? It is believed that Mary Magdalene came to Rome to preach the Gospel. It was Mary who informed the imperial emperor Tiberius about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and it was then that she presented the egg to him. It is customary to paint the egg red, since the emperor did not believe in the possibility of resurrection and said that this was not possible, just as it was impossible for the egg to turn red. At this moment a miracle happened, because the egg still turned red.
Before Easter, many believers eagerly await the appearance of fire, which is a symbol of the Light of God. It is this fire that enlightens all people in the world. It is customary to distribute the Holy Fire throughout Orthodox churches so that believers can use it for their candles.
In the West, as before, it is customary to light large bonfires next to temples, symbolizing Light and Renewal. In some cases, the fire is interpreted as a symbol of the burning of Judas. The process of making Christ, a special Easter greeting, allows people to open their hearts to each other and light a flame of hope for a bright future.
Easter is an opportunity to renew yourself and spend the day in a special way, getting closer to peace of mind by being with your loved ones.
Easter miracle 04/02/2018
After a long fast, believers look forward to the holiday of Easter, the Holy Resurrection of Christ, with joy and special hopes. It really gives us a lot of light because it reminds us of the most significant event in the life of Jesus Christ. This is self-sacrifice, the end of his earthly journey and resurrection for eternity.
When will we celebrate Easter this year? The date of Easter celebration in 2018 according to Orthodox tradition is April 8. Although the dating is not constant, the Holy Resurrection of Christ always falls in the spring.
Easter is considered the most important holiday of Christianity. Based on the biblical example of the torment of the cross, the death and resurrection of Christ, it also symbolizes our personal path to faith. Through suffering, loss, rethinking oneself in this world - to finding the truth. On this day we honor the feat of the Savior and think about our soul.
"Passover" is a European variant, derived from the Hebrew term "passover", which translates as "passing". This is the transition from winter to spring, from dying to awakening, from darkness to light. And in a narrower sense: rebirth, a return to life from non-existence.
What is Easter? The meaning of the holiday and its origins
There is another translation option for the word “Easter”: the verbs “to pass”, “to avoid”. The roots of this interpretation refer us to the history of the Jewish people, to the period of Egyptian slavery. In those ancient times, terrible trials were sent down on Ancient Egypt: “10 plagues of Egypt.” One of these punishments for sins provided for the killing of the first-born males.
But the Jewish baby boys were not harmed. On the eve of the terrible event, vigilant representatives of the Jewish community managed to paint a special security sign on the doors of the houses where potential victims of the Jewish nation lived. After which Pharaoh allowed the Jews to leave the country that enslaved them and return to their native Canaan.
In the book “Exodus” of the Old Testament this plot is described in detail. As for the dating of the event, very roughly, it is attributed to the first or second millennium BC, that is, it happened 3-4 thousand years ago.
A little more history: what Easter is, its origins. They are even more ancient. 5 thousand years ago, the Jewish tribes had a Passover tradition in a slightly different format. Easter was celebrated as the celebration of the calving period of livestock, and then it began to be tied to the beginning of the agricultural season.
In those same pagan times, it was a day of remembrance for deceased relatives. In honor of these seemingly different occasions, ritual sacrifices were made. A lamb or other animal was slaughtered to appease higher powers and to invoke their protection.
History from the "New Testament"
Modern history, the new chronology begin with the birth of Jesus, and the most often remembered biblical drama is precisely the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Let me briefly recall how events developed according to the authors of the New Testament.
Jesus, betrayed by his disciple Judas, found himself in the company of two others condemned to death. He was accused of crimes against the foundations of religion and, in modern terms, an attack on the basis of the state system.
The then procurator, that is, the ruler, the Roman governor of Judea, according to the laws of that time, could pardon one of the three criminals. But the choice remained with the people, or more precisely, with those citizens of the province who came to watch the execution. The crowd's choice fell on Barabbas, a troublemaker and murderer, and he was released.
The case took place on the eve of the ancient Jewish Passover; the execution took place on Friday, 5 days after the triumphal entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Jesus was forced to carry his own cross on his back while climbing Mount Calvary. According to eyewitnesses of the event, a wreath of thorns was placed on his head.
Then there were several painful hours after the crucifixion. Archaeologists were able to find several evidence of how such executions took place in reality. They found bones of arms and legs pierced with long nails. It’s hard to even imagine what terrible pain the condemned suffered. For several hours they hung on these huge crosses in the sweltering heat until their strength left them.
The executioners made sure that Christ was dead by piercing his body with a spear. The body, wrapped in a shroud, was transferred to the tomb. The entrance was blocked with a huge stone and, just in case, so that supporters of the “troublemaker” did not try to take some provocative actions, guards were assigned to the burial site.
And on Sunday, on the third day after placing the body of Christ in the tomb, what has since been called the main miracle of Christianity happened. The body of Jesus disappeared from the tomb, and he himself appeared to the disciples, talked with them, and gave good instructions.
We celebrate this day as a new Easter, the Resurrection of Christ, as a symbol of eternal life, the victory of the spirit over death.
How is the date of the Sunday holiday determined?
In 2018, the holiday will fall on April 8. Catholic Easter is celebrated a week earlier than Christian Easter. There are some discrepancies in the dates between Catholics and Orthodox Christians, but there are years when this day coincides for the two branches of Christianity. This year the day of Catholic Easter is April 1.
How is the date of the Sunday holiday determined? In 325, the hierarchs of the Christian churches decided to calculate the date of Easter. It is "the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox." The date is “sliding”; in different years, Easter falls on one of the days in the interval from April 4 to May 8.
The calculation is quite complex; it is necessary to take into account the nuances of the movement of our planet around the Sun, and the features of the lunar trajectory, and a number of other purely astronomical factors. Therefore, the easiest way for you and me is to look for data about this date in open sources. The representatives of the church responsible for this procedure make calculations in advance and publish a calendar where all important dates and Christian holidays are indicated.
Week from Palm Sunday to Easter - Holy
This week, between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, is called Passionate in memory of the torment that Christ accepted, and, moreover, consciously, understanding what awaited him. What do they do on Maundy Thursday?
On Maundy Thursday we clean up the house. But these are only external actions. The main thing is not this, the most important thing is to try to cleanse yourself of negativity in your soul. This whole week encourages us to think: what are we doing wrong, what needs to be corrected? Who is waiting next to us for help, support, a kind word? Think about it and do it!
Then there will be Good Friday and Holy Saturday - days of special memory, revaluation of values, spiritual renewal. Finally, Easter will come on April 8th. Time to rejoice, glorify the triumph of Life!
Why we paint eggs and bake Easter cakes: the origins of tradition
In the last days before Easter Sunday, most of us paint eggs. This is one of the main traditions of the holiday, over which time has no power. True, now it has been somewhat modernized; in a regular supermarket it is easy to find different sets of thermal stickers and other devices for decorating testicles. But where did this custom come from?
This is what the most ancient written evidence and oral legends recorded later tell about it. Having learned about the resurrection of the Teacher, one of his followers, Mary Magdalene, gave the white egg to Emperor Tiberius.
The egg, apparently, served as a symbol of constantly regenerating life, a certain cycle of matter, the constant transformation of one form of existence into another. It was not for nothing that the scholastics of antiquity could argue for hours about what came first: the chicken or the egg.
The Savior’s disciple solved this dilemma in her own way: it is not so important who is first, what is much more significant is that life is truly endless, even at the level of its earthly, animal manifestations. How much more wise and generous was the Lord towards us people, since he gave us an immortal soul?..
And the most symbolic, deeply meaningful Christian holiday reminds us of this. But what does that old story say next? Mary Magdalene, handing the ruler an egg, told Tiberius: “Christ is Risen!”
The emperor was not pleased or inspired by the news. He received the woman’s message with disbelief and obvious sarcasm. In response, he stated that no one is capable of rising from the dead. This is unrealistic, impossible. It is just as incredible as to think that this white egg can turn into a red one.
The Emperor was pleased with his eloquence and imagery of the remark. But his skepticism quickly gave way to amazement and confusion when the egg in his hands immediately turned bright red.
This incident formed the basis of the tradition of dyeing eggs for Easter. Previously, they were placed on lettuce leaves or fresh cereal sprouts. Nowadays, special decorative dishes are produced for such purposes or cardboard stands are made.
How we celebrate Easter: traditions and rituals
In addition to the long-established custom of coloring eggs, there are other celebration traditions. Now I will tell you how they celebrated in the old days, what rituals existed. As mentioned above, on Maundy Thursday special order is brought to the home.
In the old days, on Easter morning, whole families went to church for services. They dressed in the most festive outfits. When meeting acquaintances, they said Christ, that is, they greeted each other with three kisses. Many historical films or films based on works of Russian classics contain similar episodes. The service itself on this day was extremely magnificent and solemn.
According to church canons, it is not customary to visit cemeteries on Easter. The day set for commemorating the dead is the ninth day after this holiday. This year Radonitsa will be on April 17th. But folk customs have changed somewhat in recent years: many still go to honor the memory of relatives who have passed on to another world.
And during the day they go, as in the old days, to visit loved ones. They congratulate, glorify the resurrection of Christ, exchange colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cottage cheese, figurines of cockerels, and other traditional baked goods. A lot of homemade and store-bought baked goods are still on the tables of Russians on this day.
The table on this day and the following week becomes plentiful, with meat dishes and other various foods. After a long fast, you can treat yourself to goodies, and most importantly: the tradition of charity has always remained very important. They always treated and helped those who had a difficult life.
There was a tradition of burning things that had become unusable at the stake. This was also a symbol of renewal. And the house, especially icons, was decorated with multi-colored paper flowers; they were often cut out themselves.
In the old days, various games were played with eggs. For example, they rolled them from an inclined surface onto a table covered with a cloth. Interestingly, it was not the “fastest” egg that won; on the contrary, the favorite was considered the person who knew how to pull the Easter symbol “down the hill” slower than others. He could even take home a trophy - the eggs of the other participants in the competition.
As for the tradition of “fighting” with eggs, that is, beating them against each other to find out which is stronger, previously only ordinary, unpainted eggs took part in such battles.
And the consecrated dyes were considered healing, including the shell. They crushed it finely and added it to livestock feed or ate the powder themselves. Which is quite reasonable: after all, this is how the body received a fair amount of calcium.
The shells could be buried in the ground when planting grain: it was not just fertilizer, but a special amulet. Finally, in the same capacity as a talisman, a guardian against evil spirits, the painted shell was simply kept in the house until the next year.
