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| | Easter in Christianity; also resurrection of Christ - ancient Christian festival; very important festival of divine service. This festival is set in regard of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. At present its date in each particular year is calculated as per moon-sun calendar (switch over festival).
In VIII century, Rome accepts east Easter. During these 500 years, Easter was celebrated as per an agreement between the Eastern and Western Churches.
In 1583 in Roman Catholic Church, Pope Gregory XIII has conducted New Easter ritual, which was called Gregorian. Due to change in Easter ritual entire Calendar was changed. In the result of switch over to more accurate astronomical dates, usually Catholic Easter is celebrated earlier than Jews or same day and advances Orthodox church some times by more than one month.
In 1923, Constantinople patriarch Melety IV (Metaksasi) has carried out All Orthodox Church congress” with participation of representatives of the Greek, Romanian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, where New Julian calendar which is more accurate than Gregorian and which coincides with Gregorian till 2800 was accepted. Eastern Churches have condemned this decision, and Alexandria has conducted manorial council, having decided, that there is no necessity in introduction of a new calendar. Russian and Serbian Churches, after attempt of change of a calendar, have left former because of possible confusion in people.
In March 1924, Constantinople (already during Gregory VII) and Ellad Churches have switched over to new style. The Romanian Church has accepted "New Julian" calendar on 1st October 1924.
Indignations of priesthood and people due to innovations of Meleti have forced him to submit the resignation on 20th September1923. On 20th May 1926, Meleti becomes Pope and the patriarch of the Alexandria Church and takes decision to accept new calendar against the decision taken earlier by the council.
At the Moscow Meeting in 1948, the decision was taken to celebrate the Easter and all switch over festivals by all Orthodox Churches as per Alexandria style and Julian calendar, and non-switch over festivals as per the calendar used by the given Church. In the same year, Antiohiosk Orthodox Church has switched over to New Julian calendar.
Today only Russian, Jerusalem, Georgian and Serbian Orthodox Churches, and also Athos use Julian calendar fully. The Finnish Orthodox Church has completely switched over to Gregorian calendar. Other Churches celebrate Easter and other switch over festivals as per old style, and Christmas etc. which are non-switch over - as per new style.
In the Great Britain the Easter act of 1928 has established the date of Easter on the fixed date: first Sunday after the second Saturday of April. However the given decision has not come into force. In 1997 at summit in Aleppo, Syria, the World council of Churches has offered to fix the day of Easter as per solar calendar (also the second Sunday of April) or to take uniform decision for entire Christian world based on the astronomical requirements. Reform was appointed to 2001, but not accepted by all members of council.
Practically all Easter traditions have arisen in divine service. Even span of Easter festivals is connected with talks after the Great fast - time of abstention when all festivals including family were transferred on celebrating of Easter. Symbols of Easter become all that expresses Renewal (Easter brooms), Light (Easter fire), Life (Easter eggs and hares).
In Easter as in the major festival of church year, especially solemn divine service is conducted. It was formed in the first centuries of Christianity as Epiphany. The majority announced after a preparatory post accepted the christening on this special day.
In Church from ancient times, there was a tradition of fulfillment of Easter divine service at night; or in some countries (for example, Serbia) in the early morning - with dawn. |
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It's this time of the year again - Easter is upon us. Numerous Easter egg hunts will be organized in the United States and internationally. Bunny and eggs are the traditional symbols of this spring holiday, as they symbolize fertility. Easter was originally a day when pagans celebrated spring on the day of vernal equinox. "Eastre" was a pagan goddess of fertility, thus the holiday name.
