Where did Easter begin? Easter

When Orthodox Easter is celebrated in 2019, what date it will be - many of us are already interested in advance.

Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this year April 28, 2019. And exactly one week before it, on April 21, all Orthodox will traditionally celebrate. On the same day, April 21, 2019, there will be.

The tradition of celebrating Easter does not originate at all from the Resurrection of Christ - it existed before that. The Jewish holiday of Pesach was and is celebrated to commemorate the release of the Israeli people from Egyptian captivity under the leadership of Moshe (Moses).

It just so happened that the Savior rose from the dead on this very day. As you know, such coincidences may seem random only at first glance. The liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian captivity is a story that general sense seen as the liberation of all mankind from the power of sin and death.

The miraculous resurrection of Christ means greatest victory good over evil, a visible symbol of the fact that love and faith are much stronger than hatred and fear.

And just as the Jewish people sacrifice the Passover lamb, so the Lord himself brought his son to the slaughter. And in this event, the boundless love of God for man was manifested.

And even if a person is neutral about the Easter holiday, this does not deprive him of the right to join the jubilant humanity, which will certainly utter the cherished words:

"Christ is risen!"

"Truly risen!"

WHERE THE WORD "EASTER" COME FROM

Interestingly, in translation from Hebrew, the word "Pesach" means "passed by" or "passed by." This means that one day God passed by the Jewish houses and destroyed only the dwellings of their oppressors - the Egyptians.

In our time, the symbolism of history is also obvious: good will certainly triumph over evil. The Lord removes oppression and frees man from sin. Accepting the sacrifice of Christ, absolutely any of us can count on forgiveness and understanding.

Why does the date of Easter keep changing?

The question of what date Easter will be in 2019 is often associated with another one. Why does the date of this holiday change all the time, unlike, for example, Christmas (January 7) or Epiphany (January 19)? Indeed, Easter refers to the so-called moving holidays - celebrations that do not have a clearly defined day.

The fact is that in Orthodoxy the celebration of Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. And how to determine exactly the first full moon?

It is believed that spring comes after March 21 - i.e. days spring equinox. Then the day for the first time becomes equal to the night duration (in hours). It turns out that as soon as March 21 has passed, you need to wait for the full moon, and the next Sunday will be Easter.

When is Orthodox Easter celebrated?

Therefore, the main Christian holiday among the Orthodox is always celebrated in the period from April 7 to 8 May:

• Orthodox Easter 2019 - April 28.
• Orthodox Easter 2020 - April 19.
• Orthodox Easter 2021 - May 2.
• Orthodox Easter 2022 - April 24th.
• Orthodox Easter 2023 - April 16.

We present the clergyman's commentary on this matter:

Everything about the symbols of the holiday - painted eggs and Easter cake

Of course, the immutable symbols of the holiday are painted eggs and Easter cake. And it seems that everything is known about these two traditions. But this simplicity lies only on the surface, and in general one should not forget that the amazing is nearby.

Why are eggs painted for Easter?

Indeed, why will we paint eggs again at Easter in 2019?

The most common legend says that when Mary Magdalene learned that Christ had risen from the dead, she hurried to tell the whole neighborhood about it. And of course, she went to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who in those years ruled the occupied territories of Israel.

Of course, her message about the resurrection was not taken seriously. Therefore, when Mary told Tiberius: “Christ is risen!”, He took an ordinary chicken egg and answered: “The dead do not rise, just as the eggs do not turn red.” And at the same moment, the egg in his hand turned bright red, which probably left the ruler speechless for a while. However, he did not deny the obvious and said: “He has truly risen!”

Interestingly, this story also has its own symbolism. In fact, it shows the attitude of society towards miracles. Some are ready with all their heart to believe that they happen. And even without evidence. Other people, who are often called rational, pragmatic (and more recently they were more often called materialists), require an objective basis for any statement.

It is noteworthy that neither Mary Magdalene nor Tiberius enter into the discussion. And the higher power itself shows the incredulous emperor that miracles do happen.

And even if we know everything about life and a little more, this does not mean that we can do without faith. After all, it is she who is a kind of prototype of a positive future, striving forward, some project of our destiny. By the way, the word project itself is translated as “aspiring forward”.

NOTE

Since the egg was painted in bright red shades, it is necessary that this color be one of the predominant ones on the Easter table. Of course, the harmony of the palette and the taste preferences of the owners are observed, but red eggs must certainly be present as a symbol of the holiday.

Why Easter must have dyed eggs

Along with the story of Marina Magdalene and the emperor Tiberius, there are several more suggestions why colored eggs must be present at Easter:

1. First of all, the egg is considered a symbol of the universe, a symbol of life itself. This is one of the cultural archetypes along with the image of water, fire and other iconic symbols. The egg seems to stand above all religions, nationalities and cultures. And this privileged position is recognized by almost everyone. If you think about it, the egg is not what gives life. This is life itself. This small prototype of an organism contains everything necessary for the emergence of a new living being. In appearance, it is no different from a pebble or other inanimate object. But under the shell, various processes are intensively going on, thanks to which the continuation of the genus occurs. Using Achievements modern science, we can see everything with our own eyes, as if the shell does not exist. But the people of antiquity had to comprehend the world for the most part with their faith. That did not prevent them from living, rejoicing and loving.
2. The image of the egg was considered sacred by the Egyptians, Persians and Romans. Interestingly, the Romans ate a baked egg before any festive meal. It was believed that this is a good symbol of a successful undertaking of any business. By the way, these peoples always celebrated the coming of spring. And boiled eggs were always present on the table as an image of the revival of nature and good changes.
3. Interestingly, on the birthday of another Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, which happened 2 centuries after the resurrection of Christ, a chicken laid an egg with red specks, and this was considered a lucky sign. Since then, it was customary for the Romans to send colored eggs to each other on the occasion of any holiday.
4. And another version is particularly original. It is believed that the stone that blocked the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher resembled precisely the shape of an egg.

It can be seen that neither version contradicts the other. Therefore they are all equally have the right to exist. Moreover, different assumptions only complement each other.

It is quite natural to imagine that people of ancient times also exchanged their cultural experience, as well as modern society. And although, for obvious reasons, traditions then spread more slowly, they still survived and even survived to this day.

Thus, the custom of painting eggs has been around for as long as Christianity has existed. Eras passed, entire states and peoples disappeared, but the memory of the bright resurrection lived and lives among a huge number of people.

It turns out that everyone who dyes eggs comes into contact with ancient history, which has at least 20 centuries. If you just think about it for a second, you can immediately feel the atmosphere of a real holiday. And these bright thoughts will certainly tune in a positive wave to anyone who wishes to feel the spirit of Easter.

What does the Orthodox cake symbolize?

When we are interested in what date Easter will be in 2019, we will certainly remember not only the very date of the bright holiday, but also the Easter cake. Delicious, fragrant pastries, a symbol of the holiday, which, if the correct recipe is followed, can stand in the house for at least the entire bright week (a week after Easter Sunday).

There are several dozen varieties of this festive dish. Traditionally, it is baked from dough based on milk, butter and chicken eggs.

It is customary to decorate Easter cake with sprinkles, pieces of fruit or berries, icing - in a word, in this creative business, every culinary specialist can give complete freedom to his imagination.

And why did the tradition of baking Easter cake come from? Unlike eggs, there is no exact answer to this question.

However, the fact that this tradition is ancient is known for sure. She lives from time immemorial. As you know, Christ himself broke bread and poured wine during the Last Supper exactly three days before his resurrection.

Any variety of bread has a sacred meaning for all peoples of the earth. Even today, when hunger in many countries has been finally defeated, it is considered bad form to play with pieces of bread, throw them away or speak unflatteringly about this, without exaggeration, a truly national product.

In this sense, Easter cake can be regarded as a symbol of fertility, satiety, prosperity in the house. And given the tradition of the breaking of bread, which was founded during the Last Supper, we can say that bread is a symbol of the body of Christ.

Therefore, baking and eating Easter cake is another opportunity to get in touch with the holiday and feel the magical atmosphere that reigns annually on the entire planet for 2 thousand years.

But the information, as they say, firsthand. Hieromonk Job Gumerov answers the question of why the tradition of making Easter cake appeared.

What to do for Easter: traditions and modernity

So, on a holiday, or rather, on the eve of the bright Resurrection, almost everyone paints eggs and gets Easter cakes. Of course, you can bake muffins on your own - after all, preparation for the holiday is also the holiday itself.

What else do they do for Easter? Whatever date this Sunday falls, in 2019, people will surely come into contact with many ancient traditions. Here are the most famous of them.

Egg and Easter cake lighting

Of course, on such a day, believers strive to get into the church and endure the all-night service, which is performed on the night from Saturday to Sunday. And even if this was not possible, they come to the temple in order to.

The tradition of consecration allows a person to tune in to the bright waves of the holiday. It is no secret that a special atmosphere develops in the assembly of believers, which can hardly be felt at home or even while watching the broadcast of the service on TV.

That is why visiting the temple on such a day is definitely worth it. And it will not be superfluous to do mercy by treating the needy with eggs and Easter cakes.

Christening

Well, at home the holiday continues - moreover, here it is in full swing. In the morning, you need to try to get up early, because the Savior was resurrected in the morning. And the rising sun in itself symbolizes the beginning of the celebration.

By tradition, all those celebrating take Easter eggs and christen - i.e. push the eggs against each other and break the shell from either end - sharp or blunt. After that, you need to kiss three times on the cheeks and say the well-known words:

"Christ is risen!"

"Truly risen!"

If you follow the church canon, the phrase will sound a little different, which does not change its meaning at all:

Traditionally, they go to visit, treat relatives, friends, neighbors and just everyone who is dear to the heart with Easter dishes. In this sense, it is very good that Easter is always celebrated on Sunday. We have the opportunity to remember and visit everyone who, perhaps, has been waiting for our attention for a long time.

Other folk customs for Easter

Easter cake and eggs are the main symbols of the holiday, so Easter traditions are mainly associated with them:

1. After visiting the church, you can buy a few candles and decorate Easter cake with them. Traditionally, one candle is placed in one bead, after which a fire is lit so that it pleases everyone in the house.
2. You can arrange a pleasant holiday for everyone at home - and of course, do not forget about the children. For example, let them look for colored eggs that will be previously hidden in different places in the house. Arrange a fun search together.
3. And you can also organize “pokatushki” - whose egg will roll farther than others.
4. Traditionally, the house is decorated with greenery, emerging tree branches. In general, it is allowed to use all symbols that represent rebirth and good changes.

Festive table for Easter

Along with the question of when Easter will be in 2019, they are often interested in what dishes will be put on the table correctly. After all, the festive menu serves as a kind of culinary portrait of the celebration and allows you to enjoy the moment to the fullest.

In addition, with the onset of the holiday ends great post, which has the most stringent restrictions on food and drink. And after such a long ordeal, the joy of the holiday only intensifies.

Traditionally, along with Easter cake, there are other pastries and meat dishes on the table:

• boiled pork;
• baked veal;
• wild duck stewed in sour cream;
• all kinds of pies, kulebyaki, sweet muffins.

As for the festive drink, red wine is rightfully considered to be it. It is preferable to prepare in advance and purchase a church Cahors. And even more interesting if you make red wine yourself. It can be harvested in almost a year, but the expectation only enhances the pleasure.

What Not to Do on Bright Sunday

• You should not sort things out, start important business conversations on such a day.
• It is better to refrain from unpleasant memories and everything that literally overshadows the Resurrection of Christ. It is important to understand that Easter is a day of joy, not sorrow. Believers do not remember the deceased, but the resurrected Savior.
• Do not indulge in gluttony and get drunk. Of course, no one refuses to eat, and a couple of glasses of pleasant red wine will not hurt. It must be remembered what the main food on such a day is spiritual, not earthly.
• It is undesirable to tidy up, do repairs, visit beauty salons, wash windows, etc. That is, all actions that distract from a pleasant celebration are undesirable. At the same time, there are no direct prohibitions on this. Everyone can act according to their own conscience. In addition, sometimes a person may be at work even on Christ's Resurrection. And of course, he must do his duty.
• You should not visit on such a day and, to honor the dead, you should choose another time. Easter is the triumph of life over death, truth over sin. It is better not to forget about this when in 2019 there will be a meeting of a bright Easter.

Representatives of the Orthodox Church also express the corresponding opinion.

On a beautiful spring day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, everyone can feel like a part of something wonderful and eternal. After all, celebrating Easter is a great honor. It means getting in touch with holy history - perhaps the main event in the history of mankind.

Every year, around mid-April, the entire baptized world, dressed in fun and joy, solemnly celebrates the bright feast of the Resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ. Everywhere bells ring, religious processions take place, candles and lamps are lit. People go to churches, light up Easter cakes and multi-colored painted eggs, kiss Christ with smiles and kisses, greeting each other with exclamations of “Christ is risen” and answering “in truth, he is risen.” And no matter what language these words are pronounced in, they mean the same enthusiastic congratulations and good news. And where did this custom come from, and how did the history of the emergence and celebration of Easter actually begin? Let's digress for a moment from the celebration and study this important and interesting question.

Exodus from slavery

The history of the Easter holiday has its roots in the depths of centuries. And in order to better understand and study it, we will have to turn to the great book of the Bible, namely to its part called "Exodus". This part tells that the Jewish people, who were in slavery to the Egyptians, suffered great torment and oppression from their masters. But, despite this, they trusted in the mercy of God and remembered the covenant given to them and the promised land. Among the Jews there was one man named Moses, whom God chose to be his prophet. Having given his brother Aaron to help Moses, the Lord worked miracles through them and sent various executions to the Egyptians in the number of 10. The Egyptian pharaoh for a long time did not want to release his slaves to freedom. Then God commanded the Israelites in the evening to slaughter for each family one year-old male lamb without blemish. And with his blood to anoint the crossbars of the doors of his dwelling. The lamb had to be eaten overnight without breaking its bones. At night, an angel of God passed through Egypt and killed all the Egyptian firstborn, from cattle to man, but did not touch the Jewish dwellings. In fear, Pharaoh drove the Israelites out of the country. But when they approached the shores of the Red Sea, he came to his senses and chased after his slaves. However, God opened the waters of the sea and led the Jews through the sea as if over dry land, and Pharaoh was drowned. In honor of this event, from then to this day, Jews celebrate Easter, as a liberation from Egyptian captivity.

The sacrifice of Christ

But the history of the origin and emergence of the Easter holiday does not end there. After all, many centuries after the event described above, Jesus Christ, the savior of the world from the slavery of hell over human souls, was born on Israeli soil. According to the gospel, Christ was born of the virgin Mary and lived in the house of the carpenter Joseph. When he was 30 years old, he went out to preach, teaching people the commandments of God. After 3 years, he was crucified on the cross, on Mount Calvary. It happened after the Jewish Passover on Friday. And on Thursday there was the Last Supper, where Christ established the sacrament of the Eucharist, presenting bread and wine as his body and blood. Like the lamb in the Old Testament, Christ was slain for the sins of the world, and his bones were not broken either.

The history of Easter from early Christianity to the Middle Ages

According to the testimony of the same Bible, after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven, the history of the celebration of Easter developed as follows: after Pentecost, Easter was celebrated every Sunday, gathering at a meal and celebrating the Eucharist. This holiday was especially honored on the day of the death and resurrection of Christ, which at first fell on the day of the Jewish Passover. But already in the 2nd century, Christians came to the conclusion that it was not appropriate to celebrate the Passover of Christ on the same day as the Jews who crucified him, and decided to celebrate it on the next Sunday after the Jewish Passover. This continued until the Middle Ages, until the Christian Church was divided into Orthodox and Catholic.

Easter - the history of the holiday today

AT modern life the history of the celebration of Easter was divided into 3 channels - Orthodox Easter, Catholic Easter and Jewish Easter. Each of them has acquired its own traditions and customs. But from this solemnity and joy from the holiday itself did not become less. It's just that for every nation and even every person it has its own purely personal and at the same time general. And may this holiday and celebration of celebrations touch your hearts, dear readers. Happy Easter to you, love and peace!

“If in this life alone we hope in Christ,
then we are the most miserable 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. Here are just two of the most typical examples.
Lesson in one "Orthodox gymnasium". Wanting to reveal the level of knowledge of 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! How about adults?

Easter night breaking fast in one church. Indeed, we eat eggs and Easter cakes (and not only). “Suddenly” an important idea comes to the mind of an already middle-aged chanter, and he turns to the priest (with a theological education) in bewilderment. “Father! Here we all sing and sing "Christ is Risen!" And we call the holiday "Easter"! So after all, the Jews celebrate Easter, but they do not believe in Christ at all! Why is that?!"
This is no exception: that what since childhood, we perceive at the household level, as a kind of beautiful ritual, it seems to us for granted and does not require study.
Let's arrange an "Easter lesson" for ourselves and ask: what associations does the Easter greeting "Christ is Risen!" give rise to in our minds? - "Truly Risen!"
Night procession with candles, - everyone will immediately answer, - joyful singing and mutual kisses. Food familiar from childhood appears on the home table - red and painted eggs, ruddy Easter cakes, vanilla-scented curd Easter.
Yes, but this is only the external paraphernalia of the holiday, a thoughtful Christian will object. - And I want to know why our feast of the Resurrection of Christ is usually called the Hebrew word "Easter"? What is the connection between Jewish and Christian Passover? Why is the Savior of the world, from whose birthday mankind counts new era, was bound to die and be resurrected? Could not the all-good God establish New Union (Covenant) with people differently? What is the symbolism of our Easter service and holiday ceremonies?

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, oppressed by the pharaohs, lived, and the wonderful drama of their liberation. Nine punishments (“Egyptian executions”) 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 built new cities for him. It was the defeat of the Egyptian firstborn, followed by the "exodus" from the House of Slavery. At night, in anticipation of the exodus, the Israelites celebrate the first Passover meal. The head of each family, after slaughtering a one-year-old lamb (lamb or kid), anoints the doorposts with its blood (Ex. 12:11), and the animal baked on fire is eaten, but so that its bones are not broken.
“So eat it like this: let your loins be girded, your shoes 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 go through the land of Egypt and strike every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man to cattle, and I will execute 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 over 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 14/15 month of Aviv, or Nisan) in the 2nd half of the 13th century BC, 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 memory of the exodus. The very name "Easter" (Heb. P e sah- “passage”, “mercy”) indicates that dramatic moment (“the tenth plague”), when the angel of the Lord who struck Egypt, seeing the blood of the Paschal 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 express special prayers and a story about its events, as well as a ritual meal consisting of lamb meat, bitter herbs and sweet lettuce, which symbolizes the bitterness of Egyptian slavery and the sweetness of newfound freedom. Unleavened bread reminds of hasty gathering. Accompanying the Easter homemade meal are four cups of wine.

The night of the exodus was the second birth of the Israeli people, the beginning of its independent history. The final salvation of the world and the victory over the "spiritual slavery of Egypt" will be accomplished in the future by God's Anointed One from the family of King David - the Messiah, or, in Greek, Christ. So at first all the biblical kings were called, and the question of who in their row will be the last remained open. Therefore, every Easter 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 tell you, don't eat it for me 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 "Egyptian slavery", takes part in the Jewish "Passover of expectation". He completes it with the fulfillment of the Divine plan inherent in it, and thereby abolishes it. At the same time, the nature of the relationship between God and man is radically changing: having fulfilled its destiny temporary Union God with one people becomes "old" ("obsolete"), and Christ replaces them new - and eternal! –Union-Covenant co everyone humanity. During His last Passover at the Last Supper, Jesus Christ speaks words and performs actions that change the meaning of the holiday. He Himself takes the place of the Paschal sacrifice, and the old Pascha becomes the Passover of the new Lamb, slain for the cleansing of people once and for all. Christ institutes a new Paschal meal - the sacrament of the Eucharist - and tells the disciples about His imminent death as an Paschal sacrifice, in which He is the New Lamb slain "from the foundation of the world." Soon He will descend into the gloomy Sheol (Hades) and, together with all the people who were waiting for Him there, will make a great Exodus out of the kingdom of death into 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 Passover.

The Passover lamb (lamb) of the Jews was "male, without blemish" and was sacrificed on the afternoon of Nisan 14. It was at this time that the Savior's death on the cross followed. The executed should have been buried before dark, so the Roman soldiers, in order to hasten their death, broke the legs of two robbers who were crucified with the Lord. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he had already died, and they did not break his legs.<...>. For this happened in fulfillment (of the words) of Scripture: "Let not his bone be broken" (John 19:33, 36). At the same time, the very preparation of the Paschal lamb was a prototype of the death of the Savior 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 the new Pascha, their concentration (the abolition of one and the beginning of the other) in the person of Jesus Christ explain why His feast Sunday retains the Old Testament name Easter. “Our Passover is the sacrificed Christ,” says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 5:7). Thus, in the new Easter, the final completion of the Divine plan for the restoration of the fallen (“old”) man in his original, “paradise”, dignity took place - his salvation. “Old Pascha is celebrated because of the salvation of the short-term life of the Jewish firstborn, and the new Pascha is celebrated because of the giving of eternal life to all people,” St. John Chrysostom so 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 “holidays and a celebration of celebrations” (Easter hymn) - requires special preparation from Christians and therefore is 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, symbolizing the myrrh-bearing women walking to the Savior’s Tomb in the predawn darkness (Luke 24:1; John 20:1) and informed of His resurrection in front of the entrance to the tomb. Therefore, the festive Easter Matins begins in front of the closed doors of the temple, and the bishop or priest leading the service symbolizes the angel who rolled away the stone from the doors of the Sepulcher.
Joyful Easter greetings end for many already on the third day, or with the end of the Easter week. At the same time, people are surprised to accept Easter greetings and embarrassedly clarify: “Happy Easter?” This is a common misconception in the non-church environment.
It should be remembered that the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ does not end with Bright Week. 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 “Pascha Giveaway” - a solemn Easter service on the eve of the Feast of the Ascension. Here is another indication of the superiority of Easter over other Christian celebrations, none of which is 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 Risen!" We greet each other for forty days.

Lit.:Men A., prot. Son of Man. M., 1991 (Part III, ch. 15: "Easter of the New Testament"); Ruban Yu. Easter (Holy Resurrection of Christ). L., 1991; Ruban Yu. Easter. Bright Resurrection of Christ (History, worship, traditions) / Nauch. ed. prof. Archimandrite Jannuary (Ivliev). Ed. 2nd, corrected and supplemented. SPb.: Ed. temple icons Mother of God"Joy of All Who Sorrow" on Shpalernaya St., 2014.
Y. 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 resisted God's plan to leave Egypt, God, admonishing him, began to consistently bring down a series of disasters on the country of the pyramids (later these disasters were called "Egyptian plagues").

The last, most terrifying disaster, according to God's plan, was to break the stubbornness of the pharaoh, finally crush the resistance, induce him, finally, to submit to the Divine will.

The essence of this last execution was that among the Egyptians all the first-born were to die, starting from the first-born of cattle and ending with the first-born of the ruler himself ().

This execution was to be carried out by a special angel. So that, when he struck the firstborn, he would not strike along with the Egyptian and Israeli ones, the Jews had to anoint the jambs and crossbars of the doors of their dwellings with the blood of the sacrificial lamb (). And so they did. The angel, seeing houses marked with sacrificial blood, bypassed them "side", "passed by." Hence the name of the event: Easter (Pesach) - passing by.

In a broader interpretation, the Easter holiday is associated with the Exodus in general. This event was preceded by the offering and consumption by the entire society of Israel of Easter sacrificial lambs (at the rate of one lamb per family; in case this or that family was not numerous, it had to unite with its neighbors ()).

The Old Testament Paschal lamb represented the New Testament, Christ. Saint John the Baptist () called Christ the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. The apostles also called the Lamb, by whose blood we are redeemed.

After the Resurrection of Christ, Easter, among Christianity, began to be called the Holiday dedicated to this event. In this case, the philological meaning of the word "Easter" (transition, passage) has 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 is Easter celebrated if Easter was celebrated even before the birth of Jesus Christ?

In the days of the Old Testament, the Jews, following the Divine will (), celebrated Easter in remembrance of their exit from Egypt. Egyptian slavery was one of the darkest pages in the history of the Chosen People. Celebrating Easter, the Jews thanked the Lord for the great mercies, good deeds, associated with the events of the period of the Exodus ().

Christians, celebrating the Easter of Christ, remember and sing of the Resurrection, who crushed, trampled death, gave all people the hope of a future resurrection into eternal blessed life.

Despite the fact that the content of the Jewish Passover is different from the content of the Passover of Christ, the similarity in names is not the only thing that connects and unites them. As is known, many things, events, persons of the time of the Old Testament served as prototypes of New Testament things, events and persons. The Old Testament Paschal lamb served as a type of the New Testament Lamb, Christ (), and the Old Testament Pascha served as a type of the Easter of Christ.

We can say that the symbolism of the Jewish Passover was realized on the Passover of Christ. The most important features of this figurative connection are the following: just as through the blood of the Passover lamb the Jews were saved from the damaging effect of the destroying angel (), so we are saved by the Blood (); just as the Old Testament Easter contributed to the liberation of the Jews from captivity and slavery to the 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 unity of the Jews (), so the Communion of the Blood and Body of Christ contributes to the unity of believers in one Body of the Lord (); just as the consumption of the ancient lamb was accompanied by the eating of bitter herbs (), so the Christian life is filled with the bitterness of hardships, suffering, deprivation.

How is the date of Easter calculated? Why is it celebrated on different days?

According to Jewish religious tradition, in the days of the Old Testament, the Passover of the Lord was celebrated annually on the 14th day of the month of Nisan (). On this day, the slaughter of Easter sacrificial lambs took place ().

From the Gospel narrative it follows convincingly that the date of the Cross suffering and death chronologically corresponded to the time of the Jewish Passover ().

From then until the completion of 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 - the bosom of Abraham (). The souls of those Old Testament people who especially pleased the Lord and fell into this area. How contrasting was the difference between their state and the state of sinners, we see from the content of the same parable ().

Sometimes the concept of "Abraham's bosom" is also referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven. And, for example, in iconography Doomsday the image of the "bosom ..." 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 Cross Suffering and death, when He, being in the body in the tomb, by Soul descended into the underworld places of the earth ()).

Although the righteous did not experience those grave sufferings and torments that fierce villains experienced, they were not involved in the indescribable bliss that they began to experience after being released from hell and elevated to Glorious Heavenly villages.

We can say that in some sense the bosom of Abraham served as a type of Paradise. Hence the tradition to use 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 Week end and Easter begin?

On Saturday evening, usually an hour or half an hour before midnight, as the rector decides, a celebration is celebrated in the churches. Despite the fact that in separate manuals the following of this service is printed together with the following of Holy Pascha, according to the Charter, it still belongs to the Lenten Triodion.

The Vigil before the Pascha of Christ 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 departure from Egypt (we emphasize that it was with this event that the Old Testament Easter was associated, which represented the Cross Sacrifice of Christ).

In the continuation of the midnight office, censing is carried out around, after which the priest, raising it on his head, takes it (Facing to the east) into (through the Royal Doors). The shroud is laid on, after which censing is performed around it.

At the end of this service, it happens (in commemoration of how they went, with aromas, to the Sepulcher of the Savior), and then Paschal is already performed.

At the end of the procession, the faithful stop with reverence in front of the gates of the temple, as if before the Sepulcher of Christ.

Here the rector initiates Matins: "Glory to the Saints...". After that, the air is filled with the sounds of the festive troparion: "Christ is risen from the dead" ...

In the Orthodox environment, there is an opinion that if a person died on the day of Easter, then his ordeals are alleviated. Is this a popular belief or church practice, tradition?

We believe that in different cases such a "coincidence" can have a different interpretation.

On the one hand, we understand well that God is always open to man with His () and (); it is only important that the person himself strive for unity with God and the Church.

On the other hand, we cannot deny that on the days of the Main Feasts 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 churches (often) are filled even with those Christians who are very far from regular participation in church services.

We think that sometimes death on Easter can testify to a special mercy for 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 even lead to superstition).

Why is it customary to paint eggs at Easter? What colors are allowed? Is it possible to decorate Easter eggs with icon stickers? How to deal with the shell from the consecrated eggs?

The custom of believers to greet each other with the words "Christ is risen!" and giving each other colored eggs dates back to ancient times.

Tradition firmly connects this tradition with the name of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Marina Magdalene, who, by the way, went to Rome, where, having met with Emperor Tiberius, she began Her own 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 corruption and death, the Life-giver Christ arose, and someday all the dead will rise.

Why was the egg given to the Emperor by Marina Magdalene red? On the one hand, 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, giving eggs to each other and greeting one another 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 dyed eggs the color of blood, not without the intention of imitating the Old Testament Easter rite of the Jews, who smeared the jambs 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 dyeing 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 on the basis of its symbolic meaning, but on the basis of personal aesthetic preferences, personal fantasy. Hence such a large number of colors, up to unpredictable.

It is important to remember here: the color of Easter eggs should not be mournful, gloomy (after all, Easter is a great Holiday); in addition, it should not be too defiant, 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; it is a Christian shrine. And it should be treated exactly like a shrine.

Before the icons it is customary to pray to God and His saints. However, if the sacred image is applied to the egg shell, which will be peeled off and then, perhaps, thrown into the garbage pit, then it is obvious that the “icon” can also get into the trash along with the shell. It seems that it is not long before blasphemy and sacrilege.

True, some, fearing to anger God, try not to throw away the shells from the consecrated eggs into the trash: they either burn it or bury it in the ground. Such a practice is permissible, but how appropriate is it to burn or bury the faces of saints in the ground?

How and when is Easter celebrated?

Easter is the oldest church holiday. It was established back in . So, Paul, inspiring the brothers in faith to a worthy, reverent celebration of the Day of the Resurrection of Christ, rivers: “cleanse the old leaven to be a new test for you, since you are unleavened, for our Pascha, Christ, was slain for us” ().

It is known that the early Christian united under the name of Easter two adjoining weeks: the previous day of the Resurrection of the Lord and the next. At the same time, the first of the indicated weeks corresponded to the name "Easter of Suffering" ("Easter of the Cross"), while the second - 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. For the week preceding the day of the Resurrection of the Lord, the name "Passion" was fixed, and for the next - "Light". The name "Easter" was established behind the Day of the Resurrection of the Redeemer.

Divine services during the days of Bright Week are filled with special solemnity. Sometimes the whole week is called, as it were, one Bright Holiday of Easter.

In this Christian tradition, one can see a connection with the Old Testament, according to which the feast of (Jewish) Passover was connected with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted from the 15th to the 21st day of the month of Nisan (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, he was associated with the beginning of the harvest).

In the continuation of Bright Week, worship is carried out with the open - in commemoration of the fact that, through the Resurrection, victory over and death, he opened the gates of Heaven to people.

The giving of Pascha takes place on Wednesday of the 6th week, in accordance with the fact that before His Day, the Lord Risen from the Sepulcher, walking the earth, showed himself to people, testifying to His Resurrection.

In total, until the day of giving Easter - there are six Weeks: the first - Easter; the second is Fomina; the third - holy myrrh-bearing women; the fourth is about the relaxed; the fifth is about the Samaritan woman; the sixth is about the blind.

During this period, the Divine dignity of Christ is especially sung, the miracles performed by Him are remembered (see:), confirming that He is not just a Righteous Man, but the Incarnate God, Who Resurrected Himself, correcting death, crushing the gates of the kingdom of death, - for our sake .

Is it possible to congratulate people of other faiths on Easter?

Pascha of Christ is the most solemn and great Feast of the Universal Church (according to the metaphorical statement of the holy fathers, it surpasses all other church holidays as much 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 precisely with this proclamation. “Christ is risen!” she told him, and presented a red egg as a gift.

Another thing is that not every non-believer (or atheist) is ready to respond 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 of this or that person, it is appropriate to literally fulfill the words of Jesus Christ: “Do not give shrines to dogs and do not throw your pearls in front of swine, so that they do not trample it under their feet and, turning, do not tear you apart” ().

Here it is not bad to take into account the experience of the Apostle Paul, who, by his own admission, while preaching the faith of Christ, tried to adapt to the circumstances and the 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 the 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 gain strangers to the law; for the weak - as the weak, for the sake of gaining the weak. For everyone, he became everything 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 the Easter holiday in advance. This means that the work that can be done in advance is better done in advance. Work that is not connected with the Holiday and does not require immediate execution is better (for the duration of the Holiday) to be postponed.

So, for example, the ancient Christian monument “The Apostolic Ordinances” gives a firm indication that neither in Passion Week, nor in the Paschal (Bright) Week following it, “let slaves not work” (Apostolic Decrees. Book 8, ch. 33)

However, there is no unconditional ban on any kind of work at all during the Easter period, regardless of the circumstances.

Suppose there are many types of professional, service and social activities, requiring the indispensable participation of one or another person, regardless of his desire and from.

This kind of activity includes: law enforcement, military, medical, transport, fire fighting, etc. Sometimes, in relation to this kind of work on the Feast Day, it is not superfluous to recall the words of Christ: “give Caesar’s to Caesar, and God’s to God” ().

On the other hand, exceptions to work can occur even when it comes to such daily tasks as cleaning the house, washing dishes.

Indeed, if during the Easter holiday the table is filled with dirty plates, spoons, cups, forks, food waste, and the floor is suddenly flooded inappropriately 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 ambo prayer), a solemn consecration of a special one takes place - a (literally translated from Greek, “artos” means “bread”; in accordance with the meaning of the name Easter (Pesach - transition) as the transition from death to life , in accordance with the consequence of the Resurrection as the Victory of Christ over and death, a Cross crowned with thorns is imprinted on the artos, a sign of victory over death, or an image).

As a rule, artos relies on opposite the icon of the Savior, where, then, it remains in the continuation of Bright Week.

On Bright Saturday, that is, on Friday evening, the artos is shattered; at the end of the Liturgy, on Saturday, it is distributed for consumption by the faithful.

As in the continuation of the Bright Holiday, believers eat Easter in their homes, so during the days of Bright Week in the houses of God - the temples of the Lord - this consecrated bread is presented.

In a symbolic sense, artos is compared with the Old Testament unleavened bread, which was to be eaten, in the continuation of the Paschal week, by the Israel people, after they were freed by the right hand of God from Egyptian slavery ().

In addition, the practice of consecrating and preserving 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 a part of the bread and laid it down at the meal. This symbolized the presence of Christ among them.

This symbolic line can be strengthened: serving as an image of Heavenly Bread, that is, Christ (), the artos serves as a reminder to all believers that the Risen One, despite the Ascension, is constantly present in, in accordance with the promise: “I am with you all the days until the end of the age »().

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Easter miracle 04/02/2018

After a long fast, believers with joy and special hopes are waiting for the feast of Easter, the Bright Resurrection of Christ. 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 the celebration of Easter in 2018 according to the Orthodox tradition is April 8. Although the dating is not constant, the Bright Resurrection of Christ always falls on the spring period.

Easter is considered the most important holiday of Christianity. On the biblical example of the pains 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 gaining the truth. On this day, we honor the feat of the Savior and think about our souls.

"Passover" is a European variant, derived from the Hebrew term "Pesach", which translates as "passage". It 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 the origins

There is another translation of the word "Easter": the verbs "pass", "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 to Ancient Egypt from above: "10 plagues of Egypt." One of these punishments for sins involved the killing of the firstborn males.

But the Jewish baby boys were not harmed. On the eve of the terrible event, vigilant representatives of the Jewish community managed to draw a special security sign on the doors of the houses where potential victims of the Jewish nation lived. After that, the pharaoh allowed the Jews to leave the country that had enslaved them, to return to their native Canaan.

In the book "Exodus" of the Old Testament, this story is described in detail. As for the dating of the event, then, 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 is Easter, the origins of its occurrence. They are even older. 5 thousand years ago, the Jewish tribes had an Easter tradition in a slightly different format. Easter was celebrated as a magnification of the period of calving of livestock, and then it began to be tied to the beginning of the agricultural season.

In the same pagan times, it was the day of commemoration of dead relatives. In honor of these seemingly different occasions, ritual sacrifices were made. A lamb or other animal was slaughtered to appease the higher powers, to call for their patronage.

History from the "New Testament"

Modern history, the new chronology begins with the birth of Jesus, and the most frequently remembered biblical drama is precisely the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Let me briefly remind you how events developed according to the version of 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, speaking modern language, in an attempt 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, more precisely, with those citizens of the province who came to watch the execution. The choice of the crowd fell on Barabbas, a troublemaker and murderer, and he was released.

It happened on the eve of the ancient Jewish Passover, the execution took place on Friday, 5 days after (the solemn entry of the Lord into Jerusalem).

Jesus was forced to carry his own cross on his back, climbing Mount Golgotha. According to eyewitnesses of the event, a wreath of prickly thorns was put on his head.

Then there were several painful hours after the crucifixion. Archaeologists have managed to find some evidence of how such executions took place in reality. They found bones of arms and legs pierced with long nails. What terrible pain the condemned experienced at the same time is hard to even imagine. 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 the supporters of the "troublemaker" did not try to take some provocative actions, guards were assigned to the burial place.

And on Sunday, on the third day after the placement of the body of Christ in the tomb, something happened that has since been called the main miracle of Christianity. The body of Jesus disappeared from the tomb, and he himself appeared to the disciples, talked to them, and gave good parting words.

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 falls on April 8th. Catholic Easter is celebrated a week earlier than Christian. There are some discrepancies in dates between Catholics and Orthodox, but there are years when this day coincides for two branches of Christianity. This year, Easter Day is April 1st.

How is the date of the Sunday holiday determined? In 325, the hierarchs of the Christian churches decided to calculate the date for the celebration of Easter. It is "the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox". sliding date, different years Easter falls on one of the days between April 4 and May 8.

The calculation is quite complicated, it is necessary to take into account the nuances of the movement of our planet around the Star, and the features of the lunar trajectory, and a number of other purely astronomical factors. Therefore, it is easiest for us 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 with all important dates, Christian holidays.

Week from Palm Sunday to Bright Sunday - Holy

This week, between Palm Sunday and Holy Sunday, is called Passion Sunday in memory of the torment that Christ accepted, moreover, consciously, understanding what awaits him. What do they do on Maundy Thursday?

On Maundy Thursday we are engaged in putting things in order in the house. But these are only external actions. This is not the main thing, the most important thing is to try to cleanse yourself of the negativity in your soul. This whole week encourages us to think: what are we doing wrong, what needs to be corrected? Who next to us is waiting for help, support, kind words? Think and do!

Then there will be Good Friday and Great Saturday - days of special memory, reassessment of values, spiritual renewal. Finally, on April 8, Easter will come. Time to rejoice, glorify the triumph of Life!

Why we color eggs and bake Easter cakes: the origins of tradition

In the last days before bright resurrection most of us paint eggs. This is one of the main traditions of the holiday, over which time has no power. True, now it is somewhat modernized, in an ordinary supermarket it is easy to find different sets of thermal stickers and other devices for decorating testicles. But where did this custom come from?

Here is what the oldest 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 testicle to Emperor Tiberius.

The egg, apparently, served as a symbol of constantly reviving life, a kind of circulation of matter, the constant transformation of one form of being into another. No wonder the scholastics of antiquity could argue for hours which came first: the chicken or the egg.

The disciple of the Savior solved this dilemma in her own way: it is not so important who is the first, it is much more important that life is indeed endless, even at the level of its earthly, animal manifestations. How much more wise and generous was the Lord to us, people, since he gave us an immortal soul? ..

And the most symbolic, deep in meaning Christian holiday reminds us of this. But what does that old story say next? Mary Magdalene, handing the egg to the ruler, told Tiberius: “Christ is Risen!”

The Emperor was neither pleased nor inspired by the news. He took the woman's message with disbelief and obvious sarcasm. In response, he said that no one is capable of resurrecting from the dead. It's unrealistic, impossible. Exactly as unbelievable as to think that this white egg can turn into a red one.

The emperor was pleased with his eloquence and imagery of the replica. But his skepticism was quickly replaced by amazement and confusion as the egg in his hands immediately turned bright red.

This incident formed the basis of the tradition of painting eggs for Easter. Previously, they were laid out on lettuce leaves or on fresh seedlings of cereals. Now, for such purposes, special decorative dishes are produced or cardboard coasters are made.

How we celebrate Easter: traditions and rituals

In addition to the coloring of eggs, which has long been customary, there are other traditions of celebration. Now I will tell you how they celebrated in the old days, what rituals existed. As mentioned above, on Maundy Thursday a special order is put in place in the home.

AT old days on Easter morning people went to the church, to the service, with whole families. Dressed in the most festive attire. Meeting acquaintances, they christened, that is, they greeted each other with three kisses. In many historical films or paintings based on the works of Russian classics, there are similar episodes. The service itself that day was extremely magnificent and solemn.

According to church canons, it is not customary to visit cemeteries on Easter. To commemorate the dead, a day is set, on the ninth day after this holiday. This year, Radonitsa will be April 17th. But folk customs last years have changed somewhat: many still go to honor the memory of relatives who have gone to another world.

And during the day they go, as in the old days, to visit relatives. They congratulate, glorify the resurrection of Christ, exchange painted eggs, Easter cakes, cottage cheese Easter, figurines of cockerels, and other traditional baked goods. A lot of homemade and purchased pastries are still on the tables of Russians on this day.

The table on this day and the next week becomes plentiful, already with meat dishes and various other food. After a long fast, you can pamper yourself with 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. It was also a symbol of renewal. And the house, especially the icons, were decorated with multi-colored paper flowers, they were often cut out by themselves.

In the old days, different games were played with eggs. For example, they rolled them from an inclined surface onto a table covered with a cloth. It is interesting that it was not at all the “fastest” egg that won, on the contrary, the favorite was the person who knew how to lower the symbol of Easter “down the hill” more slowly than others. He could even take a trophy with him - the eggs of the other participants in the competition.

As for the tradition of “fighting” on eggs, that is, beating them against each other, figuring out which one is stronger, only ordinary, unpainted testicles used to participate in such battles.

And consecrated krashenki were considered healing, including the shell. It was finely crushed and added to livestock feed or they themselves ate this powder. Which is quite reasonable: after all, this is how the body received a fair amount of calcium.

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 from evil spirits, the dyed shell was simply kept in the house until the next year.

In 2019, Easter - the most important Christian holiday - is celebrated on April 28. 48 days are being prepared for the Bright Sunday of Christ: 40 days last and Passion Week goes on for eight days. Despite the importance of the holiday in the Christian world, it appeared long before the death and resurrection of Jesus. The editors of the site explain where the Jewish Pesach came from, how it is connected with the Christian Easter, and also why we paint eggs and bake Easter cakes on Easter

Photo: Virgin and newborn Jesus Christ / tbn-tv.com

The origin of the holiday

The holy holiday of Easter appeared even before the birth of Jesus Christ. It was celebrated in honor of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. According to biblical tradition, the Jews were forcibly kept in Egypt for 430 years, until they were rescued by the prophet and founder of Judaism, Moses.

One day God appeared to Moses in the form of a blazing but unburned bush. The Lord told the shepherd to come to the Egyptian lands and convince the pharaoh to let the Jews go. At the age of 80, the prophet appeared before the ruler of Egypt, but no matter how he tried to reason with the pharaoh, the Israelites remained in slavery. As punishment, the Lord sent ten plagues on Egypt: punishment by blood, an invasion of frogs, an invasion of blood-sucking insects, punishment by dog ​​flies, pestilence of cattle, ulcers and boils, thunder and fiery hail, an invasion of locusts, Egyptian darkness, and, finally, the death of the firstborn.

Photo: fiery lightning over the sky of Egypt / illustrators.ru

Neither frogs, nor bloody rivers, nor fiery hail did not frighten the pharaoh. Only the death of his own child forced the ruler to release the Jews. The terrible punishment did not affect everyone: Moses warned the Israelis that the doors of the houses should be marked with the blood of a one-year-old immaculate lamb, and the animal itself should be baked and eaten with the family. The Jewish houses that carried out the order of Moses were not touched by death.

When the Israelites approached the Red Sea, the water opened up and the Jews walked along the bottom.

After these events, the Pesach holiday appeared, aka Easter, which literally translates from Hebrew as “passed by, passed by.” This is a direct reference to the passage of the Jews past the water along the bottom of the Red Sea.

Connection with Christian Easter

Christian Easter is inextricably linked with the life, death and resurrection of the son of God Jesus. Christ was born in the small village of Nazareth, near Bethlehem. When he was 30 years old, he received from John the Baptist. Three years later, Jesus gathered 12 of his closest disciples at the Easter feast, whom he said that soon one of them would betray him, thereby predicting the betrayal of Judas.

Photo: Procession of Jesus Christ to Mount Golgotha ​​/ catholic.tomsk.ru

The day after the Last Supper, Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea, ordered that Christ be arrested, tortured, and executed by crucifixion. The priests envied the Son of God, because crowds of believers followed him, and the authorities wanted to eradicate Christianity in the bud. After being beaten with whips and “crowned” with a crown of thorns, the exhausted Jesus put the cross on his back and carried it to the top of Mount Calvary. Jesus' way of the cross through old Jerusalem and the serpentine of the mountain became one of the prototypes of the Christian procession.

The death of the son of God on Mount Golgotha ​​is a kind of allegory for the murders of sacrificial lambs. Just as the Jews sacrificed one-year-old immaculate lambs, so Jesus gave his life for the remission of sins and the purification of human souls. Christ died after the Jewish Passover, on Friday, which was called Holy.

Why do we paint eggs for Easter?

On the third day after the burial of Christ, on Sunday, Mary Magdalene, one of the followers of Jesus, together with the myrrh-bearing women, went to his tomb to leave incense. Approaching the cave, she saw that the stone had been moved away, and the Angel of the Lord in a snow-white robe was sitting in the cave. The angel told Mary that Jesus was not in the tomb - he had risen. At that moment, the Son of God himself appeared before her. Overjoyed, Mary hurried to tell the good news to the emperor Tiberius himself. Entrance to the great Roman pontiff without a gift was forbidden, so Mary took it. Hearing about the resurrection of Christ, Tiberius laughed and said that he would believe in it only when the egg in Mary's hands turns red. In the same second, the eggshell turned purple, as a symbol of the shed blood of Christ.

Photo: Mary Magdalene presents Tiberius with a purple egg / zolushka-new.com

However, the spiritual writer and bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Dmitry Rostovsky believed that Mary Magdalene gave the emperor an egg already painted red. This gift aroused the curiosity of the emperor, and she told him about Jesus Christ, after which he believed. In Orthodoxy, this legend, apparently, penetrated under the influence of Catholicism.

According to another version, the Mother of God, the mother of Jesus, entertained Christ with painted eggs when he was a baby.

Why do we bake a holiday cake

Festive Easter cake is a kind of church artos - yeast bread with the image of Christ. After the Ascension of Christ, the apostles left a piece of bread for the son of God at the meal, thereby depicting his presence at the dinner table. Catholics bake holiday bread from shortcrust pastry and call him "baba".

Photo: Orthodox family praying at the table with holiday cakes / babiki.ru

The word "Kulich" comes from the Greek kollikion, which means "round bread". This word is found not only in Russian. The Spaniards call the "home" artos kulich, and the French call it koulitch.