Orthodox Easter language tradition symbolism

Orthodox Christians with red eggs and Easter bread at a local church in a residential neighborhood in Moscow.

Orthodox Easter: Its Language and Symbolism

Published: April 1, 2023

Orthodox Easter is by far the most important religious holiday in most Slavic lands and is the busiest day at most Russian Orthodox churches across the globe. The holiday is steeped in history and mystic symbolism.

The following is a dual-language article meant to teach you about history and culture of Orthodox Easter while allowing students of Russian to expand their vocabularies.

Orthodox Easter (ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ) is sometimes referred to in Russian as โ€œChristโ€™s Resurrectionโ€ (ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพะฒะพ ะ’ะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธะต). According to polls, it is the third most popular holiday among Russians after New Year and birthdays. Easter in Russia is celebrated a little differently than in the West. ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ, ะธะปะธ ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพะฒะพ ะ’ะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธะต, ะบะฐะบ ะตะต ะตั‰ะต ะฝะฐะทั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‚ โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ั‚ั€ะตั‚ะธะน ะฟะพ ะฟะพะฟัƒะปัั€ะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ ัƒ ั€ะพััะธัะฝ ะฟะพัะปะต ะะพะฒะพะณะพ ะณะพะดะฐ ะธ ะดะฝั ั€ะพะถะดะตะฝะธั. ะŸั€ะธ ัั‚ะพะผ ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ ะพั‚ะผะตั‡ะฐะตั‚ัั ะฝะตะผะฝะพะณะพ ะฟะพ-ะธะฝะพะผัƒ, ั‡ะตะผ ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต.
Easter is preceded by Pussy-Willow Sunday (ะ’ะตั€ะฑะฝะพะต ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต) โ€“ a celebration of the entrance of Jesus to the temple. The Jews laid palm branches for Jesus to walk on when he entered Jerusalem. In Russia, palms donโ€™t grow naturally (except for a small area on the Black Sea coast), but pussy-willow branches will sprout fuzzy buds at about the time of Pussy Willow Sunday. Pussy Willows are thus used in place of palms to mark this day.

In Orthodox belief, the pussy willow is a symbol of spring because it is one of the first plants to blossom. It will later have leaves, but does not sprout them yet from the fuzzy buds. According to official explanation, this โ€œincompletenessโ€ of the sprouting indicates that the joy from the holiday of Entrance of Lord is incomplete, but harbors the beginning of the joy of Easter and Christโ€™s resurrection.

Pussy Willow Sunday symbolizes, on the one hand, Jesusโ€™ recognition as the Messiah (Christ), and on the other hand โ€” a prototype of the entrance of the Son of Man to Paradise. This day is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Lent, before Easter.

ะŸะฐัั…ะต ะฟั€ะตะดัˆะตัั‚ะฒัƒะตั‚ ะ’ะตั€ะฑะฝะพะต ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต โ€“ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะพะฒะฐะฝะธะต ะฒั…ะพะดะฐ ะ“ะพัะฟะพะดะฐ ะฒ ั…ั€ะฐะผ. ะ˜ัƒะดะตะธ ะบะปะฐะปะธ ะฝะฐ ะฟัƒั‚ะธ ะ˜ะธััƒัะฐ ะฟะฐะปัŒะผะพะฒั‹ะต ะฒะตั‚ะฒะธ ะฟั€ะธ ะตะณะพ ะฒัŠะตะทะดะต ะฒ ะ˜ะตั€ัƒัะฐะปะธะผ. ะ’ ะ ะพััะธะธ ะฟะฐะปัŒะผั‹ ะฒ ะฟั€ะธั€ะพะดะต ะฝะต ั€ะฐัั‚ัƒั‚ (ะบั€ะพะผะต ะฝะตะฑะพะปัŒัˆะพะน ั‚ะตั€ั€ะธั‚ะพั€ะธะธ ะฝะฐ ะฟะพะฑะตั€ะตะถัŒะต ะงะตั€ะฝะพะณะพ ะผะพั€ั), ะฝะพ ะฝะฐ ะฒะตั‚ะพั‡ะบะฐั… ะฒะตั€ะฑั‹ ั€ะฐัะฟัƒัะบะฐัŽั‚ัั ะฑัƒั‚ะพะฝั‹ ะฟั€ะธะผะตั€ะฝะพ ะฒะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะ’ะตั€ะฑะฝะพะณะพ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒั. ะŸะพัั‚ะพะผัƒ ะธัะฟะพะปัŒะทัƒัŽั‚ัั ะฒะตั€ะฑั‹ ะฒะผะตัั‚ะพ ะฟะฐะปัŒะผ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะพั‚ะผะตั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ัั‚ะพั‚ ะดะตะฝัŒ. ะ’ะตั€ะฑะฐ โ€” ัะธะผะฒะพะป ะฒะตัะฝั‹, ั‚ะฐะบ ะบะฐะบ ัั‚ะพ ะพะดะฝะพ ะธะท ะฟะตั€ะฒั‹ั… ั€ะฐัั‚ะตะฝะธะน, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ะพะต ั€ะฐัะฟัƒัะบะฐะตั‚ัั ะฒะตัะฝะพะน ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ. ะžะฝะฐ ั‚ะฐะธั‚ ะฒ ัะตะฑะต ะปะธัั‚ัŒั, ะฝะพ ะตั‰ั‘ ะฝะต ะฒั‹ะฟัƒัะบะฐะตั‚ ะธ ั‚ะตะผ ะดะฐั‘ั‚ ะฟะพะฝัั‚ัŒ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ั€ะฐะดะพัั‚ัŒ ะพั‚ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบะฐ ะ’ั…ะพะดะฐ ะ“ะพัะฟะพะดะฝั ะฝะตะฟะพะปะฝะฐ, ะฝะพ ั‚ะฐะธั‚ ะฒ ัะตะฑะต ะฝะฐั‡ะฐะปะฐ ะฒะตะปะธะบะพะน ะฟะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะน ั€ะฐะดะพัั‚ะธ. ะŸั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะธะทะธั€ัƒะตั‚, ั ะพะดะฝะพะน ัั‚ะพั€ะพะฝั‹, ะฟั€ะธะทะฝะฐะฝะธะต ะ˜ะธััƒัะฐ ะœะตััะธะตะน (ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพะผ), ะฐ ั ะดั€ัƒะณะพะน โ€” ะฟั€ะพะพะฑั€ะฐะท ะฒั…ะพะดะฐ ะกั‹ะฝะฐ ะงะตะปะพะฒะตั‡ะตัะบะพะณะพ ะฒ ะ ะฐะน. ะŸั€ะฐะทะดะฝัƒะตั‚ัั ัั‚ะพั‚ ะดะตะฝัŒ ะฒ ะฟะพัะปะตะดะฝะตะต ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต ะฒะตะปะธะบะพะณะพ ะฟะพัั‚ะฐ, ะดะพ ะŸะฐัั…ะธ.
Easter is the celebration of Christโ€™s resurrection. For the Russian Orthodox, it symbolizes the rejoicing of the resurrection of Son of Lord, the victory of life over death, light over darkness. Russians celebrate Easter on Sunday which symbolizes that on that day โ€“ Sunday, Christ was resurrected. In Russian, the word โ€œSundayโ€ (ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต) originated from the word โ€œresurrectedโ€ (ะฒะพัะบั€ะตั). ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธั ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะฐ. ะžะฝ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะธะทะธั€ัƒะตั‚ ั€ะฐะดะพัั‚ัŒ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธั ะกั‹ะฝะฐ ะ‘ะพะถัŒะตะณะพ, ะฟะพะฑะตะดัƒ ะถะธะทะฝะธ ะฝะฐะด ัะผะตั€ั‚ัŒัŽ, ัะฒะตั‚ะฐ ะฝะฐะด ั‚ัŒะผะพะน. ะ ะพััะธัะฝะต ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝัƒัŽั‚ ะŸะฐัั…ัƒ ะฒ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต, ั‡ั‚ะพ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะธะทะธั€ัƒะตั‚, ั‡ั‚ะพ ะธะผะตะฝะฝะพ ะฒ ัั‚ะพั‚ ะดะตะฝัŒ โ€“ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝัŒะต, ะฒะพัะบั€ะตั ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพั.
On the eve of Easter, all-night vigils and a religious procession around the church take place in all churches. Church service begins shortly before midnight. The religious procession is called โ€œThe Cross Processionโ€ because the priest carries a cross in front of him as he starts from the church. The procession goes around the church three times while singing hymns.

At this time, bells ring โ€“ during Easter Week in all Russian Orthodox churches, anyone is allowed to go up the bell-tower and to ring. And after the end of the service, believers exchange a triple kiss โ€” they greet each other with a kissing and the words โ€œChrist is Resurrected!โ€ (ยซะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพั ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะต!ยป) This is answered with โ€œHe is truly resurrected!โ€ (ยซะ’ะพะธัั‚ะธะฝัƒ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตั!ยป) With this, the official part comes to an end, and the Easter feast begins. Colored eggs (ะบั€ะฐัˆะตะฝั‹ะต ัะนั†ะฐ) and Easter bread (ะบัƒะปะธั‡ะธ) are used to mark all 40 days of Orthodox Easter, but are especially common during the first week. These are used as gifts as the faithful visit one another to mark the holiday.

ะะฐะบะฐะฝัƒะฝะต ะŸะฐัั…ะธ ะฒะพ ะฒัะตั… ั…ั€ะฐะผะฐั… ะฟั€ะพั…ะพะดัั‚ ะฒัะตะฝะพั‰ะฝั‹ะต ะฑะดะตะฝะธั ะธ ะบั€ะตัั‚ะฝั‹ะน ั…ะพะด ะฒะพะบั€ัƒะณ ั†ะตั€ะบะฒะธ. ะ‘ะพะณะพัะปัƒะถะตะฝะธะต ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะฐะตั‚ัั ะฝะตะทะฐะดะพะปะณะพ ะดะพ ะฟะพะปัƒะฝะพั‡ะธ. ะ˜ะท ั†ะตั€ะบะฒะธ ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะฐะตั‚ัั ะธ ะšั€ะตัั‚ะฝั‹ะน ั…ะพะด, ะฝะฐะทะฒะฐะฝะฝั‹ะน ั‚ะฐะบ ะฟะพั‚ะพะผัƒ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ัะฒัั‰ะตะฝะฝะธะบ ะฝะตัะตั‚ ะฟะตั€ะตะด ัะพะฑะพะน ะบั€ะตัั‚. ะŸั€ะพั†ะตััะธั ั‚ั€ะธ ั€ะฐะทะฐ ะพะฑั…ะพะดะธั‚ ะฒะพะบั€ัƒะณ ั†ะตั€ะบะฒะธ ั ะฟะตะฝะธะตะผ. ะ’ ัั‚ะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะฑัŒัŽั‚ ะบะพะปะพะบะพะปะฐ โ€” ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต ะฟะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะน ะฝะตะดะตะปะธ ะฒะพ ะฒัะตั… ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝั‹ั… ั†ะตั€ะบะฒัั…, ะปัŽะฑะพะผัƒ ะถะตะปะฐัŽั‰ะตะผัƒ ั€ะฐะทั€ะตัˆะฐะตั‚ัั ะฟะพะดะฝัั‚ัŒัั ะฝะฐ ะบะพะปะพะบะพะปัŒะฝัŽ ะธ ะฟะพะทะฒะพะฝะธั‚ัŒ. ะ ะฟะพัะปะต ะพะบะพะฝั‡ะฐะฝะธั ัะปัƒะถะฑั‹ ะฒะตั€ัƒัŽั‰ะธะต ั…ั€ะธัั‚ะพััƒัŽั‚ัั โ€” ะฟั€ะธะฒะตั‚ัั‚ะฒัƒัŽั‚ ะดั€ัƒะณ ะดั€ัƒะณะฐ ั†ะตะปะพะฒะฐะฝะธะตะผ ะธ ัะปะพะฒะฐะผะธ ยซะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพั ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะต!ยป โ€“ ยซะ’ะพะธัั‚ะธะฝัƒ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตั!ยป. ะะฐ ัั‚ะพะผ ั‚ะพั€ะถะตัั‚ะฒะตะฝะฝะฐั ั‡ะฐัั‚ัŒ ะทะฐะบะฐะฝั‡ะธะฒะฐะตั‚ัั, ะธ ะฝะฐั‡ะธะฝะฐะตั‚ัั ะฟะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะฟะธั€. ะšั€ะฐัˆะตะฝั‹ะต ัะนั†ะฐ ะธ ะบัƒะปะธั‡ะธ ะธัะฟะพะปัŒะทัƒัŽั‚ัั ะดะปั ั‚ะพะณะพ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะพั‚ะผะตั‡ะฐั‚ัŒ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ ะฒ ั‚ะตั‡ะตะฝะธะต ะฒัะตั… 40 ะดะฝะตะน ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝะพะน ะŸะฐัั…ะธ, ะฐ ะพัะพะฑะตะฝะฝะพ ะฝะฐ ะฟะตั€ะฒะพะน ะฝะตะดะตะปะต. ะ˜ั… ะดะฐั€ัั‚ ะบะฐะบ ะฟะพะดะฐั€ะบะธ, ะบะพะณะดะฐ ะฒะตั€ัƒัŽั‰ะธะต ั…ะพะดัั‚ ะดั€ัƒะณ ะบ ะดั€ัƒะณัƒ ะฒ ะณะพัั‚ะธ, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะพั‚ะผะตั‚ะธั‚ัŒ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ.
From a celebration in a residential neighborhood in Moscow in 2014: tables were set in a large ring that completely surrounded the small church.
Orthodox Easter language tradition symbolism
The priest made continual circles around the church, blessing everything in his path with holy water. The kulich bread is sprinkled, as are the eggs, the occasional bottle of wine, and each and every person. By request, he also blessd a baby carriage for a pair of enthusiastic new parents.
Easter is celebrated for 40 days, because 40 is the โ€˜number of overcomingโ€™ in Orthodoxy (Jesus Christ kept a fast for 40 days in the desert, Advent and Lent also last about 40 days each).

Easter bread symbolizes Christโ€™s body. Eggs are painted in different colors, but in Orthodoxy, red is traditional โ€“ it symbolizes the blood of crucified Christ. Most often, eggs are boiled with onion skins to give them this color.

ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝัƒะตั‚ัั 40 ะดะฝะตะน, ะฟะพั‚ะพะผัƒ ั‡ั‚ะพ ะฒ ั€ะตะปะธะณะธะธ 40 โ€“ ัั‚ะพ ั‡ะธัะปะพ ะฟั€ะตะพะดะพะปะตะฝะธั (ะ˜ะธััƒั ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะพั ะฟะพัั‚ะธะปัั 40 ะดะฝะตะน ะฒ ะฟัƒัั‚ั‹ะฝะต, ะพะบะพะปะพ 40 ะดะฝะตะน ะดะปะธั‚ัั ะ ะพะถะดะตัั‚ะฒะตะฝัะบะธะน ะฟะพัั‚ ะธ ะ’ะตะปะธะบะธะน ะฟะพัั‚). ะšัƒะปะธั‡ะธ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะธะทะธั€ัƒัŽั‚ ัะพะฑะพะน ั‚ะตะปะพ ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะฐ. ะฏะนั†ะฐ ะบั€ะฐััั‚ ะฒ ั€ะฐะทะฝั‹ะต ั†ะฒะตั‚ะฐ, ะฝะพ ะฒ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะธะธ, ะบั€ะฐัะฝั‹ะน ัะฒะปัะตั‚ัั ั‚ั€ะฐะดะธั†ะธะพะฝะฝั‹ะผ โ€“ ะพะฝ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะธะทะธั€ัƒะตั‚ ะบั€ะพะฒัŒ ั€ะฐัะฟัั‚ะพะณะพ ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะฐ. ะงะฐั‰ะต ะฒัะตะณะพ ัะนั†ะฐ ะฒะฐั€ัั‚ ั ะปัƒะบะพะฒะพะน ัˆะตะปัƒั…ะพะน, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ะฟั€ะธะดะฐั‚ัŒ ะธะผ ัั‚ะพั‚ ั†ะฒะตั‚.
At the Easter feast, โ€œegg fightsโ€ or โ€œpeckingโ€ with eggs is popular with Russians. One person holds an eggโ€™s end up, and another strikes it with the end of another egg. The one whose egg shell did not crack is the winner. ะ—ะฐ ะฟะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะน ั‚ั€ะฐะฟะตะทะพะน, ัƒ ั€ะพััะธัะฝ ะฟะพะฟัƒะปัั€ะฝั‹ ยซัะธั‡ะฝั‹ะต ะฑะพะธยป ะธะปะธ ยซั‡ะพะบะฐะฝัŒะตยป ัะนั†ะฐะผะธ. ะžะดะธะฝ ั‡ะตะปะพะฒะตะบ ะดะตั€ะถะธั‚ ัะนั†ะพ ะบะพะฝั†ะพะผ ะฒะฒะตั€ั…, ะฐ ะดั€ัƒะณะพะน ะฑัŒะตั‚ ะฟะพ ะฝะตะผัƒ ะบะพะฝั†ะพะผ ะดั€ัƒะณะพะณะพ ัะนั†ะฐ. ะฃ ะบะพะณะพ ัะบะพั€ะปัƒะฟะฐ ะฝะต ั‚ั€ะตัะฝัƒะปะฐ, ั‚ะพั‚ โ€“ ะฟะพะฑะตะดะธั‚ะตะปัŒ.
Many in the West are surprised when they find out that Easter is the most popular religious holiday in Russia โ€“ even more popular than Christmas, which is widely recognized by far as the Westโ€™s most important Christian holiday. ะœะฝะพะณะธะต ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต ั ัƒะดะธะฒะปะตะฝะธะตะผ ัƒะทะฝะฐัŽั‚, ั‡ั‚ะพ ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะดะปั ั€ะพััะธัะฝ โ€“ ะฝะฐัั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ ะฒะฐะถะฝั‹ะน ั€ะตะปะธะณะธะพะทะฝั‹ะน ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบ, ะฟั€ะตะฒะพัั…ะพะดัั‰ะธะน ะฟะพ ะฒะฐะถะฝะพัั‚ะธ ะดะฐะถะต ะ ะพะถะดะตัั‚ะฒะพ, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ะพะต ะฟั€ะธะทะฝะฐะตั‚ัั ัะฐะผั‹ะผ ะฒะฐะถะฝั‹ะผ ั€ะตะปะธะณะธะพะทะฝั‹ะผ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝะธะบะพะผ ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต.
In the West, Easter is celebrated much more loudly and secularly than in modern Russia. In Russia, there are egg dying kits that are sold, as well as commercially produced Easter breads, but there is nowhere near the marketing bonanza that one sees in the West with various candies, plush toys, baskets, and plastic eggs. ะะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝัƒัŽั‚ ะŸะฐัั…ัƒ ะณะพั€ะฐะทะดะพ ะฑะพะปะตะต ัˆัƒะผะฝะพ ะธ ะฟะพ-ัะฒะตั‚ัะบะธ, ั‡ะตะผ ะฒ ัะพะฒั€ะตะผะตะฝะฝะพะน ะ ะพััะธะธ. ะ’ ะ ะพััะธะธ ะฟั€ะพะดะฐัŽั‚ัั ะฝะฐะฑะพั€ั‹ ะดะปั ะบั€ะฐัˆะตะฝะธั ัะธั†, ะฐ ั‚ะฐะบะถะต ะฟั€ะพะธะทะฒะตะดะตะฝะฝะฐั ะดะปั ะผะฐััะพะฒะพะน ะฟั€ะพะดะฐะถะธ ะฟะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝะฐั ะฒั‹ะฟะตั‡ะบะฐ, ะฝะพ ะธ ะฑะปะธะทะบะพ ะฝะตั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะพะณะพ ั‚ะพั€ะณะพะฒะพะณะพ ะฐะถะธะพั‚ะฐะถะฐ, ะบะฐะบ ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต, ั ะฟั€ะพะดะฐะถะตะน ั€ะฐะทะฝะพะพะฑั€ะฐะทะฝั‹ั… ะบะพะฝั„ะตั‚, ะฟะปัŽัˆะตะฒั‹ั… ะธะณั€ัƒัˆะตะบ, ะบะพั€ะทะธะฝะพะบ ะธ ะฟะปะฐัั‚ะธะบะพะฒั‹ั… ัะธั†.
Orthodox Easter language tradition symbolism
From the same 2014 celebration in a residential neighborhood in Moscow. There were probably a few hundred people on the church grounds at any one time. As the priest passed along the tables, people quickly gathered up their newly-blessed food and left. They were quickly replaced by more people who would wait for the priest to complete another round of his infinite circle around the church.
Russia also does not have symbols of Easter that do not have direct connection to Russian Orthodoxy. Russia has no Easter Bunny, for instance. ะขะฐะบะถะต ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ ะฝะตั‚ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะพะฒ ะŸะฐัั…ะธ, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ั‹ะต ะฝะต ะธะผะตัŽั‚ ะฟั€ัะผะพะน ัะฒัะทะธ ั ั€ัƒััะบะธะผ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะธะตะผ. ะะฐะฟั€ะธะผะตั€, ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ ะฝะตั‚ ั‚ะฐะบะพะณะพ ัะธะผะฒะพะปะฐ ะŸะฐัั…ะธ, ะบะฐะบ ะŸะฐัั…ะฐะปัŒะฝั‹ะน ะทะฐัั†.
Orthodox Easter is usually held on a date 1-5 weeks later than Western Easter. This is due to two factors. First, the Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar while the rest of the world has switched to the Georgian. The two calendars differ by about two weeks. ะŸั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝะฐั ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะพะฑั‹ั‡ะฝะพ ะฟั€ะฐะทะดะฝัƒะตั‚ัั ะฝะฐ 1-5 ะฝะตะดะตะปัŒ ะฟะพะทะถะต, ั‡ะตะผ ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต. ะญั‚ะพ ะฟั€ะพะธัั…ะพะดะธั‚ ะฑะปะฐะณะพะดะฐั€ั ะดะฒัƒะผ ั„ะฐะบั‚ะพั€ะฐะผ. ะŸะตั€ะฒั‹ะน, ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝะฐั ั†ะตั€ะบะพะฒัŒ ะธัะฟะพะปัŒะทัƒะตั‚ ะฎะปะธะฐะฝัะบะธะน ะบะฐะปะตะฝะดะฐั€ัŒ, ะฒ ั‚ะพ ะฒั€ะตะผั ะบะฐะบ ะพัั‚ะฐะปัŒะฝะพะน ะผะธั€ ะพะฑั€ะฐั‰ะฐะตั‚ัั ะบ ะ“ั€ะธะณะพั€ะธะฐะฝัะบะพะผัƒ. ะญั‚ะธ ะดะฒะฐ ะบะฐะปะตะฝะดะฐั€ั ั€ะฐะทะปะธั‡ะฐัŽั‚ัั ะฟะพ ะฒั€ะตะผะตะฝะธ ะฝะฐ ะดะฒะต ะฝะตะดะตะปะธ.
The second is because both Orthodoxy and the Western Churches actually calculate the date of Easter by lunar cycles. So, the date changes every year in both Russia and the West because both Russian and Western governments follow calendars based on lunar cycles. Added to this is the fact that Orthodoxy believes that Easter must follow the Passover in order to follow the biblical timeline. The Western churches donโ€™t hold to this. So, only when the appropriate lunar cycle occurs after the Passover do the two dates line up. They did so in 2017. However, it wonโ€™t happen again until 2034. ะ’ั‚ะพั€ะพะน ัะฒัะทะฐะฝ ั ั‚ะตะผ, ั‡ั‚ะพ ะธ ะŸั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝะฐั, ะธ ะทะฐะฟะฐะดะฝั‹ะต ั†ะตั€ะบะฒะธ ั€ะฐััั‡ะธั‚ั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‚ ะดะฐั‚ัƒ ะŸะฐัั…ะธ ะฟะพ ะปัƒะฝะฝั‹ะผ ั†ะธะบะปะฐะผ. ะŸะพัั‚ะพะผัƒ ะดะฐั‚ะฐ ะธะทะผะตะฝัะตั‚ัั ะบะฐะถะดั‹ะน ะณะพะด ะธ ะฒ ะ ะพััะธะธ, ะธ ะฝะฐ ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะต, ั‚ะฐะบ ะบะฐะบ ะธ ั€ะพััะธะนัะบะพะต, ะธ ะทะฐะฟะฐะดะฝั‹ะต ะฟั€ะฐะฒะธั‚ะตะปัŒัั‚ะฒะฐ ัะปะตะดัƒัŽั‚ ะบะฐะปะตะฝะดะฐั€ัะผ, ะพัะฝะพะฒั‹ะฒะฐัŽั‰ะธั…ัั ะฝะฐ ะปัƒะฝะฝั‹ั… ั†ะธะบะปะฐั…. ะšั€ะพะผะต ั‚ะพะณะพ, ะฒ ะฟั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะธะธ ัั‡ะธั‚ะฐะตั‚ัั, ั‡ั‚ะพ ั…ั€ะธัั‚ะธะฐะฝัะบะฐั ะŸะฐัั…ะฐ ะดะพะปะถะฝะฐ ัะปะตะดะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะทะฐ ะ•ะฒั€ะตะนัะบะพะน ะŸะฐัั…ะพะน, ั‡ั‚ะพะฑั‹ ัะพะพั‚ะฒะตั‚ัั‚ะฒะพะฒะฐั‚ัŒ ะฑะธะฑะปะตะนัะบะพะน ั…ั€ะพะฝะพะปะพะณะธะธ. ะ—ะฐะฟะฐะดะฝั‹ะต ั†ะตั€ะบะฒะธ ะฝะต ะฟั€ะธะดะตั€ะถะธะฒะฐัŽั‚ัั ัั‚ะพะณะพ. ะŸะพัั‚ะพะผัƒ ัั‚ะธ ะดะฒะต ะดะฐั‚ั‹ ัะพะฒะฟะฐะดะฐัŽั‚ ั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ ั‚ะพะณะดะฐ, ะบะพะณะดะฐ ะฟั€ะพะธัั…ะพะดะธั‚ ัะพะพั‚ะฒะตั‚ัั‚ะฒัƒัŽั‰ะธะน ะปัƒะฝะฝั‹ะน ั†ะธะบะป ะฟะพัะปะต ะ•ะฒั€ะตะนัะบะพะน ะŸะฐัั…ะธ. ะขะฐะบะพะต ะฟั€ะพะธะทะพะนะดะตั‚ ะฒ 2017 ะณะพะดัƒ. ะžะดะฝะฐะบะพ, ะฑะพะปัŒัˆะต ัั‚ะพะณะพ ะฝะต ะฟั€ะพะธะทะพะนะดะตั‚ ะดะพ 2034 ะณะพะดะฐ.
For two weeks before Light Sunday (The Day of the Resurrection of Christ) believers should sustain the Lentย which is more strict than the Lent in Catholicism. Orthodox Lent lasts 48 days (Catholic Lent lasts only 40 days) and imposes very strict restrictions on animal products, for example, eating meat is forbidden during the entire Lent. ะŸะตั€ะตะด ะกะฒะตั‚ะปั‹ะผ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธะตะผ (ะดะฝะตะผ ะฒะพัะบั€ะตัะตะฝะธั ะฅั€ะธัั‚ะฐ), ะฒะตั€ัƒัŽั‰ะธะผ ะฟั€ะตะดัั‚ะพะธั‚ ะฒั‹ะดะตั€ะถะฐั‚ัŒ ะ’ะตะปะธะบะธะน ะฟะพัั‚, ะบะพั‚ะพั€ั‹ะน ะฑะพะปะตะต ัั‚ั€ะพะณ, ั‡ะตะผ ะฟะพัั‚ ะฒ ะบะฐั‚ะพะปะธั‡ะตัั‚ะฒะต. ะŸั€ะฐะฒะพัะปะฐะฒะฝั‹ะน ะ’ะตะปะธะบะธะน ะฟะพัั‚ ะดะปะธั‚ัั 48 ะดะฝะตะน ( ะบะฐั‚ะพะปะธั‡ะตัะบะธะน โ€“ ั‚ะพะปัŒะบะพ 40 ะดะฝะตะน) ะธ ะฝะฐะปะฐะณะฐะตั‚ ะพั‡ะตะฝัŒ ะถะตัั‚ะบะธะต ะพะณั€ะฐะฝะธั‡ะตะฝะธั ะฝะฐ ะฟั€ะพะดัƒะบั‚ั‹ ะถะธะฒะพั‚ะฝะพะณะพ ะฟั€ะพะธัั…ะพะถะดะตะฝะธั, ั‚ะฐะบ, ะฒะตััŒ ะฟะพัั‚ ะฝะตะปัŒะทั ะตัั‚ัŒ ะผััะพ.
Orthodox Easter language tradition symbolism
Russians do not often attend weekly church services, but most do consider the church to be an integral part of Russian culture and they take yearly traditions, such as Easter preparations, very seriously. This crowd was gathered at one small church in southern Moscow. Similar scenes can be viewed across Russia.

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About the author

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov

Andrei Nesterov leads SRAS' Research Services, performing remote archive research and consultations for researchers around the globe. Andrei graduated from Ural State University (journalism) and Irkutsk State Linguistic University (English). He also studied public policy and journalism at Duke University on a Muskie Fellowship and taught Russian at West Virginia University. As a journalist, he has reported in both Russian and English language outlets and has years of archival research experience. He has travelled Russia extensively and penned many stories on the โ€œreal Russiaโ€ which lies beyond the capital and major cities. Andrei also contributes news, feature stories, and language resources to the SRAS Family of Sites.

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Josh Wilson

Josh Wilson

Josh lived in Moscow from 2003, when he first arrived to study Russian with SRAS, until 2022. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. At SRAS, Josh assists in program development and leads our Internship Programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.

Program attended: SRAS Staff Member

View all posts by: Josh Wilson