ORTHODOX PEOPLE CELEBRATE EASTER

Today, Orthodox Christian believers celebrate Easter, the biggest and oldest Christian holiday, which is celebrated in memory of Christ's resurrection, his victory over death and sin.
The Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated for three days, and for the next 40 days, Orthodox Christians greet each other with the words "Christ is Risen, Truly Risen". It is the main moving holiday and based on its date it is determined when other moving religious holidays will fall.
Orthodox Christians prepare for the Resurrection of Christ by fasting for forty days.
Church teachings say that Jesus was crucified on Friday, on Saturday he lay in the grave, in Joseph's garden, while on Sunday at dawn a strong earthquake was felt and the angel of God landed on the grave. The guards guarding the tomb fell down as if dead in fear, and Jesus rose again.
On Easter, according to belief, Mary Magdalene first met Christ, and then he appeared to his disciples. Only the disciple Thomas, who was absent, did not immediately believe that Christ was resurrected, so he had to see for himself. This is where the popular saying came from: "Unfaithful Thomas".
According to the decisions of the Council of Nicaea in 325, which are respected by all Orthodox churches to this day, Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday of the full moon after the vernal equinox, but necessarily after the Jewish Passover.
Easter can be 35 days apart, the earliest on April 4, and the latest on May 8 according to the Julian calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, it is the period from March 22 to April 25. This is why Easter is a moving holiday and is celebrated for three days.
This holiday is associated with the custom of giving eggs. The egg is a symbol of the renewal of nature and life, which symbolizes Jesus' exit from the grave and rebirth.
The first colored egg, which is usually red in color, is set aside until the following Easter and is given special importance - it is considered a "guardian", i.e. a protector of the house and health. The color red symbolizes the desire for health and progress. With the first red Easter egg, believers would cross themselves on Easter day and thus end the seven-week fast. It is best if the other eggs are of different colors because they symbolize love and happiness.
Mary Magdalene gave a red egg to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who did not believe in Christ's resurrection, and greeted him with the words "Christ is Risen".
Today, it is customary that the Easter celebration begins after the morning service, after which the faithful greet each other with the words "Christ is risen" and "Vaistinu Vaskrse".
M. J.