What do Orthodox believe about Easter?

Orthodox Easter takes place between April 4 and May 8, following the first full moon after Passover. Orthodox Easter always falls after the Jewish celebration of Passover, because, according to the New Testament, the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ took place after he entered Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

Why do Christian Orthodox celebrate Easter?

Both Orthodox Easter and Easter Sunday are Christian festivals where believers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus – it’s the most important festival in the Christian Calendar.

What is the difference between Christian Easter and Orthodox Easter?

Easter as it’s commonly celebrated in the United States falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox (always between March 22 and April 25), while Orthodox Easter is celebrated on the Sunday after the first full moon after Passover (between April 4th and May 8th.)

Why is Easter so important to Greek Orthodox?

If you have any Greek people in your social circle, you may have realized that Easter is the biggest holiday of the year for them. In the eyes of the Greek Orthodox Church, it is an honor to commemorate the fact that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. For the Greek people, they’re ready to celebrate.

What does the Orthodox Church call Easter?

Great and Holy Pascha
Great and Holy Pascha (Easter) is celebrated by Eastern Orthodox Chrisitans (officially known as the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as Greek Orthodox), and this year it falls on April 28.

What do orthodox eat on Easter?

The customary main attraction of the day is whole roasted lamb or goat (kid) to represent the Lamb of God. However, many prefer oven and stovetop lamb or kid dishes. Appetizers, such as Greek olives and tzatziki (a cucumber yogurt dip), are served for guests to enjoy while watching the lamb cook on the spit.

What do Orthodox Christians believe?

Essentially the Orthodox Church shares much with the other Christian Churches in the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. The Orthodox Church differs substantially in the way of life and worship.

Why is Orthodox Easter different than Catholic Easter?

Why Is The Orthodox Easter Date Different? The Orthodox Easter always falls later than the Catholic one as it is calculated using the same formula, but using the Julian Calendar (as we said above, this is currently 13 days behind the commonly used Gregorian).

Why is Orthodox Easter at night?

People were afraid to go out after dark, but persevered to attend a liturgy because the church was considered a safe haven. As midnight approaches, candles are lit and, at midnight, church bells ring as a symbol of Christ’s resurrection.

Why does Greek Easter have red eggs?

Red Egg Tradition The red color symbolizes the blood and sacrifice of Christ on the cross and the egg symbolizes rebirth. The first red egg that is dyed is considered to be the egg of the Virgin Mary and is saved in the home for protection against the evil eye until the next year when a new “first egg” is dyed.

Why is Orthodox Easter at midnight?

Finally, at midnight comes the moment that all Orthodox Greeks around the world eagerly anticipate: The Resurrection ceremony when the faithful can finally greet one another by saying “Christos Anesti!” (Christ is risen!).