Orthodox Easter. Divine service and procession

The Day of the Resurrection of Christ is one of the brightest Christian holidays and the most important in the liturgical year. Its “floating” dates from year to year prompt the question: what date is Easter in 2017 for the Orthodox.

What preparations are needed for Easter 2017

Traditionally it is celebrated on Sunday, and before Easter in 2017 there is Holy Saturday. This day is coming to an end Lent, which lasted 48 days in 2017, and all preparations for the holiday are ending. Its other name is Silent Saturday. A person must spend it abstaining from fun and entertainment, but also from quarrels - swearing and foul language on this day are equated with sin.

Also on Saturday they prepare paints, which is why it is also called Krasilnaya, and bake Easter cakes. However, it is not yet possible to eat dishes that are prepared for the table. Anyone who is fasting can only eat bread, vegetables and fruits raw, and drink only water.. We answer the popular question: when is the Easter basket collected on Easter - on Saturday. The family itself chooses which products it considers necessary to consecrate, but it must include dyes and Easter cakes. The history of the holiday and its symbolism of the rebirth of life also requires decorating the house with branches of young trees and flowers.

In the evening, believers go to the service, where the religious procession begins at midnight. Upon returning home, they can taste pasok and then go to bed. In 2017 in Russia Easter begins only late Sunday morning. The prohibitions associated with Holy Saturday in 2017 are directly related to its symbolism and the traditions that apply when preparing or celebrating religious celebrations.

Full list of prohibitions on Holy Saturday in 2017:

  • thermally processed food;
  • alcoholic drinks, but those who previously sat on bread and water are allowed to sip a little red wine;
  • dancing and singing;
  • intimacy;
  • fishing and hunting;
  • cleaning, washing and ironing;
  • gardening and gardening work;
  • bathing;
  • needlework.

The date of Easter in 2017 and why it “floats” every year

The question of what date Orthodox Easter falls on does not lose relevance from year to year. In 2015 it was celebrated on April 12, in 2016 it moved to May 1, and The date of Easter in 2017 returned to April again, stopping at the 16th . We know that it is always celebrated on Sunday, but its date is calculated using a formula based on the solar lunar calendar.

This was established in 325 at the first Ecumenical Council, when it was decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday that follows the full moon after March 21 (day spring equinox). So its date comes after Jewish Passover, which falls from the 14th to the 15th of the first lunar month Aviva, just in time for the full moon. The lunar and solar calendars do not coincide, which leads to the appearance of a “floating” Easter.

However, the coincidence of numbers does not occur often, since in the same 325 the Council of Nicaea chose its own system for calculating the Easter day. According to her algorithm, after the spring equinox - March 21, you need to wait for the full moon and the next Sunday after it will be Easter.

Easter basket

From March 22 to April 24 - on these dates the Resurrection of Christ is always celebrated, the discrepancy in days in 45% of cases is no more than seven, less often (in 30%) - the numbers coincide, as in 2017, and in about 20%, they are divided by five weeks and another 5% - for four.

What traditions are associated with the celebration of Easter in 2017

Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on April 16 in 2017, which coincides with its celebration by Catholics. We will tell you in more detail about the traditions that apply to both teachings

Orthodoxy in Russia has received great support and Easter is celebrated here on a scale befitting the most important holiday in the liturgical year. In the morning it is customary to go to church, blessing the pre-assembled Easter basket. Upon returning home, you need to set the table, starting holiday dinner, first of all, with an Easter egg, and then with Easter cake. Only after completing the ritual can you begin other dishes.

It is customary to give each other eggs, and the battle of eggs is considered an old pastime. Also on this day, it is customary to make Christ - when meeting a friend, you need to kiss him, saying “Christ is Risen!”, and in response hearing “Truly He is Risen!” Orthodox Easter 2017 is a pure and bright holiday that should not be overshadowed by quarrels and work (with the exception of caring for the sick). It is not intended for memorial services for the deceased and visiting the cemetery - there is a separate day for this.

Features of celebrating Easter Sunday among Catholics in 2017

Traditions Catholic Easter 2017 are similar to the Orthodox. The main thing here the symbol is also painted eggs – they are pre-decorated with various hand-drawn colored ornaments. A family dinner with pastries, meat dishes and decor typical for this day is an integral part of the holiday.

True, Easter cakes are replaced here Easter Bunny- It is he, according to the old belief, who puts treats in Easter baskets in houses. It appears both in the form of souvenirs made from clay, plastic, fabric, and as an edible image placed on sweets and baked goods.

Easter is a Christian holiday dedicated to the Resurrection of Christ. This holiday is considered one of the most ancient and important for the church. Easter celebration is the greatest and happy event for all people, both Catholics and Orthodox. It signifies love of life, victory over death and hope for eternal existence.

On this holiday, the church rejoices, opens its gates wide, letting in everyone who wants to dedicate Easter cakes, eggs and other dishes brought in a basket.

When is Easter celebrated?

Christian Easter is always celebrated on Sunday, only the dates change. The exact date It’s quite difficult to calculate it yourself, because it is formed according to the solar-lunar calendar. Orthodox and Catholic Easter begins on different time, because different calendar systems are used.

Orthodox Easter 2017: date, traditions, signs

In 2017 Orthodox Easter have to on April 16. This holiday has its own traditions, which were established gradually over many centuries. Since Easter the clearest sign everything alive and renewed, then the main symbols of this day are considered Life(Easter cakes and painted eggs), Water(Easter streams) and Holy Fire. In all cities and villages on Easter night, people went to church, listened to the service, blessed water and Easter basket with products.

After the service in church, it is customary to come home, set the table and break the fast. People who have kept a strict 48-day fast are especially looking forward to this day. First of all, you need to taste the egg, followed by the Easter cake. Once this ritual is completed, you can begin other treats.

Most Favorite Easter fun- battle of eggs. To do this, you need to take a decorated or painted egg and hit your opponent’s egg with either side. The winner is the one whose egg remains intact.

It is also customary to christen yourself on Easter. Young and old, children and adults, men and women, when meeting, should kiss a friend three times and say “Christ is Risen!”, and in response they will hear “Truly He is Risen!”

There are several Easter omens and rituals that have come to us since ancient times:

  1. For the one who will come first home after church service, the whole year will be lucky.
  2. By dipping gold jewelry in water with a blessed egg, you can attract wealth and success.
  3. Roll an Easter egg over children's faces to protect them from the evil eye.
  4. To preserve happiness in the home, you should not do any household chores on Easter.

To feel the magic and significance of Orthodox Easter, you do not have to be a deeply religious person. After all, this holiday, first of all, is about everything dear and important that people have: about goodness, about love, about children, about forgiveness. It’s also a wonderful tradition to visit all your relatives and get everyone together for big table and just enjoy life

Catholic Easter 2017: date, traditions, rituals

2017 is one of the few times when Catholic and Orthodox Easter are celebrated on the same day. Usually the difference between dates is several weeks. But this year, all Catholics will celebrate the day Christ's Resurrection April 16.

The symbol of the Easter holiday are colored eggs. IN different countries they are painted according to their customs and preferences. For example, Western European Catholics paint eggs red without any additional stickers or designs. And in Central Europe, it is customary to decorate Easter eggs with beautiful ornaments, patterns and colorful flowers.

Another symbol of Catholic Easter is the hare, which, according to ancient belief, goes from house to house and puts various treats in an Easter basket. The Easter Bunny is a popular creature among all Catholics. It is printed on postcards and made chocolate candies in the shape of a hare, baked. Souvenirs in the form of rabbits, which are made from clay, fabric, plastic and other materials, are popular.

The Roman Catholic Church holds the main service of the year from Maundy Thursday to Holy Resurrection. It is during this period that it is customary to remember all the torment that Christ suffered, his death and his resurrection.

As soon as evening comes Holy Saturday, Catholic churches celebrate Easter Eve. The beginning of this action is the Liturgy of Light. A fire breaks out not far from the Temple, from which the priest takes a spark and lights a large Easter candle. With this candle, the clergyman enters the dark temple and says ancient hymn, signifying the resurrection of Christ. It is from the lit Paschal that Catholics light their candles.

After this action, the next one begins - the Liturgy of the Word, and then the Liturgy of Baptism. IN catholic church It is customary for adults to be baptized immediately the night before the holiday. Believers consider this an honorable rite that makes their destiny happier.

As soon as the baptism ends, the Eucharistic Liturgy begins, and at the end of the service, “Christ is risen” is said. People in the temple must answer “Truly he is risen.” After which they go in procession around the temple.

An integral tradition of Catholic Easter is a family dinner. Catholics always have the most delicious treats on their table: sweets, pastries, meat dishes. The table itself is decorated with Easter decor.

What not to do on Easter

Easter is pure holiday, during which a person cleanses his soul and body. On this great day you cannot do housework or go to work. There are exceptions, of course, such as caring for sick people and children. Also, on Easter Day you cannot visit cemetery grounds. For such moments there is a special day, which occurs immediately after the Easter festivities end. Since the Day of the Holy Resurrection is considered a joyful day, it is forbidden to hold funeral services for the deceased.

Pre-Easter and Easter days The church does not hold weddings, citing the fact that the holiday was invented not for physical pleasures, but for complete spiritual and moral cleansing, thereby causing the rebirth of the human soul.

Video recipe for wonderful Easter cake

Easter in 2017 is the most important Christian holiday and a joyful event not only for Orthodox Christians, but also for Catholics. He carries within himself greatest love and hope for spiritual cleansing. On this day, the doors of each church are open for those wishing to bring and bless Easter cakes, colored eggs and other delicacies available after.

When is the holiday and what date is Orthodox Easter in 2017?

Christian Easter in 2017, as always, is celebrated on Sunday. This year one of rare cases, when Easter in 2017 for the Orthodox coincides with the celebration of Catholic Easter. Most often, the difference between the dates of Orthodox and Catholic Easter differs by several weeks, but this time all Catholics celebrate together with the Orthodox.

In order to determine the date of Easter in 2017, just turn to church calendar. If you want to calculate this date yourself, you can do this using the lunar calendar. Determine the full moon after the vernal equinox: the next Sunday after this day will become happy holiday Easter in 2017.

To find out what date Easter is in 2017, look at the calendar. This day falls on April 16th.


History of the celebration

This bright and joyful Christian holiday celebrates faith in God and his powers. It was from this day that it once began new era. Having accepted martyrdom for human sins, and resurrected on the third day according to the will of the Lord and for his glory, Jesus became a symbol of humanity, a sign that anyone can enter the Kingdom of God after the end of earthly life.

For Christian believers it's time Easter holidays– the main event of the year. Preparations for the holiday begin long before Easter. The essence of fasting is preparing the spirit and body for the celebration of the resurrection of the Son of God. During fasting, the task is not so much physical cleansing by giving up many foods, but rather the opportunity to know your own strength of spirit and cleanse yourself spiritually.

The fast lasts 40 days, the same length of time that Christ's fast lasted after his baptism.

The symbols of the holiday of resurrection are:

  1. Life (represented in the form of Easter cake, colored eggs).
  2. Water (Easter streams).
  3. Fire (Holy Fire taken out from the Holy Sepulcher).

On the night of Easter, all believers went to church, listened to the festive service and blessed an Easter basket with Easter cakes and colored eggs.


Catholic Easter

The celebration of Catholic Easter is slightly different. Catholics also paint eggs, go to night services and congratulate family and friends. The baptism of adults on the night before the holiday is considered a special rite. Catholics believe that this will bring them happiness and good luck.

Family dinner is an integral part of the holiday. Relatives gather for common table, which is sure to be decorated with Easter paraphernalia, sweets and pastries. Children, adults and lovers exchange colored eggs, and the whole day is spent in the streets theatrical performances on a religious theme.

Traditions, rituals and signs

Easter rituals and traditions involve many rules. After the night Easter service, people come home and begin to break their fast (that is, allow themselves to eat food that makes them for a long time refused). This ritual is especially significant for those who have fasted for the entire period. This needs to be done correctly; first of all, you need to break and eat the egg. After eating the eggs, they eat Easter cake. After this, you can proceed to other products. For most children, a favorite tradition is breaking eggs. To do this, everyone chooses an egg and hits it against another. The one whose testicle remains intact wins.


While still leaving the church, all familiar people should greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!” The answer to this greeting should be “Truly he is risen!”, People hug each other and exchange three kisses on the cheek.

Preparation Easter cakes and painting eggs before Easter is also a tradition for many. Relatives get together and spend time together talking and preparing for the bright holiday; this unites and fills souls with love.

Among Catholics, the rabbit is considered the symbol of Easter. It is he who comes into the house and leaves treats in baskets. Drawings of a rabbit are present in most holiday attributes - postcards, various souvenirs, chocolates, colored eggs and cookies are made with his image. In addition to the main traditions, there are folk signs and rituals, here are the main ones:

  1. Whoever comes first to the house after the night service will attract good luck for the whole year.
  2. You can attract wealth by dipping gold jewelry in water with a blessed egg.
  3. Rolling over a child's face Easter Egg, you can protect him from the evil eye.

Holiday bans

During Lent, you cannot kneel in prayer in church: this is allowed after the Resurrection. The same restriction applies to bell ringing, resuming after Easter.

Easter is a clean and bright holiday; on this day you should not do cleaning, laundry, repair or agricultural work. On this day, the church does not commemorate the dead and does not perform any rituals. Easter is a holiday of spiritual and moral cleansing, revival and purification of one’s own soul and thoughts. On this day, family members gather around the same table and enjoy communicating with each other, thinking about good deeds and drive away gloomy thoughts.

Knowing what date Easter is in 2017, every believer will be able to prepare for this holiday by studying all the traditions and history of the celebration, cleansing their soul and body of the accumulated negativity over the year.

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Easter for Christians is not a simple holiday. It contains the whole essence of Christianity, all of its amazing story. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the main miracles of biblical history, at the mention of which people’s hearts are filled with goodness and light. What date is Orthodox Easter celebrated in 2017, and how to celebrate it correctly, you will learn from this article.

history of the holiday

The word “Easter” itself comes from the Hebrew “Pesach” and means “passed, passed by.” Before the Christian era, Easter was celebrated in honor of the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. Later Easter got something else, modern meaning: « passage from death to life, from earth to heaven».

Easter is celebrated in the spring, when nature itself awakens from sleep, and always on Sunday - the day when the Lord resurrected after martyrdom on the cross. This holiday symbolizes the triumph of spirit over flesh, the victory of life over death. Even atheists do not remain indifferent to Easter - in any case, everyone feasts on colored eggs and Easter cakes on this day.

The great holiday with its traditions and fun is preceded by a long holiday, during which it is recommended to lead a righteous life, not be angry, not allow sinful thoughts, do good to your neighbor and avoid excesses in food. Lent becomes especially strict in the last, or passionate, week. And on Sunday, Easter Day, Orthodox Christians rejoice and eat delicacies and traditional Easter dishes.

Easter calendar 2017

The date of Easter is different every year. In 2016, we greeted loved ones with the words “Christ is Risen!” 1st of May. The date of Easter in 2017 is already known: it will be April 16. The dates of other related holidays are also known.

Lent next year will begin 40 days before Easter - February 27, Palm Sunday a week before the holiday - April 9. The Ascension of the Lord is the fortieth day after Easter; in 2017 it will be celebrated on May 25.

Easter is celebrated by both Orthodox and Catholics. What date will be Catholic Easter in 2017? Usually the date of Catholic Easter does not coincide with Orthodox holiday, But next year There will be a rare exception: both of these dates are celebrated on April 16th. This means that both Catholics and Orthodox Christians will glorify Jesus Christ together.

Easter traditions

In our country, it is customary to restore order in houses and apartments for Easter. This is reasonable: after all, cleanliness should be not only in the soul, but also in the home. For spring cleaning apartments for Orthodox tradition Thursday is reserved for Holy Week before Easter - it is called Maundy Thursday.

Of course, not everyone follows this rule due to lack of time, so cleaning before Easter often stretches out for a couple of weeks. Housewives wash windows and change bed sheets, are starting big wash, closets are sorted out, and unnecessary things are given to the poor or thrown away. Before Easter itself, you need to wash the floors in the house, wipe off the dust and decorate the home to your liking.

Believers begin celebrating Easter the day before, when festive services are held in churches. At the Easter service you can see the descent of the Holy Fire, which, according to legend, descends from heaven to earth. Candles are lit from this fire; it is even believed that the wax from them has miraculous properties - it can treat physical and mental illnesses.

The tradition of “Christification” is sacredly observed in Russia. Orthodox Christians exchange colored eggs and greet each other with the words: “Christ is risen!” The answer to this greeting should be: “Truly he is risen!”

It is also a widespread tradition to go to bright resurrection in the cemetery, but churchmen do not advise doing this. It is better to visit close relatives and celebrate Christ with them, or as a last resort congratulate by phone.

Easter dishes

Traditional Easter dishes are colored eggs and Easter cakes. The egg symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher: from the outside it seems lifeless, but inside it has already arisen new life. The red color that eggs are mostly painted in is reminiscent of the blood of the crucified Christ, which he shed for human sins.

It is better to paint eggs and bake Easter cakes in Maundy Thursday, and it is recommended to consecrate them in church on the eve of Easter, on Saturday. However, in practice this is not always observed, and often we purchase kits for coloring eggs literally the day before. But this is not scary, the main thing is that on Sunday bright shiny eggs are waiting for household members on a festively laid table. Perfect option— color eggs with the children, who usually look forward to this day.

The basic rules for painting eggs remain the same. The eggs must be hard-boiled, then washed thoroughly so that the paint adheres better. And then - start creating!

Previously, in an era of shortages, eggs were mainly colored onion skins, now available in stores huge selection sets for creativity. Eggs can be dyed food coloring, rub with foil for a metallic effect, decorate with stickers, use stencils, lace and other decor. After painting, the eggs need to be wiped dry and rubbed until shiny with vegetable oil.

Now you know when Easter is in 2017 for the Orthodox, and you can think in advance about how to color your eggs next year.

Easter fun

IN old Russia Not a single Easter would be complete without a ride on the swings. Everyone could ride, but unmarried girls especially loved this activity. The people even composed Easter ditties:

I'll pump myself up high
And I'll see far away
Where does my brother walk?
Rolls a red egg.

Games with eggs were popular. The eggs were rolled along a wooden chute, and various prizes were laid out below: toys, pleasant trifles. If the rolling egg touched one of the objects, the player took it for himself.

Both children and adults loved beating eggs. Two people played: one held the egg sharp end up, and the other tried to break it with his egg. The one whose egg is cracked is the loser.

All these games can be played with no less success at the next Easter in 2017. Our website will tell you what date it will be. See you!

Orthodox Easter in Russia is celebrated according to the norms of church canons on the first Sunday that follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox and the Jewish month of Passover.

The holiday itself has its roots in those distant ancient times when the exodus of the Jews from Egypt took place. When the Lord sent plagues in Egypt, one of which was the death of infants, he passed by those houses whose doors were marked with the blood of a young lamb.

Subsequently, this was closely intertwined with the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Christ, whom the church identifies with the lamb of God, who saved the human race with his blood, atoning for its sins with his blood.

Orthodox Easter 2019

Considering the fact that every year Orthodox Church calculates the date of celebration have a bright day Easter according to Gregorian calendar, it can be calculated decades in advance. To determine the date of the holiday, special Easter eggs are used - certain algorithms by which calculations are made. They are based on solar and lunar cycles.

Thus, the church issues special calendars in advance for Orthodox believers, thanks to which believers have the opportunity to prepare for the celebration in advance. The fact is that there are a number of special traditions that Orthodox believers strictly adhere to, expecting happy holiday Easter. These primarily include the Great Pre-Easter Lent, which believers strictly adhere to. During it, food intake of animal origin is strictly limited; many exclude dairy products and fish from the diet.

That is, knowing exactly what date Easter is in 2019, believers can determine what date they should start fasting. The next pre-Easter tradition is the baking of holiday cakes and, directly, Easter itself. Believers do this in the so-called. On the same day, April 25, they do pre-holiday cleaning and coloring of eggs. Products prepared for Easter are blessed in the church in, this year it will be 20 April. They eat consecrated foods directly on Easter day - Sunday. April 28.

The celebration of the Great Easter holiday begins on the night from Saturday to Sunday of the specified date. Believers go to church for a festive service. They pray and congratulate each other on big holiday and already on Sunday at breakfast they eat Easter cakes blessed in the church.

Thus, a holiday in which the combined doctrines of the Old and New Testaments is, in essence, a celebration of the victory of Life over Death, Good over Evil. One of the most important Christian holidays calls on believers to live righteously, remember and appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus, which he made to cleanse humanity from sins.


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