Easter in the FSU

[mendeleyev]

Easter surprises:

- Visitors are often surprised that Easter is often considered the 2nd most popular holiday period in the FSU, behind New Years. Raster is the most important holiday of the Orthodox church worldwide.


- Where else can you find public schools, government offices, grocery markets and restaurants that modify their menus and stocked inventories to reflect the 40 day fast (no meat, no dairy, no alcohol, etc) before Easter?


- If your friend asks if you are keeping or observing the "post" do you know what she/he means? (Post is пост, the term for "fasting")


- Why do some folks who aren't normally considered as being that "religious" now faithfully keeping the 40 day Easter fast?


If traveling around Moscow this week, this link has a partial list of popular restaurant chains that offer menus for those observing the fast: http://www.restoran.ru/msk/news/velpostmsk/postonrestmsk


And here is a vegetarian menu:

[mendeleyev]

How to say Easter phrases in Russian:

As we’ve written previously, the Russian word for Easter is taken from Greek and is Пасха (“pahsh-ka”), so today we’re going to link to one of my favourite places to learn and listen to correctly spoken Russian: http://www.listen2russian.com

In lesson 5 of the free lessons, you learn how recognize and correctly speak some of the more common phrases used in Easter services. The link to this lesson is here: http://listen2russian.com/lesson05/d/index.htmlt

Let’s practice. The most common phrase is Христос воскрес! (Chris-TOS vas-KRES) Literally that means, “Christ is risen!” Whether Христос воскрес (Christ is risen) is said as a greeting from one person to another or when in a service is shouted by the priest, the congregation responds with Воистину воскрес (va-IST-in-oo vas-KRES) which means “truly risen!.”



(Христос воскрес! Christ has risen! photo: Tatyana Alekseeva Shino)


Another greeting is c Пасхой (SPAS-khee), literally meaning “with Easter.” It could be also understood as “with Christ” or “with Christ’s resurrection at Easter.” In historic Christianity the early Orthodox church understood that the only way to participate personally in the hope of resurrection was to be “with” or “in” Christ. To be found outside of Christ, outside of the resurrection, was to be without hope of eternal life.

So as we approach the final days of holy week here are some phrases you may wish to learn.

Христос воскрес! (Christ is risen)

Воистину воскрес! (Truly risen)

[mendeleyev]

Easter reflection on the Jordan River

This past 19 January President Medvedev observed the Russian Orthodox Day of Epiphany while on a two-day state visit to Jordan and Palestine. Epiphany is celebrated in the Eastern world 13 days after the traditional Western observance on 6 January.

His primary mission was to meet in Amman with King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan and then in Palestine with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to offer assurances that Russia has not forgotten the 1988 Soviet pledge for an independent Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem. But while in Jordan, Mr. Medvedev visited a national and religious park which honours the traditional site of John's baptism of Jesus. Quite something special considering Jordan is a Muslim country!





A stark contrast however is just across the Jordan at the site traditionally recognized as the spot where John performed the baptism of Jesus. That site is on the Israeli-controlled western side of the river. Unlike the Jordanian park, the Israeli site is closed to the public and surrounded by land mines and barbed wire.





And so there on Epiphany Day, Dmitry Medvedev, a practicing member of the Russian Orthodox Church cupped his hands and dipped them into the Jordan River. Taking the water he briefly bathed his face and made the sign of the cross on his forehead, a traditional Christian gesture of participation in the baptism of Christ.





Orthodox Churches celebrate Epiphany as the beginning of the earthly ministry of Jesus and for President Medvedev the opportunity to visit the site was symbolic of his mission of peace. It was also a message to both Christians and Muslims back in his own country. The Muslim population in Russia today is over 25 million and Russian officials say that given current birth rates in Muslim communities, Muslims will likely account for one-fifth of the Russian population by 2020.

On that same visit while across the border in Palestine, presidents Medvedev and Abbas participated in the formal opening of the Jericho Museum, built by Russia on land returned to Russia in June 2008. Once owned by the Tsar, the museum which sits on 105 dunams (26 acres) had been abandoned during the Communist revolution. Recently the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society arranged for the land to be returned to Russian ownership.

Peace, although often elusive, is worth the effort on any day of the year. But especially at Easter.

[mendeleyev]

Orthodox Easter Baskets





A typical Orthodox Easter basket might include hand-painted eggs, a bottle of wine, ham, sausage, cheese, and a special Easter bread like paska, etc. These items are significant because the family has been “fasting” (no milk, alcohol, eggs or meat products) for 40 days. Thus, the Easter basket represents a feast!

On Holy Saturday, Slavic people everywhere will be taking baskets loaded with holiday foods to church for the traditional Easter blessing, which is a must prior to eating those exquisite foods.

Neatly arranged in many of the baskets will be ham, slanina (bacon), chrin (beets with horseradish), salt, paska, kolbasi, hrudka (sirets), butter, pysanky (ornately decorated eggs) for decoration, colored eggs for eating and kolachi. Some people may add candy and a bottle of wine to their baskets. Many add special varieties of fruit.

The word for Easter is “Pascha” (Greek) and so these baskets are called “Paschal baskets.” Baskets have been carefully prepared with many of the foods from which we’ve been fasting for the past month and a half during Great Lent. Baskets are often covered with a decorative linen and a lighted candle during the service of blessing.

There are several foods traditionally included in the basket. These are: a yeast bread, a bitter herb, cheese, meat, butter, salt, and a red egg. Each item in the basket has symbolic significance.

Pascha: The Easter Bread, a sweet, yeast bread, rich in eggs and butter. Symbolic of Christ Himself, who is “the Bread of Life.”  John 6:35. This bread is usually a round loaf baked with a golden crust and decorated with a cross.

Cheese and Butter remind us of the Promised Land, which has been reopened to us by Christ’s Resurrection and which we find in the Church, is “a land of milk and honey.”  Exodus 3:17

Meats – Usually ham or lamb (lamb was always offered in the Temple and eaten on the Passover), meat comes as a rich reward after our season of fasting. Lamb reminds us of Christ, whom John the Baptist calls, “the Lamb of God” John 1:36.  The meat is usually cooked so the festivities of the day will not be burdened with preparation.

Sausage: a spicy, garlic sausage of pork products is indicative of God’s favor and generosity. Smoked and fresh kielbasa are customarily included in the basket.

Hard Boiled Eggs: As the chick emerges from the confinement of the shell,  so Christ resurrects from the tomb. St. Mary Magdalene appeared to Tiberius Caesar and greeted him with a red egg and the words, “Christ is Risen!”

As we crack our hard-boiled eggs on Easter, it is traditional for two people to crack together. The first says, “Christ is Risen!” and the second replies, “Indeed, He is Risen!”

Those who are able often include psanki (Ukrainian-decorated eggs) in their baskets as well. Horseradish, often colored with red beets is symbolic of the passion of Christ, still in our minds, but sweetened with some sugar to remind us of the Resurrection.

Bacon: A piece of uncooked bacon cured with spices, the fattest of foods, symbolizes the super-overabundance of Him who says, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundance.” John 10:10

Salt. Christ calls His disciples “the salt of the  earth.”  Matthew  05:13. To be followers of Christ, we, too, must spread the ‘seasoning of Christ’, the good news of His Resurrection throughout society.

While this is generally what is contained in the traditional Slavic basket, an Easter basket may contain your own preferred items—especially those favorite foods from which you have abstained throughout the Great Fast.

[mendeleyev]

What? No sunrise Easter service on Easter Sunday morning?!

No, at least not in the way we calculate days in the West. You see, Orthodox believers follow the Jewish calendar in this respect and Sunday morning begins at sundown on Saturday night. The Orthodox around the world have already finished their Sunday morning liturgy just about the time the rest of Christianity is waking up.

Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church.  Generally the service starts at night somewhere around 10 or 11:00 pm Saturday evening, and there is a sermon right before the midnight procession, where brilliantly robed clergy and everyone else go outside and walk around the church, holding candles, singing and shouting that Christ is risen, while the bells peal out the glad tidings. This represents the disciples running to tell others the Christ was risen.

As Saturday midnight approaches, worshipers light candles and then, at the strike of 12 o’clock, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ. An intensely joyful Orthodox liturgical chant along with the ringing of bells can be heard until the conclusion of Easter Mass at 2 or 3AM.

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal

70+ years of Communism could not extinguish over 1,000 years of Christianity, as evidenced once again all over Russia as many normally crowded churches were faced with long lines of worshipers outside, hoping to get in for a least a part of the Easter liturgy.

Russian Easter services begin in late evening with a special Vespers service which leads into the Orthodox Easter liturgy at midnight. Most services end around 3-4am on Easter morning. Standing outside at one church in Moscow, one family commented that they sincerely hoped that those who had made it inside would give those waiting a chance to also experience some of the service before the night was over. That could be a problem in a tradition where church doors are closed once the traditional midnight liturgy has begun.

As expected in at least one instance witnessed, even though some earlier worshipers left so that others could join, many families waited outside and remained there until the service was over. For them, even the opportunity to enter the church as others were leaving and to light candles at the icons at 4am Easter morning was better than having no opportunity at all to be in church on Easter.

[mendeleyev]

As has been his custom each year, President Dmitry Medvedev and Mrs. Svetlana Medvedeva attended the Easter service at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.





Since becoming President, Mr. Medvedev has made no secret of his personal Christian faith. From the official residence in Gorki, Russia, the president congratulated Orthodox Christians and all those celebrating Easter on Resurrection Sunday.





"I sincerely congratulate you on this happy holiday of Easter Sunday.

Easter celebrations contain the bright light of faith and goodness, fill our hearts with hope, joy and feelings of good-will towards others, and draw us towards the eternal spiritual values ​​of Orthodoxy and centuries-old traditions of our people, which remain the basis of our unity today.

The Russian Orthodox Church plays an important constructive role in consolidating the moral foundations of our society, as well as strengthening international and interfaith cooperation. Its fruitful interaction with the state promotes our country's continued development.

I wish Orthodox Christians and all citizens of Russia celebrating Easter peace, happiness and prosperity."

(The Mendeleyev Journal)

[mendeleyev]

Before exiting this topic, for those interested in gaining the flavour of an Orthodox Easter liturgy, here is a 10 minute video from 2008 at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The liturgy is led by the late Patriarch Alexi (may His memory be eternal) and is a brief overview of how a full 3+ hour Easter liturgy is done.

[Wiz]

2000 + YEARS DOWN THE LINE AND THE SAME STORY IS REPEAT IT

Everywhere around the world, in Russia too, the ORTHODOX CRISTIANS celebrate Jesus Christ rising from death and the same actors who betrayed him to the Roman occupiers of Palestine .... continue their treachery but now in Ukraine!

I suggest you read the history of Crimea and what happen there when Xitler came to power and started chacing the Jews out of Gemany! Then check what took place in 2014 in Kiev and who were the leaders running the New Libereated Ukraine, from the Red Tyranic Russia of the dictator Vladimir Putin!.....etc.

Not to forget......

[AvHdB]

Hosanna in the Highest

“Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify the Son in Himself—and will glorify Him at once.

Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

[Manny]

Easter has arrived in Chez Manny today too. My wife is big on Easter. This from today.

[BillyB]

Happy Orthodox Easter everyone!

[dorbradavid]

If you are in the US, Jordan isn't hard to get to, it's certainly interesting. IAT the holy sites, a trip to Petra is worth the while.