Easter in the FSU

[Markje]

For all you western guys wanting to impress their eastern woman, please be aware that Easter in the FSU does not always fall on the same sunday as western easter.


2011
Roman Catholic (Western) Easter: Sunday, April 24

Eastern Orthodox Easter: Sunday, April 24

Editors note: This year they are the same.

(Edited for 2011)

[jlogajan]

Good advice for this year.   However it changes every year.  Once in a while both Easters do fall on the same day.

[Olga_Mouse]

Yeah, that's about our pre-revolution calendar, due to which the "Great October revolution" was celebrated on November 7, and many people still enjoy an additional drinking occasion of "Old New year" on January 13...

Orthodox Church is still using that very old calendar...

[mendeleyev]

We have also added greatly to the list/directory of fasting recipes for readers who would enjoy Lenten style meals during the major Orthodox fasts.
http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=3044.0

[Chris]

Do you know how the decorate the eggs now, I have some of the decorations here with me at home and may give it a go sometime. I was given them when I was leaving Ukraine by an old Aunt of my wifes.

I assume years ago they used to paint them, but not anymore they cheat now and use transfers. I will see if I can scan or photograph some of them and post them here.

[Manny]

Do you know how the decorate the eggs now, I have some of the decorations here with me at home and may give it a go sometime. I was given them when I was leaving Ukraine by an old Aunt of my wifes.

We were sent some egg decoration thingies last year by a woman on another board. I have never seen them here, perhaps the Russian shops will have them. My wife did them, I think it was a hot water thing to get them on.

[Chris]

Do you know how the decorate the eggs now, I have some of the decorations here with me at home and may give it a go sometime. I was given them when I was leaving Ukraine by an old Aunt of my wifes.

We were sent some egg decoration thingies last year by a woman on another board. I have never seen them here, perhaps the Russian shops will have them. My wife did them, I think it was a hot water thing to get them on.

Yes, hard boil the eggs for 10 minutes, apply the transfers and place them back in hot water for a few seconds as far as I can remember. It s a it like a tubeless bandage that you snip bits off as you need it.

[mendeleyev]

[mendeleyev]

How the Mendeleyev family observes Easter:

Our daughters gather for the traditional Egg decorating.  It is a fun time and last year was and first time for the fiance of our oldest daughter.  He was in process of converting to Orthodoxy and Easter holds as much wonder for him as did Christmas. This year 2009 marks their first Easter while married.

Each year it is maddening with the preparation of dishes.

We begin a total fast at Noon (sometimes earlier) on the day before and will not eat until Easter services have been completed very early morning.

At night on the eve of Easter we'll gather at church at 10pm.  The liturgy will last until around 1:30am.

When the liturgy is completed the priests will enter the cultural hall where families will be waiting with their Easter baskets for the blessing in which baskets are sprinkled with holy water. 

After than families mingle and share food from the baskets--about an hour of sharing and sampling which is always a great treat!

On Easter Sunday afternoon we have the "big" Easter dinner at 5pm.

[BCKev]

Do you know how the decorate the eggs now, I have some of the decorations here with me at home and may give it a go sometime. I was given them when I was leaving Ukraine by an old Aunt of my wifes.

We were sent some egg decoration thingies last year by a woman on another board. I have never seen them here, perhaps the Russian shops will have them. My wife did them, I think it was a hot water thing to get them on.

Yes, hard boil the eggs for 10 minutes, apply the transfers and place them back in hot water for a few seconds as far as I can remember. It s a it like a tubeless bandage that you snip bits off as you need it.

Here's some photos I just received from a friend showing the process, and result:

[mendeleyev]

We have a couple of great links about the Easter FAST which include recipes, etc:


http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=3044.0


and


http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=2339.0



Since the FASTS are identical for both Christmas and Easter, recipes from either are appropiate.

[Chris]

We will be in Ukraine again this Easter, all booked and ready for take off in a little over 5 weeks  I have some of the colourful foil decorations left  for the pysanka  from last Easter still.

[mendeleyev]

RUA member Rasputin had a great thread last year on Maslenitsa:
http://ruadventures.com/forum/index.php?topic=3044.msg35008#msg35008



Stacks of blini (pancakes)



Maslenitsa signals the coming of the fast and celebrates with feasts of pancakes. Sometimes it is called "Cheesefare" week, the last week when cheese is okay for consumption.  The previous week was called "Meatfare" week for the same reasons.

[mendeleyev]

What Day is Easter? The current Gregorian ecclesiastical rules that determine the date of Easter trace back to 325 CE at the First Council of Nicaea convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine. For more detail, see the description after the list. Orthodox Easter dates are as follows, dates when "Western" (Protestant and Catholic) Easter and "Greek Orthodox Easter" coincide are indiated below:

Orthodox   
2009  April 19
2010  April 4 (same for East and West)
2011  April 24 (same for East and West)
2012  April 15
2013  May 5
2014  April 20 (same for East and West)
2015  April 12
2016  May 1
2017  April 16 (same for East and West)
2018  April 8
2019  April 28
2020  April 19
2021  May 2
2022  April 24
2023  April 16

[mendeleyev]

What is "Forgiveness Sunday?"


One cannot claim to follow God, yet be at odds with his fellow man.

Thus on the first Sunday of the Lenten Fast, Orthodox Christians are apologize and seek forgiveness from anyone whom they may have harmed or offended. This aids in beginning the 40 day fasting period with a clean heart and being at peace with all others.

It is a nice touch on this day to ask forgiveness of your lady for any misunderstanding or offense. She will very likely be delighted and of course will ask your forgiveness also.


2009 "Forgiveness" Sunday is this coming Sunday, 1 March.

[mendeleyev]

Easter = Пасха (Pah shka)


In  Russia its easily the major religious celebration of the year. It is even more important than Christmas. Faithful and atheists, kids and adults, city dwellers and country folk go to church to attend the Easter Mass. Easter in  Russia is a lot more than a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is a long and powerful tradition that could not be eliminated even by the communists. Easter cleanses our souls and thoughts. It brings peace, joy and hope. And, of course, the Russians are looking forward to a happy family feast with lots of special Easter food like Easter bread, traditional cheese cake Paskha, Easter eggs and other tasty treats.

[Olga_Mouse]

Faithful and atheists, kids and adults, city dwellers and country folk go to church to attend the Easter Mass.
 

Really?   

Thanks a lot for enlightening me, Mendy    You really seem to know much more about Russia than I, a humble Russian, do!

During last 20 years of my life I was only hearing my atheist frends complaining that there's nothing to watch on TV during Easter & Christmas  

NONE of them has even expressed a desire to attend this mass you've mentionned 

... while in Soviet time the TV-strategy was the opposite: show some 100% hit to keep people from going to the church.

[BelleZeBoob]

Some 15 years ago I also noticed a number of my friends atheists go to churches on Easter in Russia. I suspect they have seen this like visiting some sort of club, or just out of curiosity to get a new experience.

[fireeater]

Mendeleyev

Whether you talk Russia or here, Easter is a blend of both the religious side and paganism.

The religious side came from Jesus, but the other parts came from the pagan side. The only difference is how they evolved today in both countries, and the influences that shaped them that way. 

[mendeleyev]

OlgaM,    Thank you for your confidence in my abilities as a non ethnic Russian to understand.  I do take good notes and thank goodness that both Professor Alexandr Golikov and Dr. Ivan Pozdeeva at Moscow State University are good lecturers of Soviet era History.  I'll let both know that you're a big fan next time I see them. 

... while in Soviet time the TV-strategy was the opposite: show some 100% hit to keep people from going to the church.

So then you would remember when cinema theatres would show Western hit movies (banned at all other times of the year) on the night of Easter to keep kids from attending all night vigil services?  Me too.

Strange how even still, internal security policemen would also be posted around open churches to detain/delay kids who thought an Easter service more interesting to attend than a hit movie from the West.

[mendeleyev]

I know from whence you write, and don't wish to pollute this thread, but will quickly point out that of course the Church in history has "redeemed" local customs and holidays. Easter has taken elements from paganism and so have most religious holidays. That is part of the "redemption" of culture, a very important role of the church's mission, so understandably some pagan elements will always survive.

Moving along, this thread is designed to help members understand how Easter is celebrated and understood in Eastern Europe and the CIS countries.    I think we can teach a lot about the differences so that you can better understand the lady in your life.

[BelleZeBoob]

  This thread is designed to help members understand how Easter is celebrated and understood in Eastern Europe and the CIS countries.    I think we can teach you a lot about the differences so that you can better understand the lady in your life.

Noble intention to understand. Having said that, we probably should also take into account that the FSU people is a huge population, and two Russian women may have different perceptions and opinions on same things.

[fireeater]

Fire, didn't know that Christ rising from the dead was a pagan event.

I know from whence you so smugly write, and don't wish to pollute this thread, but will quickly point out that of course the Church in history has "redeemed" local customs and holidays. Easter has taken elements from paganism but to say that they've taken the same in "both" countries (assuming you mean Russia and the West), that would not be true at all. The celebration of Easter is amazingly similar around the world in religious aspects, but the adaptation of local customs and pagan symbols vary widely. The church's mission is redemption of culture so understandably some pagan elements will always survive.

But make no mistake, the very definition of paganism excludes a saviour who redeems mankind from his sin by death, burial and resurrection of a previously sinless sacrifice who alone is accepted by God as payment for the sins of the world. Therein, lies the chasm between paganism and Christianity.

If there is a wish to continue discussing Easter from a broad religious versus pagan perspective we can move that discussion to a thread in chat or dogpile. This thread is designed to help members understand how Easter is celebrated and understood in Eastern Europe and the CIS countries. 

Thr traditon of eggs, and other items comes from the pagan side even in Russia.When Christianity was on the rise, they had to blend certain events
that were in Europe in order to convert the heathens. It is part of history.

The religious side as you put it is not the only event occurring at the same time as the death and rebirth. Even the name Easter come from the pagan goddess of dawn and spring. Not from the religious side.

No one is disputing the importance of the religious side in Christianity, it has the same importance on this side as well. But the religious side has nothing to do with decrorated eggs, or other tasty treats. If it was strictly a religious event then none of these would exist.

If you wish just the religious side then is it not Easter, but the event surrounding the death and rebirth only, and the rise of Christianity from it.
  
    

[mendeleyev]

Decided to edit my comments, but not in time! 

What label we put on it is not important to me, neither is the Easter bunny. But when a holiday has been redeemed so completely the it's name takes on the new meaning.  Example: A certain Ukrainian city in ancient times was founded and for generations thrived as the Greek city of Євпаторія (and later changed to Kerkinitida). Today we simply call it the Ukrainian city of Evpatoria even though it was very different at it's inception.

Easter today is a religious holiday, but that doesn't mean that it holds the same significance for every person on the planet. And I think we agree on that.

[fireeater]

Decided to edit my comments, but not in time! 

What label we put on it is not important to me, neither is the Easter bunny. But when a holiday has been redeemed so completely the it's name takes on the new meaning.  Example: A certain Ukrainian city in ancient times was founded and for generations thrived as the Greek city of Євпаторія (and later changed to Kerkinitida). Today we simply call it the Ukrainian city of Evpatoria even though it was very different at it's inception.

Easter today is a religious holiday, but that doesn't mean that it holds the same significance for every person on the planet. And I think we agree on that.

I did capture the original 

For those that follow Christianity regardless of where they are located, then it does hold the same siginifance for them, and is still considered a religous holiday.  The only differences are how each branch conducts their services, but each still have the same days in it, both for the event, and leading up to it. My mother and sister are both active board members of their church. The pancake dinner has already occurred.

No the differences are how the other parts evolved, both the Easter Bunny and the decorated eggs in Russia, came from the same source. Decorated eggs are still done here, and not just the chocolate variety. (but how many women would actually say no to the chocolate type) 

So the Easter Bunny should not visit your household, and no sweet treats are needed.   :