What can you do on Easter and what, accordingly, is not recommended? This question is not as simple as it might seem. Over the long centuries of celebrating this great event, the people have not come up with anything! What kind of prohibitions, signs and superstitions have not been invented! Philological researchers of past centuries devoted entire volumes to this!
Many of the Easter prohibitions, permissions, signs and superstitions have successfully survived to our times. And they even multiplied in number. This often confuses many non-believers, those wavering in their faith, and even those who seriously consider themselves to be true Christians. “What if I do something wrong on Easter days, and thereby cause harm to myself or my loved ones?” - people are afraid. And the mental anguish begins...
Meanwhile, Orthodoxy is a sober, logical and reasonable faith. It very clearly and reasonably states what can be done on Easter days, and what and why it is better to abstain. And - no mental anguish for you. They are inappropriate where there is a clear and distinct meaning. Let's talk about this in more detail.
How many days do we celebrate Easter? How?
Easter lasts not one day, but forty: this event is so significant - the Resurrection of Christ, His victory over death. The celebration of Easter, that is, the end of its celebration, falls on June 9 in 2021. That is, until June 9, believers will greet each other with the words of the Easter greeting: “Christ is Risen!” - “Truly He is Risen!”
"The Risen Christ with the Saints." Fra Bartolomeo, 1516
Moreover, the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ itself, beginning with the solemn Easter service on the night from Saturday to Sunday (usually at 23-30), smoothly flows into Bright Week - the first week after Easter (May 3 - 8). The entire Bright Week is like one day of Bright Easter; the services of Bright Week are similar to the services of Easter itself. And this means that if you were unable to get to the temple on the very day of the Resurrection of Christ, come there on Bright Week, when there are significantly fewer people in the churches. If you were unable to receive communion on Easter night, you can do so on Bright Week (as the week is called in Church Slavonic).
The festive Easter service begins on the night of Holy Saturday. The Shroud - a canvas depicting Jesus Christ lying in the tomb), which was in the center of the temple for three days, symbolizing Christ's three-day stay in the tomb, is taken to the altar, the lights in the temple are turned off, only candles are burning in the hands of believers - we almost physically feel the darkness and horror Palestinian night, when Jesus lay in the tomb, and no one yet knew how it would end. Gradually the light comes on, the chant sounds: “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior, Angels are singing in heaven...” The Royal Doors open and a procession emerges from the altar, in front of the procession they carry a lantern, followed by the icon of the Mother of God, church banners, the Gospel, the icon of the “Resurrection of Christ” . Having gone around the temple and approaching the main passage, the procession stops, and the rector (the main priest of this church) proclaims: “Glory to the Holy and Consubstantial, and Life-Giving, and Indivisible Trinity!” “Christ is risen from the dead!..” - the clergy and all those praying sing. The gates of the temple open, and we enter the temple - as if into the Holy Sepulcher. A stunning moment for all participants in the procession: the temple is flooded with light and the choir sings, reminding us that “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior, the Angels are singing in heaven.” Easter Matins begins, which moves into the Liturgy.
"An angel rolls away the stone from the tomb." A. A. Ivanov. 1850s
It is clear that after the quarantine of 2021, when many were forced to pray during the broadcast of the Easter service, in 2021 everyone wants to come to church. We just need to remember that the pandemic is not over yet, and, fulfilling Christ’s commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself,” it is necessary to comply with sanitary and epidemiological requirements during worship.
Usually, after the night Easter service, the breaking of the fast begins - when, after 49 days of fasting, believers begin the festive Easter dinner. On the table there will already be Easter cakes, and colored eggs, and Easter cottage cheese, and ham... Guests are usually invited to such a festive dinner. But 2021 has made its own amendments here too. As in the tradition of kissing three times after the greeting: “Christ is Risen”!
Easter signs about Easter cake and eggs
While kneading dough for holiday baking, women read prayers. Before baking the Easter cake, they wished for the name of one of the household members. If baking failed, the person would face serious illness within a few months. Cracks in the Easter cake were considered a harbinger of trouble. When starting work in the field after Easter, the owner took a piece of Easter cake with him for lunch. This promised a rich harvest.
Painted eggs were given to children at Easter as a symbol of health and prosperity. It was believed that they relieve damage, fatigue, and relieve headaches. Blessed paints cannot be thrown away. If they have spoiled, they need to be buried, just like the shells left from eggs. To preserve beauty in the old days, girls washed their faces with water in which dyes lay for several hours. During church services, eggs were hidden in wheat. When work began in the field, the grains were used for sowing. This promised a good harvest.
Is it possible to celebrate Easter if you have not fasted?
A common question: is it possible to go to Church if you have not fasted or missed the services of Holy Week? And I even forgot the last time I confessed and received communion. It is clear that we will always have good reasons why the subscriber is busy or unavailable when the Lord calls to the temple. And what, God will answer us in the same way? Separating us from the joy of the Resurrection of Christ? Oddly enough, no. Yes, when we are absent from the most important services, do not come to the Divine Liturgy, do not receive communion, that is, do not accept the Body and Blood of the Lord, we excommunicate ourselves from Christ. But, surprisingly, no matter how unfair it may seem to some devout believers, the Lord does not reject such undiligents, calling them children of the “eleventh hour.” That is, those who came to the Lord not early in the morning, but an hour before midnight, almost at the last moment. During the night Easter service in churches, the famous “Word on Easter of St. John Chrysostom” is solemnly read and this comforting message for all of us is heard: “The Lord who is is pious: he accepts the last as well as the first... Therefore, all of you, enter into the joy of your Lord... Rich and you who are wretched, rejoice one with another. Diligent and lazy, honor the day. Those who have fasted and those who have not fasted, rejoice... Let no one weep over his misery, for the common kingdom has appeared. Let no one cry over his sins, for forgiveness has shined from the grave. Let no one fear death: Spas’s death freed us...” That is, Christ’s Love - sacrificial, effective - equalizes us all! She is above earthly ideas of justice. And this is extremely important.
How to Avoid Negative Predictions
If holiday baking failed, it was not left at home. To protect the family from misfortunes, they brought red-painted eggs and wax candles to church. In return, crackers were taken from the temple and left on a platter with cracked and unrisen Easter cakes.
If a person has offended his neighbors a lot and is afraid that he will not be forgiven for his offenses, a prayer for help to the Almighty will help. It is read after sunset with lit candles. The words are pronounced three times: “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, lover of mankind. Help me make sure that my friends forgive me all insults, voluntary and involuntary, just as I forgive them all insults, voluntary and involuntary. Forever and ever. Amen, amen, amen."
What can't you do on Easter?
Most often they answer: “You can’t work, it’s a sin.” Yes, Easter is a holiday of holidays and they dedicate it to the Risen Christ and His victory over death, putting aside all worries for the sake of the joyful news “Christ is Risen.” But there are doctors, military men, people who supply us with electricity, water, food... They not only can, they must carry out a work shift, it is their duty to their neighbors, a duty of love, if you like.
“The Resurrection of the Lord”, sketch. M. V. Nesterov. Beginning 1890s.
It is a mistake to come to a cemetery on Easter; it contradicts the very essence of the holiday. Death and the dead are remembered more often on the Holy Resurrection of Christ than on other holidays. But on Easter it is a victorious remembrance that by His death the God-man Christ conquered death as such, because He was Risen! And now this is the way for all of us who believe in Christ. The holiday of Easter, as the saints teach, is “the most comforting confession of the fact that life is given to “those in the graves”.” That’s why there are no funeral prayers on Easter, no funeral services for the dead. And that's wise. Whether we like it or not, even the most church-going of us, who know by heart the words of the Creed “I await the resurrection of the dead,” come to the graves of loved ones and grieve. The bitterness of loss comes to life in our hearts, which is natural. Therefore, so that we do not experience contradictions in our feelings: either sorrow or joy about the Resurrection of Christ, so as not to plunge us into falsehood in any of these experiences, equally dear to the Church, the Church does not encourage going to the cemetery on Easter and during the entire subsequent Bright Week. To commemorate the dead, a special day is given - Radonitsa (May 11).
There is another ban on Easter and the entire Bright Week. In honor of Easter, fasting is canceled for Bright Week, but this only applies to food. On Bright Week there are no weddings yet and carnal pleasures are not encouraged - our joy is spiritual, so let’s not mix things up. Happy holiday!
“The Resurrection of Christ”, graphics. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, mid-16th century.
The sacred meaning of Easter
Easter is, without exaggeration, an international holiday, although the Orthodox and Catholic churches usually celebrate it on different days. Nevertheless, the meaning of the celebration completely coincides: on this day the Savior resurrected, who sacrificed himself to deliver all humanity from sins.
And he rose again precisely when the Jews celebrate their Passover, called Passover. This is how church representatives explain this seemingly random coincidence.
Go to the cemetery
A visit to a cemetery also cannot be accompanied by joyful emotions. For this reason, it is not recommended to go on a bright holiday to places that have become the last refuge for people close to the heart.
You can visit the graves a little later, especially since there is a special day for this - Radonitsa, which occurs on the Tuesday immediately following Easter week. It is at this time that believers traditionally go to the cemetery, clean it up, pray and order funeral services for the souls of loved ones and relatives.
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Answers from Archpriest Igor Fomin
Lighting water, food, objects is a long tradition. On Easter, food is brought to church, it is blessed, taken home, and a tithe of food is left in the church for those in need.
The first meal on Holy Sunday takes place after the Liturgy ends in churches. This is called breaking the fast.
Divine services take place in the temple for 7 days. People rejoice, treat other parishioners with offerings, go to visit and invite their relatives to their home.
On Easter week you can eat everything, but in moderation. You also need to drink in moderation; if it’s hard to stop, then it’s better to eliminate alcohol altogether.
Is it possible to clean during Easter week? If a person works, then the work must be done conscientiously. If this is homework, working is not prohibited, but the approach must be reasonable.
If a sinful person died on a holiday, then he will still be judged and answer for his sins before the face of God.
On Radonitsa, after Easter, the deceased are remembered, and services are held in churches. At the cemetery, it is better not to forget to clean the graves and pray for the deceased.
When they say: “Christ is Risen!”, the Resurrection of Christ means the basis of life for everyone.
Gifts are given to relatives, friends, and godfathers. A colored egg is added to each gift.
Laying a dirty tablecloth on the table
The Easter table is not only Easter cakes and colored eggs, but also its proper design. And we're not talking about decor.
Be sure to make sure that on May 2 the table is covered with a snow-white, perfectly clean tablecloth. Stains and dirt on it promise misfortune in the family, tears and troubles.
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Holy Week 2022
The week before Easter Sunday was considered very important. Each day had its own purpose, its own rules were assigned, which they tried to sacredly observe in order to receive the protection of divine powers.
Monday
On this day, the house was cleared of old rubbish. They threw out all the old things, removed everything that was not needed, that did not work. They took all the dirty linen out of the hut.
Tuesday
Day of purchasing food for the festive table. Medicinal decoctions and infusions were prepared. Men were strictly, strictly forbidden to touch the workpieces.
Wednesday
On this day, custom required a large wash and cleaning of all the drapery of the home. Also on Wednesday, they performed ablution with water taken from a well or barrel. Clothes were put directly on the wet body. In this way they protected themselves from diseases.
Thursday
On Holy Thursday, one-year-old children had their newborn hair shaved off. Girls cut the ends of their hair to create rich braids. They did not bypass the shearing of livestock either. A clump of hair was cut from her to protect her from the disease.
On Thursday, special Thursday salt was prepared. It was prepared in a special way. The salt was calcined in a cast iron frying pan, always adding kvass grounds or rye flour. They heated for a long time until the salt and flour darkened. It was then left on the stove until midnight. Then the salt can be poured into a container or linen bag. Thursday salt was believed to have healing powers. Especially the one prepared during Easter week.
This day has another name - Clean Thursday. On this day they tried to cleanse not only the body, but also the soul. They were sure to take communion. Swimming in an ice hole or showering before the first dawn was a traditional activity. Melt water was also doused on cattle to protect against diseases. Silver was thrown into the collected water: a coin, a spoon, any small thing. We washed ourselves with this water on Sunday morning. It was believed that such water not only gives health, but also preserves girlish beauty.
The house was undergoing a final, thorough cleaning, and the room itself was fumigated with juniper to drive out evil spirits, diseases, and troubles. It wasn't just the house that was fumigated with juniper. Be sure to clean the barn and other buildings with such smoke.
People believed that the eggs laid by hens on Thursday had special powers. They were certainly eaten on the holiday itself and in the following week, and the shells were buried in the pasture to protect the cattle from the evil eye.
On Thursday, global preparations for the festive table began: they painted eggs, baked Easter cakes, gingerbread cookies, pies, and buns. And in the evening they prepared Easter itself - Easter from cottage cheese.
- On this day, people took care of financial well-being. There is a ritual of counting money three times so that it is always in the house.
- In some villages, at midnight on Maundy Thursday, women were also ordered to douse themselves with water to protect themselves from illness.
- On Maundy Thursday, a complete ban on sweeping floors in the days remaining before the holiday was prescribed. It was believed that prosperity could be swept out of the house along with the rubbish.
Friday
The culinary battle continued. Lent was long and exhausting. Everyone misses tasty treats, and Holy Week is the strictest. The fast should be rich and plentiful. It’s not enough to feed your household enough. You need to treat guests, serve those who ask, and take gifts to church. Stingy on Easter is a sin.
Saturday
On Saturday they finished cleaning and cooking and prepared for the All-Night Vigil. Easter, eggs and Easter cakes were brought to church - they had to be blessed. Upon returning from church, we ate little, just to subdue hunger, and went to bed.
Sunday
All preparations for the holiday had to be completed on time. Bright Sunday ordered to celebrate, and not to run around the house with a rag. On this day, the whole family gathered at a large, rich table. We had egg fights and went to visit.
