The date of the celebration of Christian Easter is calculated according to the solar-lunar calendar. That is why every year it is celebrated in different numbers... However, the holiday always falls on Sunday. Orthodox and Catholic Easter comes in different days , since their dates are calculated according to different calendar systems. But this year, both Catholics and Orthodox believers will celebrate Easter on the same day - April 16, therussiantimes.com reports. Pasxa in 2017: History of the Feast Five thousand years ago, the Jewish tribes celebrated Easter as a feast of calving and harvesting. Later they began to associate it with the liberation of the Jewish people and the exit from Egyptian slavery. Passover in translation means "deliverance" and serves as a reminder of how Moses led the Jews out of Egypt and they found the promised land. The Old Testament Jewish Passover is celebrated before the New Testament Christian. The fact is that Christ was crucified on the evening when the Jews traditionally slaughtered a lamb for Easter. And the Savior rose again after the onset of the holiday. Celebrating Christian or New Testament Easter, believers rejoice in the resurrection of the son of God, the victory of good over evil. Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday, as a symbol of the fact that it was on this day that the Savior was resurrected. Ha Russia Celebrating Orthodox Easter in Russia began after baptism. In those days, the celebration was more like pagan festivities, since at the same time the Slavs were used to honoring the Tsar Maiden. Pasxa in 2017: traditional traditions Gradually, new rituals, beliefs and customs were born among the Orthodox Slavs. Many of them are associated with Holy Week, which precedes the Resurrection of Christ. So, on Maundy Thursday, it was customary to plunge into an ice-hole or wash with a bath before sunrise. On this day, we received communion, cleaned up the hut, whitewashed the stoves, repaired wells. In the North and in Central Russia, a tradition has emerged to fumigate dwellings and barns with juniper branches. According to beliefs, this ritual was supposed to protect people and livestock from diseases and the evil eye. Also on Maundy Thursday salt was consecrated, cakes and gingerbread were baked, Easter baba and jelly were prepared, welcoming spring. The main symbols of Easter are painted eggs and Easter cakes (they symbolize life itself), Easter streams (water) and the Holy Fire. On Easter night, residents of all Russian cities and villages gathered in churches to listen to divine services, consecrate water, eggs and cakes. Then the laity went home, laid the festive table and could finally break their fast after a strict 48-day fast. According to tradition, the first to eat was the egg and cake. After that, it was allowed to proceed to other dishes. Another Russian tradition is the battle of eggs. The opponents would take painted Easter eggs and beat them against each other. The winner was the one whose egg remained intact or gave fewer cracks. Also on Easter it was customary to "christen": meeting a friend, the believers kissed him three times and said "Christ is Risen!" In response, they always heard "Truly is risen!" Pasxa in 2017: Faiths and Practices There are many signs, beliefs and rituals associated with Easter. For example, people were sure that on this holiday with the ringing of bells, all demons and devils fall through the ground. And at the same time in the church during the service, the believers hoped to see a sorcerer with horns and a witch with a tail. On Easter, it was allowed to ask God for anything: success in business, a good harvest, a good groom, and the like. On Easter night, in order to lure happiness and prosperity, believers took water from a spring or well, brought it home and sprinkled huts and barns. Moreover, the ritual was required to be performed in complete silence. It was believed that if on Easter you eat the eggs that the chickens laid on Holy Thursday, you can protect yourself from ailments. And to protect livestock from death, it was necessary to bury the shell in the ground in the pasture. Since ancient times, the following Easter signs have been preserved: - whoever enters the house after the church service is the first one, luck will accompany him throughout the year; - in order to attract wealth and success, you need to dip gold jewelry in water with the consecrated egg; - you can protect a small child by rolling a bad egg over his face; - On Easter, you cannot do business in the house, so that happiness does not fly away from it. Even non-believers like to celebrate Easter in Russia. After all, this is a bright family holiday dedicated, first of all, to spring, life, love and forgiveness. In addition, Easter is a great occasion to get together with family and friends at the same table. Photo from therussiantimes.com

Easter Day - the holiday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the Orthodox calendar - in 2017 is celebrated on April 16 The main holiday of Orthodox Christians - the Bright Resurrection of Christ, Easter - is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon - between April 4 (March 22, old style) and May 8 (April 25 old style.

In 2017, Orthodox Easter is celebrated on April 16. On the day of Easter, the Resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ is remembered on the third day after His crucifixion. Easter - the crown of Lent Easter is celebrated immediately after Lent, the last week (week) of which is the most severe, Passionate. © Sputnik / Igor RussakGreat Lent 2017: when and how to observe Easter is celebrated seven days, all week. Each day of the week is called Bright. On Bright Week, divine services are held daily with the Royal Doors of the iconostasis open (which are closed during the usual liturgy) as a sign that Jesus Christ has forever opened the gates of the Heavenly Kingdom to people. The entire period before the Feast of the Ascension, which is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter, is considered Easter, and the Orthodox greet each other with the greeting "Christ is Risen!" and the answer "Truly is risen!" Colored eggs, Easter cake and cottage cheese Easter It has long been accepted that the first meal after Lent should be consecrated colored eggs, cake and cottage cheese Easter. An explanation of the custom of dyeing eggs for Easter in red can be found in early Christian literature, which was not included in the biblical canon. These sources tell about the conversion of the Roman emperor Tiberius to the Christian faith. Wanting to stop the preaching of St. Mary Magdalene, Tiberius said that he was more likely to believe in the transformation of a white egg into red than in the possibility of reviving the deceased. The egg turned red, and this was the last argument in the controversy, which culminated in the baptism of the Roman king.

The custom of exchanging colored eggs has become a part of church life. The red color of the egg symbolizes the all-conquering Divine Love.

The Easter cake resembles artos in its shape. Easter artos is a symbol of Jesus Christ himself. In the kulich, transferred to the festive table, there is baking, sweetness, raisins and nuts. A properly prepared cake is fragrant and beautiful, it does not stale for weeks and can stand without spoiling for all 40 days of Easter. Easter cake on festive table symbolizes God's presence in the world and in human life. The sweetness, baking, and beauty of the Easter cake express the Lord's care for every human being, his compassion and mercy for people.

Sweet cottage cheese is a prototype of the Kingdom of Heaven. Her “milk and honey” is an image of endless joy, bliss of saints, sweetness of paradise life, blissful Eternity. The form of Passover in the form of a mountain symbolizes the foundation of the new heavenly Jerusalem - a city in which there is no temple, but, according to the Apocalypse, "The Lord God Almighty Himself is its temple and the Lamb." Divine Services and Procession of the Cross Since the Apostolic times, the church has been performing Easter services at night. Like the ancient chosen people who were awake on the night of their deliverance from Egyptian slavery, Christians are awake on the sacred and pre-holiday night of the Bright Resurrection of Christ. Shortly before midnight on Holy Saturday, the Midnight Office is served, where the priest and the deacon approach the Shroud (a canvas depicting the position of the body of Jesus Christ in the tomb) and take it to the altar. The shroud is placed on the throne, where it must remain for 40 days until the day of the Ascension of the Lord.

The priests wear festive vestments. Before midnight, a solemn bell ringing - the gospel - announces the approach of the Resurrection of Christ.

The procession of the cross means the procession of the church towards the risen Savior. Walking around the church, the procession of the cross stops in front of its closed doors, as if at the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher. Then the priest, holding a cross and a three-candlestick, makes the sign of the cross with them at the closed doors of the church, they open, and everyone, rejoicing, enters the church, where all the lamps and lamps are burning, and sing: "Christ is risen from the dead!" The subsequent Divine Service of Paschal Matins consists of the chanting of the canon, compiled by St. John of Damascus. Between the songs of the Easter Canon, the priests with a cross and a censer walk around the entire church and greet the parishioners with the words: "Christ is Risen!", To which the believers answer: "Indeed he is Risen!" At the end of Matins, after the end of the Easter canon, the priest reads the "Word of St. John Chrysostom", which describes the celebration and meaning of Easter. After the service, all those praying in the church confess to each other, congratulating on the great holiday. Immediately after Matins, the Easter Liturgy (divine service) is served, where the beginning of the Gospel of John is read. On Easter, all those praying, if possible, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Before the end of the Liturgy, the Passover bread is consecrated - artos.

After the end of the festive divine service, Orthodox Christians usually break their fast with consecrated painted eggs and Easter cakes near the church or at home. History of Passover Celebration The word "Passover" originates from the name of the Old Testament holiday of Passover, which was named so from the Hebrew word "pass" ("passes by") - in memory of the ancient event of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and from Egyptian slavery, when an angel At the sight of the blood of the Passover lamb on the doors of the Jewish dwellings, he passed by the Egyptian firstborn, leaving them untouched. Another ancient interpretation of the holiday connects it with the consonant with the Greek word "I suffer". In the Christian church, the name "Easter" has acquired a special meaning and began to mean the transition from death to eternal life with the Savior - from earth to heaven. This most ancient holiday of the Christian church was established and celebrated in the time of the apostles. The ancient church under the name of Easter combined two memories - about the sufferings and about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - and dedicated the days preceding and following the Resurrection to its celebration. To designate both parts of the holiday, special names were used - Easter of suffering, or Easter of the Cross, and Easter of Resurrection. © Sputnik / Vitaly BelousovChurch of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem The resurrection of Jesus Christ testifies that he is "resurrected like God." It revealed the glory of His Divinity, hidden until that time under the cover of humiliation, a shameful death for that time on the cross, like criminals and robbers who were executed with him.

Having risen from the dead, the Savior sanctified, blessed and approved the general resurrection of all people who, according to Christian doctrine, will also rise from the dead on the general day of resurrection, like an ear grows from a seed. In the early centuries of Christianity, Easter was celebrated in different churches at different times. In the East, in the churches of Asia Minor, it was celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan (March - April), on whatever day of the week this number falls. The Western Church celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. An attempt to establish agreement between the churches on this issue was made under Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, in the middle of the 2nd century. The first Ecumenical Council in 325 determined to celebrate Easter everywhere at the same time. This continued until the 16th century, when the unity of Western and Eastern Christians in celebrating Holy Easter and other holidays was violated by the calendar reform of Pope Gregory XIII.

Easter is the greatest holiday in the entire Christian world. It was on this day that Christ was resurrected - the basis of the Christian faith. The Day of the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated not only by the Orthodox, but also by Catholics and all Protestant denominations.

Easter in 2017. Catholic Easter in 2017

As a rule, Catholic and Orthodox Easter is celebrated on different days. But sometimes this date can be the same. This will be the case in 2017 as well. Orthodox and Catholic Easter will be celebrated on April 16. All Christian denominations remember the most important event in history every year. The name "Passover" was borrowed from the Jewish people. Namely Pesach. Although the name of the holiday is similar, their meaning is completely different. Jewish Passover means the exit of the Jews from Egypt, where they were slaves. Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ and His victory over death and sin.

When in 2017 Maslenitsa and Easter

One of happy Holidays - Maslenitsa will be celebrated in Russia from 20 to 26 February 2017. For a whole week, festivities and fun are arranged throughout the country. Shrovetide symbolizes the foreshadowing of the beginning of Lent. Since Shrovetide falls just on the last week before Lent. After which comes the long-awaited and great holiday Resurrection of Christ.

If you look into church calendar, then you will not find a holiday there like Shrovetide. The name came from folk signs and beliefs.

If you look back centuries, then Shrovetide is a pagan holiday that carried three meanings:

• The first of them is the greeting of the coming spring. Expectation that the year will be bountiful in fruit.
• The second meaning is the acquaintance of young girls and guys in order to create families.
• And the third meaning spoke of procreation.

During the celebration of Shrovetide, pagans glorified the god Yarilu, who symbolized the god of the sun, fertility and the coming spring. In honor of this god, cakes were baked, and later pancakes that resembled the sun. It was believed that when biting off a pancake, a person received the warmth of the sun, which filled him with life and warmth.

Thus, the pagan Maslenitsa took root in the Orthodox people and is celebrated from year to year.

Easter in 2017. Christian Easter in 2017

The Resurrection of Christ is precisely the event without which there would be no Christian people. Easter is celebrated every Sunday. After all, the day "Sunday" was named in honor of the resurrection of Jesus. In 2017 Easter will be celebrated on April 16th. The Savior of the people was crucified on Friday and on the third day, according to the Scriptures, He was resurrected.

Easter is attributed to different meanings, but the most important meaning is that if a person hopes only for this life, he is the most unfortunate person on earth. After all, Easter is a symbol of the fact that after earthly life there is eternal life. It is this meaning that the Bible reveals to us - the sacred book of all Christians on the planet.

Catholics and Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on different dates, since they have different countdowns and calendar.

Easter in 2017. Jewish Passover 2017

Passover, the Jewish Passover, is also one of the most important holidays of the Israeli people. On this day, according to the Old Testament, God brought all the people out of the Egyptian bondage, in which they were for 400 years. The exit of the Jews was marked by great miracles and punishments over the Egyptians. After all, Pharaoh did not want to let the Jews go. And God showed all His greatness and glory, after which Pharaoh expelled the Jews from his country.

God commanded to celebrate the exit from Egypt. So that future generations know what happened to their ancestors. And they knew about what Great God they worship.

In 2017, Jewish Passover will be celebrated on April 11. Passover is celebrated for 7 or 8 days. It is worth remembering that the Jewish calendar is different from all other calendars in the world. According to the Jewish calendar, Passover will be celebrated on Nisan 14, 5778, which corresponds to April 11, 2017. The Jewish people are a special people. God takes special pleasure in him. And the Jewish holidays are just as special. After all, since the exit from Egyptian slavery, the Passover holiday has practically not changed either in traditions, or in rituals and in its meaning.

Passover is celebrated by all Jews, regardless of where they live.

Easter in 2017. What to do on Maundy Thursday before Easter

Maundy Thursday in 2017 falls on April 13. Three days before Easter, it is believed that you need to do different rituals so that in the future there will be joy, happiness in the house and everything will work out. Maundy Thursday is not celebrated, but it is of great importance for Orthodox believers. For many years, beliefs and rituals have been taking shape that some Orthodox Christians follow. And one of the beliefs says that since Good Friday comes after Maundy Thursday, you need to get rid of old sins, fears and problems. After all, it is not worth carrying the burden of the past and unnecessary on the bright holiday of the Resurrection.

On this day, they believe that rituals should be done that will lead to a better life.

• One of these rites says that after the family wakes up on Maundy Thursday, they must wash themselves off the silver dishes (coin or spoon). Legend has it that such a ceremony gives a person good health and beauty.
• Every Orthodox Christian is obliged to clean the house on this day. Cleansing should be done both in the house and with the body and soul.
• Take out all the trash from the house, remove things that have not been used for a long time. It is believed that if any item has not been used for more than 1 year, then it must be given to the poor or thrown away. This ritual helps to make room for new blessings in the home. Everyone knows that rubbish is where rubbish is. And where there is rubbish, bad thoughts, bad words and actions come. Love and goodness disappear. That is why you need to keep the house clean, whenever possible.
• Another superstitious legend says that if you swim before sunrise on Thursday, fatigue and pain will go away. And the body will be filled with new strength. Before you bathe, you need to pray. In prayer, thank the Almighty for all the blessings that you have in life. And also to repent of all sins committed. It is advised when bathing, it can be a shower or a bath, to imagine how the water washes away the dirt from the body and soul. After bathing, you need to pour yourself cool water from a mug.

Signs for Easter 2017

As in all times, signs for Easter 2017 had their own meaning. For example, the weather was used to determine what the coming spring and summer would be like.

According to the folk calendar, they could predict the future weather for spring and summer.

• It was believed that if on Easter the night sky was starry, then it was necessary to wait for frost.
• The peasants believed that if this day was warm and clear, then the next summer would be filled with sun, which means that the harvest would be good. And vice versa, if the sky is cloudy, then don't expect a hot summer.
• If there was a thunderstorm on Easter, then a late and dry autumn was expected.
• But if on the first day of Easter there was frost, this meant that there would be a good harvest.
• If it rains on Easter week, there will be a good harvest of wheat.
• Superstitious beliefs said that in order to avoid failures in the future, you need to wake up so as not to miss matins.
• Many girls hoped to hurt their elbows. Superstitions said that if this happened, then she would meet the groom this year.
• Those who hear the sound of a woodpecker, according to signs, will soon live in their home.
• Those people who met the dawn or saw off the colorful sunset on that day were considered successful.
• Those who brought water from the well home on Easter night, thus expelled evil thoughts and slander. All the rooms had to be sprinkled with this water.
• It is believed that those who were born on Easter week will be healthy and good luck will accompany them in life.
• Sleeping through the morning service meant failing.
• The girls believed that if on Easter, after the Orthodox service, they say: “Easter of Christ! Send me a single bridegroom! ”, They will soon get married.
• It is believed that you cannot drink a lot of alcohol on Easter. And make noise. And then next year will be unsuccessful.

Rituals on Maundy Thursday before Easter 2017

In addition to the rituals of ablution, cleaning and cooking, there were other rituals that Orthodox believers adhered to.

• Also at this time, unmarried girls tried to attract suitors to themselves with the help of various conspiracies and magic.
• Rituals were held in order to attract money and beauty.
• It was necessary to confess that day. To the next year to be lead a godly life.
• It is customary to give alms to the poor. It is believed that helping others is helping yourself. The priests say that the hand of the giver will not fail.

Why is Easter celebrated on different days every year?

Focusing on moon calendardetermine the date of the celebration of Easter. The rule remains unchanged - Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon. Also, Christian Passover is not celebrated on the same day as Jewish.

As for the Orthodox and Catholic Easter, they lead their chronology according to different calendars. Orthodox Christians adhere to the Julian calendar, and Catholic believers adhere to the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, they celebrate Easter on different days, or even months.

The Jewish Passover is constant and unchanging in its celebration date. It always falls on the same day - Nisan 14. Easter coincides with Catholics and Orthodox Christians every few years. For example, one day it will be celebrated in 2017, as well as in 2025, 2028, 2031, 2034 and so on.

When is parental day after Easter?

Parents' Day (Radonitsa) in 2017 will be celebrated on the 9th day after Easter, April 25. This holiday is dedicated to the day of remembrance of the dead. The holiday takes its roots in pagan times. Oddly enough, the Orthodox Church has included this pagan holiday on its list of holidays. On this day, visit the cemeteries where relatives and friends are buried.

What is done on Good Friday before Easter?

The most important day before Easter is Good Friday. In 2017, it falls on April 14th. On this day, they crucified the Savior of people - Christ. He was beaten, carried the cross and overcame his path, Via dolorosa, to die on Calvary Hill for every person on earth.

• On this day, religious, Orthodox people abstain from fun, singing and dancing.
• On Good Friday, try not to work physically.
• After the service in the church, it is customary to carry home 12 candles that are burning. And let the candles burn out to the end.
• House is not cleaned on Friday. This must be done the day before, on Maundy Thursday.
• It is undesirable to paint dyes on Friday. They are prepared on Maundy Thursday. But, as some priests say, if the family did not have time to make dyes because of work, then it can be done on Friday, but before the evening service in the church begins.
• It is allowed to bake cakes on Good Friday.
• On this day, you need to prepare your body. Wash it and put it in order. If you need a haircut, it should be done on that day.
• It is important to prepare yourself spiritually on this day. Read the story of Christ's death and pray.

Easter in 2017. Easter story

When celebrating Easter, many people do not even think about the very meaning of the great holiday. Many believe that Easter is about colored eggs and going to church to dedicate food. Since Easter is the most main holiday Christian world, it is worth knowing the history of this day.

The four Gospels describe the events leading up to Easter. On Friday, Jesus Christ was brought to Pilate, who found no fault in him. But the Jewish priests had already planned to kill Christ, since he interfered with their power. Therefore, they persuaded the people to shout that Jesus was handed over to be crucified, and pardoned Barrabas, who was in prison for murder. The word of the people was decisive, so Pilate washed his hands, saying that he was not guilty of the death of this Man and gave Christ to be crucified.

Christ, hanging on the cross, prayed to His Father not to punish people for their atrocities. When Jesus died, an earthquake struck, and the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom as proof that it was not a man.

Nicodemus, who was a secret follower of Christ, asked Pilate to remove his body from the cross and bury it. To fulfill all the prophecies about the life and death of Jesus.

Saturday was a day of rest for Jews. On this day, it was forbidden to do any business.

Early on Sunday morning, several women from Jesus' entourage came to the cave to anoint the body of Christ. On the way, they thought about who would roll the stone from the coffin for them, since it was heavy. When they arrived, the stone was rolled away, and the body of Christ was not in the cave.

Not only these women, but also Christ's disciples witnessed that the body of Christ was not in the tomb. After His resurrection, Christ appeared to many people, including His disciples.

The four evangelists describe the events from their side. But by combining their stories, you can get a complete picture of what happened in those days.

Christians celebrate Easter, as it is a testimony that as Christ was resurrected, they will also be resurrected. This means that there is hope for eternal life.

Easter in 2017. What should you do for Easter? Signs

Meeting Easter Sunday, Orthodox Christians go to church for services. They carry with them baskets with cooked food so that the priest can consecrate it with water.

• On this day, no work is done, gifts are given to loved ones and the day is spent in awe.
• Easter is considered a family holiday, therefore it is spent in the circle of loved ones.
• The first thing that can be eaten after Lent, from the Easter table, is a painted egg that was brought from the church.
• Alms to the poor on this day and help to those in need are encouraged.
• A good omen is to make a wreath of fresh flowers. Whether you hang it on the wall or lay it on the floor is up to you.
• Easter days are dedicated to doing good deeds. Not only to those close to you, but also to those you don't really love.
• New clothes are put on for Easter.
• It is believed that the day of Easter is the most suitable one to make peace with enemies, to resolve controversial issues.
• It is considered a good omen - to pay off debts and forgive all the sins that were committed against you.

• On Easter, it is undesirable to be sad and quarrel with people.
• It is believed that on this day it is imperative to invite someone to visit you, to visit those who need support. And then, until next Easter, there will be joy and peace in the house.

The main thing, according to the priests, is to attend a service on this day. There, during the course of the ministry, think about eternal life, about God's love for people.

Probably, it is difficult to find a lighter religious holiday than Easter. It is about her that the clergy of all confessions say: "The triumph of celebrations." The Resurrection of Christ, namely, this event is celebrated on this day, the main of the passing church holidays... That is why the date of Easter in 2017 will be different from the date in 2016.

What day will Easter be celebrated in 2017?

According to the Bible, and the New Testament in particular, the history of the celebration of Easter is more than two thousand years old. However, both the date and the traditions of the celebration were determined precisely by the time: for the first time, they started talking about the traditions and one date of celebrating Easter for all confessions in the middle of the third century AD. After long discussions, it was possible to come to a common opinion and until the Middle Ages the date was uniform. The Gregorian calendar, introduced by the Pope, caused confusion. It is precisely the difference in calendars that today explain the difference in the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Easter.

If you hear that the date of the celebration of Easter is calculated according to a complex formula by the ministers of the church, you should know that this is the pure truth. But you will also be interested to know that there is an easier way to find out the number of Easter celebrations in 2017. The date of Easter is determined by the solar-lunar calendar and takes into account three components:

• the vernal equinox is a "floating" day, usually March 20-21 (the date may differ depending on the year and country);
• moon phase - full moon following the equinox;
• day of the week is Sunday.

So it turns out that Easter is celebrated on the next Sunday immediately after the "spring" full moon. And if you are wondering what date is Easter in 2017, then it will be April 16.

Catholic and Orthodox Easter in 2017

Due to the difference between Easter (Gregorian and Alexandrian), the dates of Catholic and Orthodox Easter are usually different. Between them there can be several days or weeks - up to one month. But once every few years, the dates coincide, as will happen in 2017. For Catholics and Orthodox Christians, the Bright Sunday of Christ will come on one day.

But Catholic and Orthodox Easter differ not only in date, but also in traditions. So, in the Western tradition, a popular attribute of Easter is Easter bunnyhiding eggs (including chocolate ones) throughout the house. Children have to find these eggs and he will be luckier in the year who finds more eggs. A lot of promotional products are produced with a rabbit: postcards, toys, sweets, which makes the holiday brighter and more colorful.

But the eastern tradition presupposes "egg" fights: you need to choose an egg and hit the opponent's egg with it. The winner is the one whose egg remains intact, and the loser must give his egg as a trophy. According to this tradition, Easter will be celebrated in Russia in 2017.

In both traditions, Easter is preceded by a long abstinence from the use of certain foods in order to cleanse your body, spirit and thoughts. Also, during these forty days, believers pray and strictly follow the canon.

The last preparations for Easter are made on Holy Week - the week before the holiday. On Maundy Thursday I clean the house, wash the windows, wash. It is believed that in this way all sins are washed away from the home and from the body. But the next day - Good Friday - is the day of the strictest fasting for the entire period, because on this day Christ was crucified. On Great Saturday, Easter cakes are baked, eggs are painted, and in some countries they are immediately sacred - in a word, they are finishing preparations for the great holiday.

Easter traditions in 2017

There are a number of required Easter attributes:

• the symbol of Renewal - Easter streams;
• the symbol of Light is the Easter fire;
• the symbol of Life is Easter cakes and eggs (as well as hares).

Christians on the night from Saturday to Sunday consecrate a festive cake, eggs and other dishes in order to break the fast on Bright Sunday morning. It is customary to start your meal with an egg and a piece of Easter cake. And then you can proceed to the rest of the dishes.

In addition to festive cakes and eggs, water is also sacred. It is believed that the water from the Resurrection of Christ has special healing and cleansing properties. And it is customary for Catholics to baptize adults on this day - this promises good luck and happiness in the future.

Easter special and greeting. At the sight of a friend, instead of the usual “hello” it is customary to say: “Christ is Risen!”. And in response to this: "Indeed he is risen!" Easter holidays last forty days - until the Ascension of the Lord - and all this time you can say hello.

During the Easter holidays, it is not customary to commemorate the dead, hold liturgies and services on them, or visit cemeteries. There is also a special day for this - the eighth day after the Resurrection of Christ - Antipascha.

There are also a number of popular beliefs associated with Easter. For example, to protect yourself from the evil eye and provide good health for the whole year, you need to rub the egg on your cheeks before eating it. And if you want happiness in the coming year, try to try nine different Easter cakes prepared by different housewives.

Maria, Tyumen

What date should you celebrate Easter in 2017?

Hello! Please tell me what date orthodox holiday Easter this year? Does it coincide with the Catholic and Jewish, and usually in this case is postponed a week in advance? Maybe there are examples of such a coincidence both in our time and in pre-schism times. Or teachings, interpretations of the holy fathers on this topic. Help me to understand.

Answer:

In 2017, the Orthodox celebrate April 16, and the Jewish holiday Pesach (Jewish Passover) this year is on April 11-17. Thus, many observant Christians ask the question: “ Why do Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter with Jews in 2017?? ". This question comes from the 7th Canon of the Apostles, which literally reads like this:

If anyone, a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, will celebrate the holy day of Easter before the vernal equinox with the Jews: let him be cast out of the holy order.

It turns out that supposedly this year all Orthodox Christians will violate the 7th Apostolic Canon? In the minds of some Christians, a whole “ ecumenical tangle”, When in 2017 Orthodox, Catholics and Jews celebrate Easter on the same day. How to be?

To resolve this issue, you should know that disputes about calculating the day of Easter in Orthodox Church, in fact, ended with the approval of Orthodox Easter on First Ecumenical Council. Easter tables allow you to calculate the day of Easter calendar, that is, without looking at the sky, but using calendar tables that are cyclically repeated every 532 years. These tables have been drawn up so that Passover satisfied two apostolic rules about Passover:

• Celebrate Easter after the first spring full moon (that is, after the first full moon after the vernal equinox);
• not to celebrate Passover with the Jews.

Since these two rules do not define the day of Easter unambiguously, two more auxiliary rules were added to them, which, together with the apostolic (main) rules, made it possible to define Easter unambiguously and to compile the calendar tables of Orthodox Easter. The auxiliary rules are not as important as the apostolic ones, and besides, one of them began to be violated over time, since the calendar method for calculating the first spring full moon, laid down in Paschalia, gave a small error - 1 day for 300 years... This was noticed and discussed in detail, for example, in the Collection of Patristic Rules Matthew Vlastar... However, since this mistake did not affect the observance of the apostolic rules, but only strengthened them, shifting the day of the celebration of Easter slightly ahead of the calendar dates, the Orthodox Church decided not to change the Easter, approved by the fathers of the Ecumenical Council. In the Catholic Church, Paschalia was changed in 1582 in such a way that the auxiliary rule, which had lost its force, began to be fulfilled again, but the apostolic rule on non-celebration with the Jews began to be violated. As a result, Orthodox and Catholic Easter fell apart in time, although sometimes they may coincide.

If you look at the two apostolic canons given above, it is striking that one of them - about non-celebration with the Jews - is not strictly stated and requires interpretation. The fact is that the celebration of the Jewish Passover lasts 7 days... Orthodox Easter, in fact, is also celebrated for 7 days, during the entire Bright Week. The question arises: what does “ do not celebrate with the Jews"? Do not allow the coincidence of the Bright Resurrection with the first day of the Jewish Passover? Or should we approach more strictly and not allow the overlap of the Bright Resurrection on any of the 7 days of the Jewish holiday?

In fact, carefully studying Paschal, one can suspect that earlier the First Ecumenical Council, Christians used both the first (weak) and the second (strong) interpretation of the apostolic canon. However, the fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, when compiling Paschalia, absolutely definitely stopped at the first interpretation: Bright Resurrection should not coincide only with the first, main day of the Jewish Passover, but it may coincide with the next 6 days of the Jewish holiday. This was the opinion of the First Ecumenical Council, clearly expressed in Paschalia, which the Orthodox Church still follows.Thus, in 2017, the Orthodox do not violate the 7th rule of the Holy Apostles on the celebration of Easter with the Jews, because christian Easter does not coincide with the first day of Jewish Passover, and on the other days such “ superimposing»Are not prohibited, especially since there have been similar cases before.