The traditions of celebrating Easter have been formed over the centuries; they are distinguished by their beauty, solemnity and hidden meaning.
Oksana Frolova
“Long before the adoption of Christianity in Rus', the Slavs celebrated a spring holiday every year, dedicated to the goddess Zora, who awakens nature from winter sleep. The men lit fires, and the women decorated themselves with herbs and flowers, and then walked around the village, calling on the land to be fertile. On this day, they poured water on each other, danced in circles, jumped over fires and set a rich table. IN Ancient Greece in the spring they glorified the goddess of agriculture Demeter, the Egyptians prayed to the god of rebirth Osiris, and the Romans prayed to the goddess Ceres. The ancient Celts and Germans worshiped Ostara, the goddess of the dawn and renewal of nature, offering her colored eggs and wheat bread. Some historians argue that Easter symbolism was born from the cult of worship of Ostara, although our Slavic ancestors presented painted eggs to Perun and considered the egg the embryo of the entire universe.”
There are also legends that once upon a time Rus' was attacked by the evil demons of Koshchei, who caused fire rain and many cataclysms. After the victory over them, the Slavs established the holiday of Paschet - “The Path of Deliverance.” They painted eggs with ocher in memory of the fire showers and smashed their shells against each other, remembering the battle with demons. The winner was the one whose egg remained intact.
How to prepare for Easter
Since the eve of the great holiday is Lent, which together with Holy Week It lasts 48 days. Among the customs and traditions of Easter, fasting, according to many church parishioners, is the most difficult. During this period, believers limit themselves to food and entertainment, attend church services, read the Gospel and spend a lot of time in prayer and spiritual reflection. In apostolic times, Christians fasted for three days before Easter, but later the church introduced new rules so that believers would remember how Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days.
The strictest week of Lent is Holy Week, the last week before Easter. During this week, many Christians attend services in the temple every day, fasting becomes even stricter, and on Friday, the day of the crucifixion of Christ, one cannot eat until the end of the evening service. Thursday of Holy Week is called clean because on this day believers remember how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. In Rus', Christians performed ablutions on Maundy Thursday before sunrise. Our ancestors believed in the magical power of Thursday water, believing that it eliminates sins and cleanses the soul. To this day, one of the surviving folk traditions of Easter in Russia is general cleaning on Maundy Thursday. There was a belief that if you clean the house on this day, you can find long-lost and needed things.
Preparing the Easter table
During Holy Week, bake Easter cakes and prepare cottage cheese Easter. According to church tradition, it is better to do this on Saturday, but in practice it is impossible to do everything in a day, so preparation for the Bright Resurrection of Christ begins on Holy Monday. However, on Good Friday it is still recommended to refrain from household chores, because on this day Jesus was crucified.
Father Roman
Priest
“The main Easter dish can be considered Easter cake, which is the first food for breaking the fast. It is interesting that we eat bread every day, and only once a year does it become a sacred symbol. We consider the Easter cake to be a “relative” of the bread that is placed on the lectern in the church on the first day of Bright Week. But for this, Easter cake, like colored eggs, must be blessed in church during Saturday service. I am often asked how to celebrate Easter correctly. It is necessary not only to pay attention to the festive table, but also to attend all the services of Easter Week, remembering the life of Christ, pray a lot and delve into the reading of the Holy Scriptures. This is the correct celebration of Easter.”
Easter cake differs from traditional bread in that it is baked from rich dough and decorated with icing. In Rus', during the fast of the hostess, everyone possible ways saved eggs and dairy products and later used them for Easter baking. In ancient cookbooks you can find recipes where there are 100 eggs per 2 kg of flour. It’s hard to believe, but in fact there were a lot of Easter cakes, and a large family ate them during Bright Week.
In the old days, Easter baking was approached very responsibly. It was believed that the dough for Easter cake was very delicate, so the dishes with the dough were covered with pillows; moreover, it was forbidden to talk or walk in the room in heavy shoes - the delicate dough could not stand even the slightest noise. To prevent the baking from settling, the temperature in the room was maintained as in a room for newborns, and the cake cooled only on a down pillow.
An obligatory dish on the Easter table has always been cottage cheese Easter, which is prepared from pureed high-fat cottage cheese, butter, eggs, cream, powdered sugar, sour cream, dried fruits, candied fruits, chocolate and nuts. Easter is made in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid, which is the personification of Golgotha, and is decorated with images of the cross and Easter symbols.
Why do we color eggs?
There are many versions of where the tradition of dyeing eggs for Easter came from, except for the customs of the ancient Slavs, who offered red eggs (krashenki) to the gods, asking them for the fertility of the earth and a generous harvest.
One of the legends is associated with Mary Magdalene, who brought a chicken egg to Emperor Tiberius with the news of the resurrection of Christ. The emperor doubted the veracity of her words and said that he would believe only if the egg turned red right now. The egg suddenly turned red, and since then eggs have been painted red at Easter. According to another version, the red egg symbolizes the blood of the crucified Christ, and the patterns on it are the tears of the Virgin Mary. The third version tells that as a child, baby Jesus loved to play with eggs and Mary painted them to make his toys more colorful.
When Jesus was sentenced to death, Our Lady came to Pontius Pilate asking for mercy and brought him a whole tray of painted eggs. After the emperor refused, her hands trembled, the tray fell to the ground, and the eggs scattered all over the world.
In Rus', the first painted egg was considered a powerful amulet, and it was kept for a year. It was believed that such an egg could drive evil spirits out of the house, protect livestock from disease, protect the family from strife and put out fires. The girls dipped their dyes into the water and washed themselves, believing that the water would preserve beauty and prolong youth. Easter egg shells were sprinkled on the fields for good harvest. In Rus', eggs were colored with onion skins, but now we have this big choice food coloring and Easter decor that an egg can be turned into a work of art. Modern housewives paint eggs in different shades, decorating them with painting, stickers, threads, beads and decoupage.
Folk signs and traditions of Easter
On Saturday evening the whole family went to the church for the All-Night Vigil service, which began with a procession of the cross around the church and ended in the morning. The children, of course, were taken away earlier, but the most persistent parishioners remained until the end of the service. In the morning they covered festive table, decorated it with flowers specially grown for Easter and broke the fast. This is how Easter is now celebrated in Russia and other countries, although you can buy flowers rather than grow them yourself. Wealthy people always had 48 dishes on their table on this day in memory of each day of Lent.
In the old days, before the Easter meal, they first honored their ancestors - they placed a pot of honey in front of the icons, offered a prayer, took eggs in their hands and with the words “Christ is Risen! Truly risen!” hit them against each other.
One of the most popular Easter pastimes was rolling colored eggs down a slide, and for this, wooden toy slides were made especially for the holiday for children. Whose egg rolls the furthest is considered the winner. They also played “egg hunt” - adults hid eggs in the house and on the street, and children looked for them; whoever found the egg took it for himself. Easter eggs were distributed to the poor, and one egg was always left in the church - it was believed that this would give the family prosperity and good life. On Easter, girls wove wreaths of flowers, which were then kept in the house for a whole year as a talisman. There was also a custom on the eve of Easter and throughout the Easter week to perform many good deeds and pious deeds for the forgiveness of especially serious sins and the salvation of the soul. They tried not to eat the whole Kulich - pieces were cut off from it, dried, and then stored as a medicine, which was used throughout the year to treat various diseases.
The power of Easter traditions is so great that even during the Great Patriotic War Believers celebrated Easter by bringing to church for consecration those crumbs of black bread that they received with ration cards. In Soviet times, confectioners managed to sell Easter cakes in stores with the veiled name “Spring Cupcake.” In the first years of Soviet power in Easter night Night discos and film screenings of foreign films were organized for young people to compete with the All-Night Vigil service. Representatives of the KGB were on duty at the churches on Easter night, so people who were afraid of being exposed did not go to church. In those days, the most popular day was Radonitsa - the day of remembrance of the dead, which falls on the 9th day after Christ's Resurrection - for many it replaced Easter. People went to cemeteries with eggs and “Spring” cupcakes, because the graves of the dead did not pose a danger to the Soviet regime.
Easter table designed to emphasize the greatness of this holiday. Previously, in wealthy families it was customary to put whole fourty different dishes - as a reminder of the forty days of Lent preceding Easter. Of course, it is not at all necessary to be so sophisticated; the main thing is to make sure that the obligatory dishes are present on the festive table.
Easter table in the old days they covered it for the whole day. Family and close friends gathered behind him in a close circle, who had not seen each other for a long time, because it was not customary to visit during Lent. On this day, holiday cards were signed and sent to distant relatives and friends.
After dinner, they began to play various games and fun, went out into the street to congratulate each other - the day passed joyfully and festively.
People prepared for the great and bright holiday of the Resurrection of the Lord for seven days. On Thursday they started baking Easter cakes and Easter cakes. For the main holiday of all Christian believers, these confectionery products were baked in a special way: the dough was prepared only with yolks. And it could only be baked on birch logs.
Flour for holiday baking must be sifted. A few days before the bright holiday, the dough was placed in a warm, dark corner of the house so that it could brew. They put their soul into the preparation. Basic household chores faded into the background; the whole day was devoted to preparations for the bright holiday.
So, what dishes are on Easter must be on the table?
Main Easter dishes- these are colored eggs, Easter cake and cottage cheese Easter. Each of these dishes has its own symbolism, which we will talk about a little later. In addition, to Easter table bake rum baba and honey gingerbread in the shape of animals, cook variety of dishes from meat. But the fish on Easter table It is not accepted to submit, although there are no prohibitions in this regard.
Hot dishes are usually not prepared for Easter, so as not to force the hostess to run from the festive table to the stove and back, but to give her the opportunity to calmly celebrate with everyone. It is customary to cover the Easter table with a light tablecloth, ideally white. The Easter table must certainly be beautiful, plentiful and tasty.
Easter cake
Easter cake blessed in the church is an obligatory dish on the holiday table. Kulich is made from very rich yeast dough, thanks to which the Easter cake does not go stale for a long time. The size of the cake can be different, but it must be tall. Candied fruits, dried fruits, spices, and nuts are often added to the cake, and the top is covered with powdered sugar or icing.
It is with the blessed Easter cake that the Easter meal begins., breaking his fast after Lent. Most often this happens at home, when the head of the family divides the Easter cake according to the number of household members. But sometimes they break their fast with Easter cake right in the church, immediately after the end of the Easter service, treating each other and the clergy to pieces of their Easter cake.
Curd Easter
A traditional Easter table is not complete without cottage cheese Easter - a special dish made from cottage cheese, which is prepared only once a year especially for the holiday of Easter. Easter has the shape of a truncated pyramid, which symbolizes the Holy Sepulcher. To prepare Easter, you need a special collapsible wooden form - a pasochnitsa.
On inside The letters XB are cut out of the planks from which the bean box is made - the initial letters of the words that make up the traditional Easter greeting “Christ is Risen!” In addition, they carve on the boards symbols of the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ- spear, cross, cane, sprouts, flowers, sprouted grains. All these images are imprinted on the finished Easter.
Painted eggs
What's an Easter table without colored eggs? According to legend, Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene came to the Roman Emperor Tiberius, announced the resurrection of Jesus Christ and presented him with a chicken egg. The emperor did not believe it, saying that this could not be, just like a chicken egg cannot be red. After these words, the chicken egg that the emperor was holding in his hand at that moment turned red.
Red color is a symbol of the blood shed by Christ for all people. But besides red, Easter eggs are also painted in other colors. Easter eggs are usually painted on Maundy Thursday, and they are consecrated on the night from Holy Saturday to Sunday. You can simply color the eggs with onion skins or food coloring, or you can work hard and paint the egg with unusual patterns, turning it into a real work of art.
Easter is a holiday that is usually celebrated with family.
Let a beautiful and plentiful Easter table become a symbol of prosperity and well-being in your family.
Source: strana-sovetov.com
The main decoration of the holiday table is, of course, Easter.
Traditionally, it was always prepared with big amount butter, sugar and eggs. Below are recipes for Easter dishes.
Ingredients:
Unleavened cottage cheese – 500 g. Granulated sugar – 300 g. Butter – 250 g. Egg – 4 pcs. Raisins - half a glass
Preparation:
1. Boil two hard-boiled eggs
2. While the eggs are boiling, mix the cottage cheese and sugar until smooth. Add pre-softened butter to this mixture and mix thoroughly.
3. Peel the boiled eggs, separate the yolks and add them to the curd mixture. Mix thoroughly again, trying to grind the yolks.
4. We break two into this mixture raw eggs and mix again.
5. Peel, sort and thoroughly rinse the raisins.
6. Add to the curd mixture and mix again.
7. Line a colander with gauze. Transfer the prepared mixture onto it. Cover the top with the same gauze. Place under a load of about 3 liters of water. And put it all in the refrigerator for 7...9 hours.
8. Place the finished Easter cake entirely on a plate and decorate with raisins, candied fruits or chocolate chips.
Curd Easter ready.
Ingredients:
cottage cheese from the press about 450 grams, 120 grams of butter, 100 grams of raspberry syrup, 50 grams of sugar, 2 chicken eggs, a little more than a glass of good sour cream
Preparation:
First of all, we rub our cottage cheese through a sieve and mix it with raspberry syrup. The next step is to add eggs and sugar, and then butter and sour cream. Mix the mixture well and put it in a mold that has been previously lined with gauze. We put it under so-called oppression for five hours in a cold place.
Easter should be decorated with something original and bright.
Ingredients:
400 g cottage cheese, 400 g 25~30% sour cream, 200 g white chocolate, 1/4 cup milk,
~0.5 cups of dried fruits and candied fruits.
Preparation:
Pour milk into a small saucepan, put the broken White chocolate, put on low heat and bring until the chocolate is completely melted. Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, melted chocolate (warm), candied fruits and steamed dried fruits.
Moisten a thin, dense cloth with water and line the bean box with it.
Place the curd mass in a bowl, place a weight on top and leave for a day to drain excess moisture.
After 6~12 hours, put the structure in the refrigerator.
Place the finished Easter on a plate, remove the mold and cloth.
Store Easter in the refrigerator before serving.
When cutting, it is advisable to wet the knife in hot water and then wipe dry with a napkin.
Easter with dried apricots
To prepare Easter you will need: 300 gr. cottage cheese, 200 gr. dried apricots and 100g. Sahara. Wash dried apricots and boil in sugar syrup. Squeeze out the cottage cheese, mix with chilled dried apricots and rub the mixture through a sieve, then wrap the curd circle in a thick cloth and hold for 3 hours under pressure in a cool place. Having given Easter a strict, “classical” shape, it can be decorated with prunes or candied fruits.
When starting to bake Easter cake or Easter baba, it is very important to remember that the dough for this baking loves only fresh ingredients, and, most importantly, the warmth of human hands, which means you should not use a mixer during the cooking process. You should not start kneading if you are sick or tired - the dough simply will not rise!
50 gr. dilute yeast in 1 tbsp. warm milk, adding 1 tbsp. granulated sugar. After the fermentation process has begun, pour the dough into a container with 0.5 kg. flour, salt, add 8 yolks, mashed with 50 gr. sugar and mix thoroughly. After the dough becomes elastic and begins to “lag behind” your hands, pour in 3 tbsp. melted butter and knead again. Pour 100 g into the finished dough. soaked raisins, place in a mold, filling it 1/3 full and leave for 2 hours to “settle.” When the dough has increased significantly in volume, brush the top with egg and bake at 200 degrees. within 1 hour.
The finished hot cake can be filled with fondant or covered with vanilla sugar.
For making fudge 150 gr. Grind powdered sugar with boiled water, gradually adding juice from half a lemon and rum essence. When the mixture becomes “airy” and shiny, the fudge is ready.
Ingredients:
For the test:
yeast - 75 g, eggs - 7 pieces, milk - 2 tbsp., sugar - 100 g,
flour - 9-10 tbsp., butter - 150 g.
Preparation:
To prepare the dough, take warm milk, yeast, half the flour and mix. Sprinkle the finished dough with flour and leave it warm for an hour. Then add flour and knead the dough until it stops sticking. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add them to the dough and mix again, adding flour to thicken the dough. Place the bowl with the mixture in a warm place and cover with a towel on top.
Place the finished dough on the table and divide it into two parts, of which the larger part is the base of the cake, the small part is for decoration. Place the Easter cake in a round frying pan, the surface of which is greased with oil and sprinkled with flour, make decorations from the remaining dough and leave in a warm place to proof. Grease the risen cake with butter and bake until done.
Ingredients:
For the test:
flour – 4 tbsp., eggs – 15 pieces, sugar – 690 g., milk – 4.5 tbsp.,
yeast – 100 g, butter – 1 kg, salt.
Preparation:
To prepare the choux pastry, thoroughly mix the flour and hot milk and cool to normal temperature. Dissolve the yeast in a small amount of heated milk, add it to the brewed dough and leave the resulting mixture warm for at least one hour.
Beat the yolks well with sugar, add to the risen dough and mix. Beat the whites into a thick foam, add them to the dough and mix. Place the finished mixture in a warm place for a second rise.
When the dough has risen, gradually stir in the melted butter. Rub the baking pans with butter and sprinkle with flour, then lay out the finished dough. After the dough has doubled in size, cover its surface with yolk and bake until done at 170-180 C.
Ingredients:
For the test:
flour - 5 tbsp., sugar - 55-60 g, yeast - 25-35 g, flour - 1 1/2 tbsp., milk - 2 1/4 tbsp., melted butter - 180 g.
For flavored sugar:
sugar – 230 g and any of the flavors: vanilla – 2 g,
orange zest, ground coffee - 3.5 g, rose oil - 8 drops, rose petals - 0.5 cups
Preparation:
To prepare aromatic sugar, grind it with any of the proposed flavors.
For the Easter cake, prepare the choux pastry: mix flour and a third of hot milk, cover and leave for an hour. Add the remaining milk, yeast and a quarter of the aromatic sugar to the brewed dough. Add a little flour, stir, cover with a towel and leave warm. After the dough has risen, pour in warm ghee, add the rest of the flour and knead the dough from which we make Easter cakes.
The cakes must rise before baking.
Kulich "Early ripening"
Ingredients:
For the test:
yeast – 10 g, sugar – 460 g, milk – 3 tbsp., flour – 6 tbsp.,
butter – 400 g, eggs – 3 pieces, raisins (seedless) – 380 g.
Preparation:
From a glass of hot milk, sifted flour, granulated sugar and softened butter, knead the dough, to which we add the yeast dissolved in the remaining milk. Leave the dough for at least an hour to rise.
Separate the yolks from the whites, beat the latter into a thick foam, rub the yolks with sugar. Gradually fold into the risen dough and add raisins.
Place the dough in a mold greased with butter or margarine and bake until done. Baking temperature 170-180 C.
Ingredients:
Egg - 2 pcs., Sugar - 1 tbsp., Sour cream - 200 g., Condensed milk - 4 tbsp., Flour - 9 tbsp. with a slide., Breadcrumbs. Cocoa - 2 tbsp., Soda - 1 tsp.
For cream:
Liqueur - 2 tbsp, Condensed milk - 150 g, Sour cream 30% - 200 g, Butter - 200 g. Vanilla sugar - 2 bags.
For decoration:
Prunes - 150 g., Dried cherries.. Sugar - 3 tbsp. Red wine.
Preparation:
1. Beat eggs with sugar, add sour cream, condensed milk, soda, slaked with vinegar, salt on the tip of a knife and flour. Knead the dough well.
2. Bake a crust from half the dough on a square baking sheet, greased with margarine and sprinkled breadcrumbs. Add cocoa to the second half of the dough and bake another cake. Cool.
3. Place the cakes on top of each other and cut out an oval egg shape. Cut the chocolate cake into two layers.
4. Beat butter with condensed milk and sour cream, add a bag of vanilla sugar. Add some liqueur to 1/3 cup of boiled water.
5. Assemble the cake. Place the dark cake on an oval dish, soak it in liqueur, and coat generously with cream. Place a light cake on it and repeat the same operations. Cover with dark cake layer, soak again in liqueur and spread with cream.
6. Steam prunes with boiling water, remove the pits, squeeze lightly, cut into pieces. Mash the cake scraps with your hands in a bowl with prunes and the remaining cream. Place in a mound onto the cake, forming an egg shape, smoothing the edges. The bottom of the cake is slightly rounded inward. Use a knife to smooth out any uneven surfaces and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
7. Melt over heat in 1 tbsp. spoon of boiling water 3 tbsp. spoons of sugar, bring to a boil, stirring all the time. Beat 1 chilled protein into a strong foam, continuing to beat, pour boiling syrup into the protein at the moment when the sugar boils evenly with bubbles, and immediately pour in the juice of a third of a lemon and add a bag of vanilla sugar. You should get a snow-white light cream with which to decorate the cake. Place cherries steamed in red wine along the edge of the cake.
But, besides Easter cakes, you can prepare other festive dishes for Easter.
From 0.5 kg. flour, 250 gr. melted butter, 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 egg yolk, quickly knead the shortbread dough and bake in a hot oven until cooked, pricking it in several places with a fork.
The cream is prepared from 500 gr. cream and the same amount of sugar, 100 gr. butter and vanilla. After mixing the ingredients, grind them thoroughly and cook over low heat until sour cream thickens, stirring constantly.
Pour the prepared chilled cream over the mazurka and sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
200 gr. Grate “Russian”, “Dutch”, “Swiss” cheeses and Parmesan cheese on a fine grater, add 400 gr. softened butter and 150 ml. rum or cognac. Mix everything thoroughly and place in oil dishes.
For a one and a half kilogram portion of the dish you will need: 1.5 kg. ham, 100 grams each, red wine and butter, 5 pcs. dry cloves, zest of one lemon and 1 tbsp. flour and sugar.
Pour softened butter and wine over thin slices of ham, add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Salt the gutted pig on top and inside, stuff it and bake on a wire rack. You can stuff it with liver and lard, minced through a meat grinder and flavored with whipped yolks and a small amount white bread; liver, grated with buckwheat or rice porridge, as well as rice porridge, with added boiled eggs and green onions.
Salt the freshly plucked and gutted duck inside and out, tuck the legs into the cuts made at the bottom of the carcass and fry in a saucepan until half cooked for 30-40 minutes. then divide the duck into 6 parts and place in a baking dish.
To prepare the sauce, in the saucepan where the duck was cooked, brew 2 tbsp. broth 1 tbsp. flour. After letting the liquid boil, remove the fat, add the juice of 3 oranges and 200 ml. white wine, then boil again. Place 2-3 oranges, divided into slices and peeled from seeds, into a mold with pieces of duck, pour over the prepared sauce and bake in a hot oven until cooked. When serving the dish, oranges serve as a garnish for the meat.
Boil and cut into apple slices 1 kg. beets. Add 300 gr. boiled and finely chopped prunes, 200 gr. any crushed nuts, 1 onion, fried in 100 gr. vegetable oil and 2 tbsp. liquid honey. Mix everything thoroughly. For additional flavor, add 1-2 tbsp to the beets. ground coriander seeds.
To prepare the dish, apples, onions and chicken are taken in equal portions. Boil the chicken with the onion, celery and carrots, cool and chop finely. Peel and chop green apples. Shred separately onion. Mix all the salad ingredients thoroughly and season it with mayonnaise.
Take approximately equal quantities of fillets of several types of fish, squid, peeled shrimp and crab meat, cut into small longitudinal bars, dip in batter and deep-fry.
To prepare the batter, beat until thick and creamy and add 3 eggs, 0.5 tbsp. beer and 100 gr. flour.
Bon appetit!
There are several holidays associated with the Resurrection of Christ. They do not have fixed dates, and the day of celebration is counted from the Resurrection.
- LAZARUS SATURDAY AND THE ENTRY OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM - Saturday and Sunday before Easter;
- ASCENSION - Thursday, 40 days after Easter;
- HOLY TRINITY (Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles) - Sunday, 50 days after Easter;
- ALL SAINTS - Sunday, a week after the Holy Trinity;
- ALL SAINTS IN THE RUSSIAN LAND SHINED - Sunday, a week after All Saints.
This Sunday, April 8, all followers Orthodox Church will celebrate one of the most important religious holidays in the year - Easter. Preparations for Easter begin a week before the holiday itself: cleaning the house (Maundy Thursday), preparing some dishes and painting eggs. People try to organize everything in such a way that on the holiday itself they do not do any work, but devote themselves to the celebration and, of course, attending church services.
The main ritual dishes for Easter are colored... different colors eggs, Easter cakes and cottage cheese.
Painted eggs are a direct symbol of the tomb and resurrection of Christ. A dead shell on the outside and life on the inside. Traditionally, eggs were painted red, symbolizing the blood of Christ, but later came the custom of painting eggs in different colors and even artistic painting on them. In the world today there are numerous museums of the so-called Easter eggs - painted eggs. This, of course, is no longer food, but real art. At home, eggs are most often colored by boiling them in onion skins, giving them a characteristic Brown color. It is customary to bless such eggs in church before eating them. By the way, it is customary to paint eggs in advance - a couple of days before Easter itself, and even a week after it.
My late grandmother told me how in Belarusian villages they started collecting eggs for Easter almost a few weeks before the holiday, and on Bright Sunday they walked down the street, filling their pockets full of them, and bumping into each other. This game was called “Christ”, and the winner in it was the one whose egg did not break as a result of the battle. He also took the winner’s egg for himself. After the holiday, when the number of eggs in the house did not allow them to be eaten in their pure form, okroshka and green cabbage soup were prepared from them.
“The egg applies to all creatures,” says an ancient handwritten interpretation attributed in ancient times to St. John of Damascus, “the shell is like the sky, the chaff is like the clouds, the white is like water, the yolk is like earth, and the dampness in the middle of the egg is like the world.” sin".
Another well-known symbol of Easter is Easter cake. Easter cake is a special type of ritual holiday bread, which is traditionally baked from yeast dough on Maundy Thursday, that is, two days before Easter. On Saturday, on the eve of the holiday, it is also consecrated in the church. Kulich is a semblance of church artos - large leavened bread, its folk, “homemade” variation. In Russian practice, artos is a tall cylindrical bread, consecrated on the first day of Easter at the liturgy after the prayer behind the pulpit, which is distributed to believers on Bright Saturday after reading the prayer and crushing.
Cooking Easter cake is also a real sacrament in itself. Its main feature is not the ingredients, but the correct cooking technology. The preparation of Easter cake should be undertaken exclusively with good mood, then the Easter cake will turn out successful, and next year everything will be fine in the house.
Cottage cheese Easter is another central dish of the festive Easter table. To prepare cottage cheese Easter, you need a special detachable Easter pan in the shape of a truncated pyramid, consisting of 4 planks. The curd mass is placed in a pan and pressed, taking the form of a truncated pyramid, which symbolizes the place of the crucifixion and death of Christ. Among other things, curd Easter is an excellent curd dessert with the addition of dried fruits and nuts, which will appeal to both adults and children.
In general, Easter is considered a collective holiday. It is celebrated widely and cheerfully - with festivities, egg fights and obligatory treats for friends and neighbors. On this day, they certainly bake a lot of pies, buns, buns and other sweet dough products and give them to all nice people. The more generous you are on Easter, the more successful the next year will be for you. Joy must be shared with loved ones, not forgetting, of course, those in need. The very ritual of congratulating Easter, when people kiss each other on the cheeks three times, saying “Christ is risen,” shows us that kindness and attention to others is important elements holiday.
And, of course, in addition to pastries and desserts, the festive table must certainly be filled with main dishes that will please the eye and stomach. Here is a sample list:
- aspic and aspic (and Easter in Slavic countries does not always fall on warm spring days; sometimes there may still be snow on Easter);
- baked poultry (whole baked chicken, duck or goose is one of the main delicacies of Russian and not only Russian cuisine);
- boiled pork and sausages (where would we be without meat? Cattle used to be slaughtered especially for Easter);
- vegetable salads (if Easter coincides with the active onset of spring);
- pickles (remnants of winter stocks, if fresh vegetables have not had time to ripen);
- pies with a wide variety of fillings;
- homemade wines;
- sbitni.
To put it simply, at Easter it was customary, and still is today, to put on the table all the best and most delicious things that are in the house. No better reason for a housewife to show off her culinary skills than Easter. After all, before that there was a grueling Lent, and after that the spring suffering will begin, when there will be no time for the holidays. So Easter is such a reason to stop, have fun, relax after winter and get back to work. Easter is the king of days, as the saying goes.
How to spend this day with dignity? After all, Holy Easter is a special day not only for believers, but also for those who are quite far from religion.
All we can do on this day is to rejoice, treat our family and friends, invite them to visit us, and also pay visits to those who are much worse off than you these days in order to try to help them.
On Easter you can eat any food and drink wine. However, this should be done in moderation. Moderation is the main rule of any feast, and not just Easter.
If you have a normal relationship with alcohol, then you can afford to drink it in small quantities. However, if you know you won't be able to stop, it's better to give it up completely. After all, on the holiday of Holy Easter, being drunk is a great sin.
Remember that fun should be more spiritual than physical.
What not to do on Easter
So, what should you not do on Easter? On this day you should not be sad, indulge in sad and sad thoughts. You cannot walk around angry, gloomy, or quarrel with others. It's especially bad to swear.
But these prohibitions do not apply exclusively to Sunday. All these rules should be followed throughout Holy Week.
This week should become an example of how a person should always behave. Regardless of whether it is a holiday or not, a person must behave decently, honestly and decently. We should always help those who need it, be kinder, use less foul language, and drive away bad thoughts.
What else can't you do on Easter?
The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to restrictions for Easter is the ban on work. If you have Easter Sunday off, you're lucky. But, unfortunately, the question of whether to work or not on Easter does not always depend on us. If the boss confronts us with the fact that we need to go to work, we unquestioningly follow the order and go to work.
Don't worry if your schedule means you have to work on Easter. There is nothing criminal or sinful if you work against your will.
After all, we are also talking about obedience here. You are simply required to conscientiously perform your normal work. It is believed that if you fulfill your duties honestly and truthfully, the Lord will definitely understand and forgive you.
As for prohibitions on doing homework, you should understand that this is not some kind of strict prohibition, the violation of which will be punished from above. The point is that on this day you should give up work in order to devote time to your family and friends.
Devote yourself to pious thoughts about God, celebrate, be with your loved ones.
The ban on working on Easter days is not canonical; it is most likely just a pious custom.
We all know that household chores and daily chores are integral parts of every person’s life. And giving up these troubles is not always easy. If you don’t have the opportunity to completely abandon these chores, you can devote some time to them on holidays.
However, try to do this wisely. So as not to spend a holiday bogged down in washing floors or dishes. And even more so, you shouldn’t start general cleaning or painting window frames on Easter. Well, you see, these matters can be postponed until later.
What should be in an Easter basket
So, the bright holiday of Great Easter is coming.
Many of us follow the pleasant tradition of gathering on Easter night with our closest and dearest people, usually members of our family.
We fill our baskets with food that we have prepared in advance and go to church service.
But what can you not find in an Easter basket: Easter cakes, eggs, meat products, fish dishes, salt, horseradish, water, wine. Each family has its own list of products that they consider necessary to place in the basket.
However, many of us fill it incorrectly. So, what should you put in your Easter basket, and what should you leave out?
You need to remember the basic rule that the basket should contain only 4 main elements; you should not overload it with everything.
KULICH
Kulich is the main attribute of Holy Easter. It symbolizes the body of Christ and is also a symbol of the kingdom of heaven.
Most of us are accustomed to pyramid-shaped paskhas; it is this shape that resembles Golgotha, the place where Christ was crucified.
EGGS
Easter eggs are a symbol of new life.
The custom of painting eggs goes back to ancient times. Tradition says that Mary Magdalene turned to the ruler Tiberius. As a gift, she brought an ordinary chicken egg, and also told him the news of the resurrection of Christ.
However, Tiberius did not believe what the woman said. Moreover, according to him, “people cannot rise from the dead, just as a white egg cannot suddenly turn red.” Legend has it that it was after this phrase that the egg suddenly turned bright red.
DAIRY
White color is a symbol of purity and pure love. Dairy products symbolize God's love for people.
MEAT PRODUCTS
Regarding the presence of meat products in the basket, Christ is identified with the sacrificial lamb. He was also sacrificed for the sake of humanity and for the salvation of the human soul.
In addition, horseradish root and salt are also added to the Easter basket. Horseradish is associated with the homeland, and salt with financial wealth in the family.
Don't forget about the candle. It should also be present in the Easter basket. If the housewife wants to show her imagination, she can decorate the basket with flowers, ribbons, blessed willow branches, or use other decorative elements.
And the last thing: you cannot take it to a church service. alcoholic drinks. After all, religion does not approve of drinking alcohol.
Various alcoholic drinks have nothing to do with the great church holidays. You shouldn't even put Cahors in the basket. Also make sure that there is no knife or other sharp objects in it.
It is also worth remembering that products that were consecrated in the church should under no circumstances be thrown away and placed in a bucket. What to do then with leftover food? It is recommended to distribute food to those who need it. And the crumbs from Easter cake should be placed in a bird feeder.
What is the meaning of Easter?
Easter is a holiday of holidays and a celebration of celebrations. On Easter, we will relive the Resurrection of Jesus Christ every time. Resurrection is the central event of all Sacred history. All four evangelists talk about him (Matthew 18:6, Mark 16:6, Luke 24:6, John 20:6).
Christ was crucified and died on the Cross for the sins of all people - those who have ever lived since the creation of the world and those who will ever live. The righteous Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - the secret disciples of Christ - took His body from the Cross, placed it in a coffin carved into the rock and, closing the entrance to the cave with a stone, left, since Saturday, the holiday of the Jewish Passover, had already begun. Early in the morning the day after Saturday, women - disciples of the Savior - came to the cave to, according to tradition, anoint the body of Jesus with special funeral incense - myrrh. They saw that the heavy stone that covered the entrance to the cave had been pushed aside, and there was no one in the tomb: they found there only empty burial shrouds and a scarf covering the face of Christ. At the exit from the cave, the myrrh-bearers were met by an angel who told them that Christ had risen!
To understand the meaning of this holiday, it is important to remember its connection with the Jewish Passover (called Passover).
Easter is an Old Testament institution. The Jews wanted to leave Egypt to return to their homeland. But the pharaoh, who had them captive, wishing to enrich himself with free labor, did not release them.
During the years of this captivity, the Lord more than once sent signs to Pharaoh through his servant Moses, so that Pharaoh would release the people to the Promised Land. The last thing God commanded the Egyptian people while the Jews were in their captivity was to slaughter an angel (that is, a lamb) and anoint the doorposts with his blood. This had to be done because the destroying angel was supposed to come in the night and kill all the firstborn of the land of Egypt. But if the blood of a lamb is on the door, the destroying angel will pass by the house.
Jesus Christ became such a lamb, but already in the New Testament. “Easter” is precisely translated as “procession by,” procession past death. On the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, we commune with the Body and Blood of the Angle of God, as Christ calls himself, and become anointed with His blood. And death passes us by. Easter is eternal life, liberation from death. Christians have found the recipe that makes a person immortal.
Why bless food for Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
The consecration of not only food, but also other material things surrounding a Christian is an ancient tradition. When we sanctify something, we dedicate it to God and ask for God’s blessing on it.
On Easter we bring food to the temple. In villages at the beginning of the 20th century, in general, everything that was put on the table for Easter was brought to the temple, blessed, and the tithe (tenth) was left for those in need. And only after this did people break their fast - they reverently ate the consecrated holiday food.
I think it’s a very good tradition to ask God for a blessing for everything.
How to fast before Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
On Good Friday - the strictest fast. According to the Charter, you are not supposed to eat anything at all on this day. If you can bear it for health reasons, try it. On all other days of Holy Week, fasting is also strict; we eat only plant foods.
If the question is about the Eucharistic fast before Communion at the night service, then it is customary not to eat or drink for at least 6 hours before Communion.
When can you break your fast on Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
Breaking the fast (the first fast meal after the end of Lent) on Easter is usually celebrated after the Liturgy and Communion. If you attended the Liturgy at night, then after the night service you can begin the festive meal. If you came to the Liturgy in the morning, then you can break your fast in the same way - after communion. The main thing is that everything needs to be approached with a sense of proportion. Don't overeat.
If for some reason you cannot celebrate Easter in church, you can begin to break your fast around the time when the festive Liturgy ends in churches. What is good about the Church in this regard? We fast together and break our fast together. That is, we do everything together. This is what is sorely missing modern world, – generality.
How to spend Easter correctly? Are there things you shouldn't do?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
On this day you cannot be sad, walk gloomily and quarrel with your neighbors. But just remember that Easter is not 24 hours, but 40 days. The first week - Light - is especially festive. All these days until the Resurrection of St. Thomas, a special Easter liturgy is served.
Let this week be an example of how we should always behave in society, among people.
How should you spend Easter? Rejoice, treat others, invite them to visit you, visit the suffering. In a word, everything that brings joy to your neighbor, and therefore to you.
What can you eat on Easter and can you drink alcohol on Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
On Easter you can eat and drink everything, the main thing is to do it in moderation. If you know how to stop in time, you can help yourself to all the dishes, drink wine or some strong drinks - not to the point of extreme intoxication, of course. But if you find it difficult to limit yourself, it is better not to touch alcohol. Rejoice in spiritual joy.
Is it possible to work on Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
The best thing, of course, is not to work! The right thing to do is to be in church, and then share this joy with your loved ones. All things that can somehow be postponed are better postponed. Take a day off, a day off, a vacation...
Another thing is that whether we work or not depends not on us. It often happens that we find ourselves as forced people and, according to our work schedule, are forced to work on Easter. There's nothing wrong with putting in the effort. Maybe you can be sad about this, but no more than five minutes! Obedience is obedience. Do your work on this day conscientiously. If you fulfill your duties in simplicity and truth, the Lord will definitely touch your heart.
Is it possible to do homework on Easter? Cleaning, knitting, sewing.
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
When we read somewhere that on a holiday there is a ban on homework, we should understand that this is not a prohibition, but a blessing so that we spend this time in attention to the Lord, the holiday and our neighbors. So that we don’t get hung up on the vanity of the world. The ban on work on Easter is not canonical, it is rather a pious tradition.
Household chores are an integral part of our lives. You can do them on holiday, but only if you approach it wisely. So as not to spend Easter doing spring cleaning until the early hours of the night. Sometimes it is better, for example, to leave unwashed dishes in the sink than to be annoyed by household members who did not wash their dishes.
What does it mean if a person dies on Easter? Is this a sign of God's special mercy or a punishment?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
If a believer dies on Easter or Bright Week, for us this is truly a sign of God’s mercy towards this person. Popular tradition even says that those who die on Easter enter the Kingdom of Heaven without ordeal, that is, bypassing the Last Judgment. But this is “folk theology”; dogmatically, every person will be judged and will give an answer for their sins before the face of God.
If a non-believer dies these days, then, I think, this means absolutely nothing. After all, even during his life, the Resurrection of Christ was not for him a sign of deliverance from death. ..
Is it possible to go to the cemetery on Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
There has never been such a tradition in the Church. She was born among people in times Soviet Union, when a person was deprived of spiritual communication and removed from the Church. Where else could one meet with the afterlife, about which the Church speaks and with the belief in the existence of which the authorities fought so hard? Only at the cemetery. No one could forbid going to relatives’ graves.
Since then, it has become a custom to go to the cemetery on Easter. But now that churches are open and we can go to Easter services, it is better to go to the cemetery to visit loved ones on other days. For example, on Radonitsa - on the day when, according to tradition, the Church commemorates the dead. Arrive there early, put the graves in order, sit quietly next to them and pray. Read more about visiting the cemetery.
How should we greet each other on Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
Easter greeting is angelic. When the Myrrh-Bearing Women came to the Holy Sepulcher to anoint the body of the crucified Christ with incense, they saw an Angel there. He told them: “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”, that is, he told them that the Savior had risen.
We greet our brothers and sisters in faith on Easter with the words "Christ is Risen!" and respond to the greeting: “Truly he is risen!” Thus, we tell the whole world that for us the Resurrection of Christ is the basis of life.
What is customary to give for Easter?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
On Easter, you can give your neighbors any pleasant and necessary gifts. And it will be good if you add an Easter egg, decorated or red, to any gift. The egg as a symbol of evidence of new life - the Resurrection of Christ.
Red color easter egg- This is a memory of the legend according to which Mary Magdalene gave an egg to Emperor Tiberius for Easter. The Emperor told her that he did not believe that a person could be resurrected, that it was as incredible as if this egg suddenly turned from white to red. And, according to legend, a miracle happened - in front of everyone, the egg turned red, like the blood of Christ. Now the painted egg is a symbol of Easter, the Resurrection of the Savior.
What to do with shells from blessed eggs and stale Easter cake?
Archpriest Igor Fomin answers
Opinions on this matter may vary. An Easter egg shell, of course, is not a sacred thing, like, for example, Holy Water. And you shouldn’t attach too much importance to it. But pious tradition tells us not to throw away with the trash what is consecrated in the temple. All this can be burned, for example, on a personal plot, and buried where people and animals will not trample it underfoot.
Why can't you dye eggs until they're a year old?
How can this not be done? Who said that? It is possible and even necessary to involve children in this. They and you will be happy about it.
You need to be very careful if the watery phrase of some recommendation follows “but I heard that... and they told me...”. This analogy turns out to be a broken phone. Such advice will not lead to any good.
Soviet times, of course, also brought something of their own, for example, everyone began to go to the cemetery en masse on Easter, and the holiday, which denies death, faded into the background. We already live in the victory of Christ. This is all, unfortunately, forgotten. Some buses, trips, drinks begin.
But this does not mean that you need to stop going to the cemetery, no.
Here we are talking about the fact that Easter is a great joy, so it is not a time to be sad, you need to leave all worldly troubles and worries and devote this day to God, the memory of His resurrection, the victory of life over death. At the same time, we can pray for our loved ones and share this joy with them with all our hearts. God has no dead, He has given us the prospect of eternal life, and we hope in His mercy.
When should you not clean your house before Easter?
Father Alexander Abramov answers
There is spiritual hygiene, it consists in the fact that during Holy Week we should really try to protect ourselves from all sorts of entertainment, routine affairs, and everyday vanity. We need to go to church more. And it is clear that it is advisable to put things in order in advance so as not to miss important events.
But this is not an absolute prohibition, because life exists and common sense exists. The problem is that when people come to church, they have not yet acquired spiritual common sense, but their everyday common sense has already been turned off, and this creates such an excellent space for filling their heads with all sorts of nonsense.
Is it possible to get married on Easter?
Archpriest Alexander Abramov answers
The question is very clear and the answer will be clear. If you come to church on Bright Week, they will tell you that you cannot get married.
There are days established by the Church on which weddings take place - these are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
There are days of the week, regardless of the time of year, when weddings do not take place, for example, on fast days or on Saturday.
For example, why don't they get married on Tuesday? Because in this case, the first wedding day will fall on a fast day. Well, what kind of beginning of family life is this if the very first day is already fraught with restrictions.
They don’t get married on Saturday, the day before Sunday, because Sunday is Little Easter and, in a good way, a person on this day should lead a religious life, not a personal one.
It is clear that many people are inclined to neglect all these traditions of church life, but in order to prevent the neglect from becoming so wild, they simply do not have weddings these days.
Bright Week is just like one day of Easter. Great celebration of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. And all attention, of course, is focused on this.
Therefore, weddings do not take place during Bright Week either. This is the liturgical system.
This is not because the church disdains weddings or people who want to arrange their family life. And simply because we completely devote this time to celebrating Easter - this is a time of universal joy.
Is it possible to remember on Easter?
Archpriest Alexander Abramov answers
If we talk about church order, then the first memorial service is celebrated on (the day of special remembrance of the dead) - this is Tuesday of the second week after Easter. In many churches there was such a pious tradition - funeral tables, the place where candles are placed, are covered with cloth, thereby showing that God has no dead. And this is especially clear during Easter week. Easter is the most joyful Christian holiday; it displaces all sorrow and sadness from the hearts of believers.
As the Holy Scripture says: « God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living» (Mark 12:27). Of course, you can remember, that is, say “God rest…” and say the name of the person for whom you are praying. How can we not do this if we love our family and friends and have a desire to convey this to God.
Funeral services in the church (requiem services) on Bright Week are completely abolished, since this is a time of our joy in the Risen Christ, and not sorrow. But this does not mean that the priest does not mention the repose of people during the liturgy.
Is it possible to bury on Easter?
Archpriest Alexander Abramov answers
If the death takes place on Bright Week, then the funeral service is performed with a special rite, Easter. It is especially touching regarding infants, because their sinlessness and belonging to Easter are immediately affirmed.
Is it possible to baptize before Easter?
Archpriest Alexander Abramov answers
A short excursion into history.
It is interesting that in ancient times the church did not baptize individually at all. This is what we have now. We are transferring consumer habits to the church.
For example, we came to the clinic and it seemed completely crazy to us that we would be seen at the same time with four other people. And we think the same way about christenings. But before they were baptized completely differently.
Firstly, people were baptized not in a church, but, as a rule, in open reservoirs, and two or three days a year were chosen for this. People were prepared, talked to, they were taught in the faith, if we are talking about adults, and then either on Christmas Eve, Epiphany (Epiphany), or on Holy Saturday everyone was baptized together.
There are days when it would be inappropriate to talk about Baptism, say on Good Friday, when we are entirely focused on the Passion, the suffering of Christ. Although, even for reasons of some kind of piety and reverence for God, I would not baptize during Holy Week.
But generally speaking, you can receive the sacrament of Baptism at any time, including during Bright Week.
Why can't you dye eggs for Easter?
In general, it is customary for us to bless Easter cakes and eggs on Holy Saturday, that is, immediately before Easter.
Therefore, we are preparing for this day in advance. But since situations in life are different, you can consecrate your holiday gifts on the day of Great Easter itself, this will not be considered something unnatural. Previously, even before the revolution, Easter cakes and eggs were blessed just after the night Easter service before breaking the fast.
As for preparing for the holiday, it is advisable to do everything in advance so that you have time for the most important thing. To meet the Bright Resurrection of Christ, you could come to meet God with joy, a light heart, leaving all your troubles and worries behind.
A Great Event took place and it is necessary to remember it, it must become the center of everything.
Why can't you eat eggs before Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
The bright Easter days are preceded by Lent, when we tried to abstain as much as possible from heavy food (of animal origin), that is, to keep ourselves in a certain focus, one might even say in tone, pushing ourselves to internal work. That is, we do not eat not only eggs, but, in principle, all products of animal origin, as we observe fasting. There are no other superstitious reasons not to eat eggs.
On Holy Saturday we come to the temple to bless eggs, Easter cakes, and Easter cakes, which will decorate our holiday table.
And after the Easter service with our family, we break our fast, that is, now we can allow ourselves to taste the festive dishes without a twinge of conscience, but this is also important.
We rejoice, the holiday has come and now it’s time to feast.
What should you not do on the Saturday before Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
There are no clear prohibitions. Each person has his own, unique life. It is shrouded in so many circumstances and nuances that it is difficult to say anything in advance. Just as it is impossible to condemn anyone for this reason.
But, of course, it is worth remembering that Holy Saturday- the day of hidden fading. It is also called “Sabbath of Rest.”
We still grieve over the death of Christ. We remember His removal from the cross and His placing in the tomb. One of the key chants of this day contains the words ““.
But we are all already standing on the threshold of the Great Day and Holiday.
We are waiting for the hour when we can exclaim “Christ is Risen!”
But now we have to kind of freeze. There is a lull on the eve of something very significant.
And of course, on this day we should not talk about any fun festivities or excessive troubles and worries.
Everything needs to be postponed if possible. Be at Liturgy in the morning. And maintain silence and peace in your soul until the start of the Easter service.
Why can't you celebrate a birthday on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
Easter is the greatest day of the year. A celebration of life. We glorify our Savior Jesus Christ for His boundless love and kindness, for giving us eternal life. And, of course, this event in the life of every person should become central.
Therefore, celebrating a birthday cannot be more important than Easter.
On the other hand, there are no prohibitions on this either.
You just need to remember that this is a Bright Day.
And I wouldn’t want to overshadow it with excessive drunkenness, for example, or other indecent things.
Because many people, unfortunately, associate their birthday with going on a spree. full program. And Easter is not the right time for this. Even based on respect for the traditions of the church and reverence for God.
Is it possible to hunt on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
If you hunt for fun, then definitely not on any day. After all, this is the killing of living beings.
Sometimes people hunt in order to simply not die of hunger, then this is acceptable, there is already a question of survival.
Or, for example, when it is a matter of earning money, which also allows you to survive. The main thing is that this does not become mercantile entertainment.
As for the Easter days, any Orthodox believer will try to postpone hunting for this period, unless he is in emergency conditions, when he needs to act according to the situation.
Is it possible to receive communion on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
It is possible and even necessary. It’s just worth preparing for the Sacrament of Communion in advance. And the point here is not only in fasting, but, most importantly, in cleansing the heart and mind.
It is necessary to go to Confession. You can do this on the Sunday of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, on Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday of Holy Week. But a more detailed schedule should be checked with the temple where you are going to come.
In any case, you need to look at the circumstances. If suddenly, for some reason, you did not have time to prepare in advance, then you should ask the priest for a blessing for Communion, explaining your situation.
Recently, official permission has appeared to allow people to receive Communion on Easter without confession. But this right still remains at the discretion of the priest. Because people are all different.
The main thing is not to be silent, do not listen to someone else’s advice; if you have a question, then go directly to the one who will help resolve it, in this case, to the priest.
Is it possible to go to the Cemetery on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
In the life of the Church, everything is arranged very wisely. Each tradition or ritual has its own meaning. And everything has its place in it.
We can remember our relatives and friends who have died in our own prayers; this is our right and, moreover, it is very important both for us and for those whose memory we honor.
Can pregnant women go to the cemetery on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
Pregnant women can go to the cemetery, like everyone else. But, according to Orthodox tradition, for Easter don't visit cemeteries.
Since Easter is not a time for remembering the dead. This is general joy, general rejoicing and glorification of our Savior Jesus Christ. The first commemoration of the dead after Easter takes place on.
When can you go to confession before Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
Of course, it’s better to come to confession early and not put it off until the last minute.
Confession will be possible on Holy Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday of Holy Week.
But you will need to check more accurate information about the time in the temple where you are going to come. Since each temple has its own way of life.
What to wear to church for Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
You can choose any outfit to suit your taste, but it is important to remember where you are going. And try to look neat and not too provocative.
Is it possible for pregnant women to cook Easter cakes and Easter cakes?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
Of course you can, but only carefully. In the sense that expectant mothers are very vulnerable and they need to be more careful about their health. So as not to get too tired.
And preparing for the Great Holiday is always a pleasant and joyful thing.
Is it possible to work the week after Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
Work is a very individual matter. Someone has the opportunity to take time off, take a short vacation during Easter week and completely devote this period to God. Get to know the traditions of the life of the Church better. But some people simply don’t have this opportunity. So it is difficult to take any categorical position here. Ideally, of course, it would be nice to attend the Easter liturgy again in the first days of Bright Week; in many churches religious processions are held throughout Bright Week. This is the Joy that it is a pity to deprive yourself of.
What can you do on Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
In principle, there are no specific restrictions here.
Lent has ended as a period of deprivation and severity towards oneself.
The time has come for Great joy; now is not the time to be despondent and sad.
Do what brings you joy. Communicate with your loved ones and friends, share with them the joy of the Risen Christ.
Just don’t forget about the most important thing that we have been achieving through all these weeks of Lent. Try to attend the Easter Liturgy at least once more (in many churches religious processions are also held throughout Bright Week) - do not deprive yourself of this joy.
Is it possible to guess before Easter?
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers
You can never guess. Yes, friends, that's true.
What's so bad about fortune telling, you ask.
Firstly, this is disrespect for the Will of God. Secondly, this is a disregard for the freedom that the Lord has endowed each of us from birth.
When we use even a comic, as it seems to us, fortune-telling, when we receive an answer, we program ourselves for certain actions.
And the most interesting thing is that this happens unconsciously.
IN social psychology There is such a thing as a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” In childhood, parents can impose some kind of attitude on a child, for example, “you are incompetent.” And this attitude will greatly interfere with his life. Unconsciously, he will act in such a way as to confirm it in every possible way, dooming himself to failure in advance.
Many years will pass before he tries to figure out what's what.
And here the scheme is very similar. We learn some prediction about ourselves and at this moment we are deprived of freedom of choice, freedom of action, since everything will now work for this installation.
If you relate yourself to the world of the Church, you will have to make a choice.
What and who do you believe in? If you are with God, then you must trust Him, otherwise there is no other way.
75 votes, average: 4,51
out of 5)