Russian Orthodox Easter Ready to Commence with Gibson’s Passion

Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ will be aired on Rossiya TV in Russia today, the eve of Orthodox Easter. Easter is to use St Gregory Nazianzen’s expression "The Feast of Feasts". Orthodox Christians begin official preparations seven weeks before the solemnity and this lasts until Pentecost.

The Orthodox dates follow the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. This follows a strict Lent, where meat, milk products and eggs cannot be eaten at this time.

Orthodox Christians pray and fast till Easter Sunday during Holy Week (also called Great Week). Each day of the Holy Week is called ‘Great’.

On Palm Sunday, the resurrection of Lazarus as a token of that of Jesus Christ is commemorated.
On Great Monday, Joseph the Jew who was betrayed by his brothers is remembered.
Great Tuesday commemorates the expulsion of the Pharisees from the Temple and the prophecy that it would be destroyed.
Great Wednesday remembers Jesus coated in balsam by the woman sinner in the house of Simon the leper.
On Great Thursday, Judas’ betrayal and the washing of feet are commemorated in the morning, and the Eucharistic mystery takes place and the Passion begins in the evening.
On Friday, everyone mourns as the Gospel stories about the passion and the death of Christ are read. Then the icon of the dead Christ makes its way in a long procession into the church where it is placed at the foot of the altar for the adoration of the faithful one.
On Saturday, after Jesus is buried, the service begins from early in the morning and lasts till the day’s end.

This year, Orthodox Easter Sunday falls on 1st May. The service may begin in great solemnity either at midnight or 3am. Almost all of its songs and prayers are written by saints dating back to the early centuries of the Church. Throughout the seven-day period of the Great Week, eggs and doves, and traditional Easter food are blessed in the churches.

A special internet project was inaugurated on Palm Sunday last week. Traditionally, in ancient Russia, people would ring church bells. But the tradition was lost during Soviet times and only a small number of people know how to do it today.

Bell ringers in Archangelsk (northern Russia) have decided to renew this tradition for six days until Orthodox Easter Sunday. All information about this ancient art have been made available by them on a website, including techniques, scores and chat forum for interaction with bell ringers.