Good evening Steemit !)
I hope your Easter was great, and we will have it on April 8.)
Easter is one of the most important and favorite religious celebrations for all Orthodox Ukrainians.It is on this day that they recall the event of the miraculous Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the victory of the forces of life over the forces of death, the triumph of good and faith over evil and sins. This festival is one of the transiting church celebrations, which means that the day of Easter does not have a clearly defined date. Its term depends on the lunisolar calendar and when the vernal equinox comes.
The period of preparation for Easter celebrations lasts for seven weeks - during this period all Orthodox follow a strict Great post, which in 2018 will be held from February 19 to April 7. The number seven is far from accidental, as Christ spent so many weeks in the exhausting heat of the desert.
According to church canons, this time should be devoted to thinking about the suffering of Jesus, giving up products of animal origin, as well as alcoholic beverages, sweets and any entertainment. The main essence of fasting is purification from sinful thoughts and prayer.
Sleep on the night of Easter Sunday is not accepted, but we need to go to church for evening service.
After 12 o'clock in the morning the priests wear festive attire and declare: "Christ is risen!".
Then the consecration of everything that Christians brought in Easter baskets: pasques, eggs, cheese, butter and candles.
A festive breakfast begins with a consecrated egg and a slice of cake. And only after that they serve meat and fish dishes.
The second day of Easter is Bright Monday. Also it is called "poured", because on this day the young people are going to "water" their relatives and wish them happy holidays.
If it was raining on Bright Monday, our ancestors believed that summer would be like that.
Bright Tuesday is the third day of Easter. On this day, the faithful continue to celebrate Easter and begin to visit and entertain.
Easter signs :
Our ancestors always tried to observe compulsory customs and noted what is happening on this day. For example:
- a person who has managed to taste cakes, baked by nine different housewives, will find happiness;
- lucky will be the one who came first home after the service;
- the winner of the battle on the eggs, which is traditional fun this day, will be healthy all year round;
- thunder and frost on Easter - to an excellent harvest, and a thunderstorm - to prolonged heat until the middle of autumn;
-an unusually happy fate is prepared for the baby who appeared on the Easter day.
On this day, every Orthodox Christian should be greeted with another word, "Christ is Risen!" And receive in return a confirmation of these words "Truly Risen!" The whole of the following week on Easter is called Light and is celebrated as one day.