Easter is the holiest religious holiday observed by both Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians. In accordance with the Julian calendar, this Sunday, May 5, Serbia celebrates Orthodox Easter. According to the Gregorian calendar, non-Orthodox Easter – commemorating Jesus resurrection described in the New Testament – was celebrated March 31.
In March, I was in Turkey, where Muslims were celebrating Ramadan, which occurs for 29 to 30 days during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
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“Easter in the Orthodox Church celebrates the eternal Passover from death to life, from earth to heaven.” History
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Gregorian and Julian Calendars
The difference between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Easter dates is due to calendars followed by the two separate religious affiliations. Most Christian denominations in Western countries use the Gregorian calendar, but the date for Orthodox Easter comes from the old Julian calendar. Established by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C., the “Julian calendar is based on the solar cycle – Earth’s revolutions around the sun”.
Pascha
Orthodox Easter is also “known as Pascha, the Greek word for Passover”. Pascha comes from the Hebrew word “Pesach,” meaning the Jewish Passover “commemorating the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt”. Great Lent, the Orthodox church’s strictest fasting, lasts for 40 days and ends on Lazarus Saturday, 8 days before Easter, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
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“The resurrection of Jesus, as described in the New Testament of the Bible, is essentially the foundation upon which the Christian religions are built.”
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Per Eastern orthodoxy, Palm Sunday and Holy Week follow Lazarus Saturday, with continued fasting until Easter Sunday. Orthodox Easter follows the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Medieval Monastery Daytrip
I scheduled a May 5 daytrip to visit the medieval Ravanica and Manasija Orthodox Monasteries. Yesterday, the tour company notified me that the trip was rescheduled for May 9, since May 5 is Easter Sunday and a national holiday in Serbia.
Religious traditions and celebrations are endlessly educational and fascinating, Traveling abroad helps clarify and promote understanding of religious practices throughout the world. Regardless of the country, loyal followers adhere to the cultural principles, rituals, and customs of their faith and clearly take them seriously.
Beautiful.