Happy Easter!
The main Christian holiday is preceded by fasting. In fact, fasting ahead of Easter is the strictest one. Fr. Aleksiy who is in charge of public relations at the Minsk Diocese explains:
“Fasting is very strict. In the first place, it is restricted to eat the meat of animals. Food from plants and fish are accepted”.
Roman Catholics have milder fasting rules. According to Fr. Sergiy, who teaches at the Theology Institute of the Belarus State University, fasting has become less strict with over the time.
Roman Catholics observe strict fasting on the first day and on Good Friday and on Saturday. Throughout the whole year, Catholics must refuse from meat every Friday.
According to Fr. Sergiy, there are some differences in how the mass is served. However, there are no outstanding differences.
“Services are different. However, in terms of the religious dogma and the inner content, there are no differences. Both the Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics celebrate the same event when Jesus Christ defeated death, defeated evil and was arisen. Both churches color eggs in the same manner, mainly in red, the color of Christ’s blood. The symbolic meaning of this holiday is similar for Orthodox Christians and Catholics.
Food on the table is also an important Easter attribute both for Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Easter is the day when food is abundant on dining tables.
Fr. Aleksiy: “For Orthodox Christians, the holiday table is not the most important thing. What important it is that we have waited till the moment when the Christ was arisen. It is a fest for human heart which believes in Jesus Christ. It is a common joy, both physical and spiritual. Therefore, the dining table is festive. In the first place, there should be a red egg – the symbol of Christ’s Resurrection – an Easter cake, paskha from the cottage-cheese and the blessed salt”.
Eggs were not accidentally picked as the main food for Easter. The symbol of an egg like nothing else has a meaning for Christ’s Resurrection.
“Egg can be a symbol of the coffin where the body of the Christ was laid. When a baby bird is born, the shell gets chipped. Life is born from a seemingly dead egg. That’s why the egg is the symbol of Christ’s Resurrection from a stone grave”, explains Fr. Sergiy.
As for the best location to celebrate Easter, Fr. Aleksiy thinks that a truly festive atmosphere could be felt in the country side only.
“To me, the best Easter is when I celebrate it in a village parish where people are absolutely different than in a city. They are dressed neat and festively. Women wear beautiful woven dresses with nice woven dish-clothes. In a village, one can see a real traditional Belarusian Orthodox Easter”.
Former presidential contender Alexander Milinkevich agrees with the priest. According to the politician, it is only in your native village, you can truly feel the main Christian holiday.
“I will definitely attend the mass. I have been trying to observe fasting, but not very strictly. It is a huge holiday for me. Perhaps, it is the biggest holiday in the whole year. I always try to get together with my relative on Easter day. There is a special feeling there. I feel really at home there. I think I will manage to do it this year again”, Milinkevich said.
The European Radio for Belarus is wishing all of you a Happy Easter!
Photo by Andrei Lyankevich, Nasha Niva
