Orthodox world marks Easter

Russia is celebrating Orthodox Easter, Christianity's most important feast, commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Izvor: BBC

Sunday, 19.04.2009.

11:35

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Russia is celebrating Orthodox Easter, Christianity's most important feast, commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church, led the four-hour Easter divine service in Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral, where about 5,000 people, including President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, were reported to have attended the service, RIA Novosti says. Orthodox world marks Easter On Saturday, thousands of worshippers crowded into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Christianity's holiest shrine, for the Holy Fire Ritual. The BBC reports that Jerusalem's Old City was jammed with pilgrims from the eastern Orthodox faiths, which include Greeks, Copts, Russians and Assyrians. Some 10,000 worshippers crammed into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Saturday night for the Holy Fire ceremony. Another 30,000 remained outside under tight security by Israeli police. According to the ancient ritual, the Greek Orthodox patriarch lights an oil lamp in the darkened church. The light from the holy fire is then shared by candles to the crowd. It is also taken to the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, and aboard special flights to Athens and other cities. It was passed as far afield as Russia, where the Patriarch Kirill was the first to light his candle from it at the cathedral in Moscow. Greek Orthodox, Armenians and other Eastern rite Christians mark Easter a week after Protestants and Catholics as the Orthodox Church follows a different calendar. Easter is celebrated in Moscow (FoNet)

Orthodox world marks Easter

On Saturday, thousands of worshippers crowded into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Christianity's holiest shrine, for the Holy Fire Ritual.

The BBC reports that Jerusalem's Old City was jammed with pilgrims from the eastern Orthodox faiths, which include Greeks, Copts, Russians and Assyrians.

Some 10,000 worshippers crammed into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Saturday night for the Holy Fire ceremony. Another 30,000 remained outside under tight security by Israeli police.

According to the ancient ritual, the Greek Orthodox patriarch lights an oil lamp in the darkened church. The light from the holy fire is then shared by candles to the crowd.

It is also taken to the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, and aboard special flights to Athens and other cities.

It was passed as far afield as Russia, where the Patriarch Kirill was the first to light his candle from it at the cathedral in Moscow.

Greek Orthodox, Armenians and other Eastern rite Christians mark Easter a week after Protestants and Catholics as the Orthodox Church follows a different calendar.

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