THE CELEBRATION WHEREBY

The Celebration Whereby European Nations are United within their Diversity How do Catholic, Protest and Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter? Thedora Ivanova

Easter is one of the most exciting European celebrations. The day is impatiently awaited and celebrated throughout the whole continent by Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians alike. Nonetheless, due to the ongoing 21st-century globalization movement, non-Catholics are also taken-in by the Easter magic, with them joining the festivities by buying chocolate eggs, sweet bread and participating in a variety of Easter games. Easter revolves around a vast number of cultural, culinary and amusing traditions. Nonetheless, at its core, Easter is a religious celebration. Therefore, this article provides a quick overview of the differences and similarities between Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox approaches to (religiously) commemorating and celebrating this important Christian holiday. There are two Easters?

Overall, Easter is the day of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. With this in mind, you may wonder why the dates of the Catholic and Protestant Easter(s) coincide, while the Orthodox one does not. The reason behind this is calendar-related. Catholics and Protestants engage with the celebration according to the Gregorian Calendar, while the Orthodox community bases it on the Julian Calendar.

The Catholic Church

At the end of the Holy Week, the Catholic Church celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection with services at midnight and during Easter day. The midnight Mass — referred to as the Easter Vigil — is usually well-attended and longer-lasting because it includes other religious procedures like baptisms. Nonetheless, its general duration varies and it begins on Saturday evening or on Sunday midnight, according to the Catholic religion. Adding to that, some Catholics begin their Easter Sunday with a mass in the morning. For the rest of the festive day, most Catholics spend their time preparing for the Easter lunch they share with their loved ones.

The Protestant Church

A unique characteristic of the Protestant Church mode of celebration is the sunrise service on Easter Sunday. Protestants gather in the early hours of the day, with the services being usually located outside, in churchyards, gardens or even parks. The duration of the service is organized around the sunrise, with the manner of worship being marked by special songs and prayers.

The Orthodox Church

From Saturday evening to Sunday midnight, Orthodox families celebrate within the confines of the church. In terms of events, there is a Mass and after the service at midnight, the clergy announces the resurrection of Jesus Christ three times with the words: Christ is Risen. The church-goers respond with Truly, He is Risen. After the Mass everyone lights a candle, and with their burning candle the people go around the church three times. The candle should then be taken home.

United in diversity

Although the religious traditions connected to Easter vary around the continent of Europe, notably with differences being attributed to the branch of Christianity and even the region where a certain branch is worshipped. Despite this, for all Christians around Europe, and the world, it is the day in which God proves that leading a humble, honest and charitable life will be rewarded. Above all, in the 21st century, this celebration is not only about religion. Easter is also about people having a reason to come together, to forget about their everyday struggles, to share sacred moments with their loved ones, and to feel as if they are part of a special community.