Easter is an important Christian holiday that has been celebrating since ancient times. The celebration was celebrated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date of Easter is calculated according to the solar-lunar calendar, therefore it is a rolling holiday. In 2015, Catholics will celebrate Easter on April 5, Orthodox Christians on April 12.
Instructions
Step 1
To calculate the date of the Christian holiday, the basic rule is taken, which states that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the night of the spring full moon. Spring is the first reaching of the full phase moon after March 21 - the day of the equinox.
Step 2
If the full moon occurs before March 21, then the next full phase will be considered Easter. In the event of a full moon on Sunday, Easter will only be celebrated on the following Sunday. Thus, to calculate the date, the revolution of our planet around the Sun (the day of the vernal equinox) and the revolution of the Moon around the Earth (full moon) are used. Only the day of the celebration is firmly established - it is Sunday.
Step 3
Catholic and Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter at different times. This is due to the fact that they use different passchairs to calculate the date. Eastern believers use the Alexandrian method, Western believers use the Gregorian Easter. Catholic Easter in 30% of cases coincides with Orthodox, in 45% - ahead of seven days, in 20% - by five weeks and by 5% - by 4 weeks. There is no difference between three and two weeks.
Step 4
Until Easter, Christians hold Great Lent, which ends on the eve of the holiday. In 2015, it will begin on February 23 for Orthodox Christians and on February 18 for Catholics. It is fasting that prepares the believer for Easter. Lent lasts 40 days. According to legend, Jesus fasted for the same number of days in the desert. After the holiday comes the Easter week, on the fortieth day the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated, on the fiftieth day of the Holy Trinity.
Step 5
The symbols of the holiday are Easter cakes, colored eggs and cottage cheese Easter. Easter cakes and eggs mean Life, Easter streams - Renewal, and Easter fire - Light. According to custom, eggs are painted in different colors, the traditional color remains red. According to legend, the egg was colored red when Mary Magdalene presented it as a gift to Emperor Tiberius.
Step 6
On Easter night, believers go to church for a solemn divine service. They carry various foods there for illumination and blessing by the priest. Lunch must necessarily begin with Easter cake. Even the crumbs of this pie should not be thrown into the trash. Also on this day, each Christian should greet another with the words: "Christ is Risen!" and get back the answer: "He is truly risen!". The scale of festivities on Easter day is associated with Great Lent, when people abstained from family holidays and events.
