Post-Resurrection Wrap-Up: Orthodox Easter Celebrations the World Over

Published by The National Herald, May 6, 2005

The world's 300 million Orthodox Christians this year marked Easter, the holiest day in the Orthodox calendar, last Sunday, May 1.

A sea of flames illuminated Christianity's holiest shrine, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem , as thousands of pilgrims took part in the holy fire ceremony late on Holy Saturday evening, April 30, a key event in the Orthodox Easter rituals, as believers this year.

In Jerusalem , hundreds of pilgrims joined a handful of local Christians in celebrating Orthodox Easter in Christianity's holiest site, where tradition holds that Jesus rose after being crucified and buried.

Pilgrims from Russia, Serbia, Greece and other nations kneeled to rub oil, crosses, religious pictures and other articles across a rectangular orange stone representing the place where the body of Jesus was prepared for burial, just inside the entrance of the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the traditional site of Calvary.

The event passed peacefully, despite plans by protesters to block the participation of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Eirineos I of Jerusalem . Demonstrators, who object to the Patriarch's alleged role in a controversial land deal, were kept away by the hundreds of Israeli police who set up barricades throughout the alleys leading to the Jerusalem holy site.

The shrine, marking the site where tradition says Jesus was crucified and buried, was filled with thousands of pilgrims. Hundreds more waited outside.

At the start of the ceremony, church leaders descended into the underground burial area. The faithful clutched their bundles of unlit candles and torches while waiting in the darkened church for a flame to emerge from the tomb.

Some Christians believe the flame appears spontaneously, as a message from Jesus Christ that He has not forgotten His followers.

When church leaders, including Eirineos, emerged with a lit torch, a cheer arose, and the flames were passed around, illuminating the church within seconds.

The Greek Orthodox Church is in turmoil over a deal in which the church reportedly leased prime property in disputed East Jerusalem to Jewish investors. The reported land deal has stirred anger among Palestinians who feel betrayed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The alleged land deal is politically explosive because Israel claims all of Jerusalem, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Jewish land purchases in east Jerusalem are seen as bolstering Israel 's claim to that section of the city.

In the past the ceremony has also been a flashpoint between different Orthodox denominations, which have argued over protocol at the ceremony. Custody of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is shared by a number of denominations that jealously guard their responsibilities under a fragile network of agreements hammered out over the last millennia.

About a dozen Greek and Armenian clergymen briefly scuffled over who would be first to emerge with the flames, but Israeli police stationed inside the church quickly pulled them apart.

But as the flames emerged from the tomb, church bells pealed and tensions melted away.

"This is one of the most beautiful and spiritual experience of my life," said Jonathan Parish, 42, of Boston . "I have dreamt of being in the presence of the Holy Fire for a long time."

In Turkey, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I spoke out against terrorism and killing in the name of religion, as Orthodox faithful gathered early on Easter Sunday at the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul ) to celebrate the Resurrection.

Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians and a longtime advocate of harmony between different religions, led several thousand worshippers at a crowded midnight liturgy the evening before. Many were pilgrims from neighboring Greece.

Even the new Pope took some time to acknowledge the significance of the day for his Eastern Christian Brethren.

At Vatican City , Pope Benedict XVI, embracing a cherished habit of his late predecessor, John Paul II, appeared at his apartment window on St. Peter?s Square on May 1, for the first time in his papacy, to bless a huge crowd of faithful and curious. He also offered Easter greetings to Orthodox Christians and indicated anew he will pursue John Paul's goal of bridging the distance between Roman Catholics and Orthodox. Benedict said God is "asking us to travel decisively down the path toward full unity."

In Russia, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow wished good health and happiness to millions of Orthodox Christians.

The Russian Orthodox Church, all but banned under the now disbanded Soviet Union, has experienced a major resurgence since 1991, with an estimated two thirds of Russia 's 144 million people believed to be observant.

"Let the joy of the Easter holiday touch every heart. Let this joy give you strength and courage to withstand all hardships and troubles," Aleksy said in his address, parts of which were broadcast on Russian television.

At the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a massive church near the Kremlin which was destroyed by Stalin and rebuilt with a golden dome, thousands of believers gathered for midnight mass, including President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.

Earlier in the evening, organizers put on a first-ever laser show which painted the church's white exterior with images of icons and famous church frescoes.

In his Easter greetings, Putin said the country was undergoing a spiritual revival.

"On this festive spring day, I'd like to point to the growing positive influence of the Russian Orthodox Church and other traditional Christian confessions on molding the spiritual and moral climate in Russian society," he said.

In the Ukraine, where that country's sizable Roman Catholic population marked Easter nearly a month ago, President Viktor Yushchenko sent Easter greetings to Orthodox believers, telling them Ukraine received divine help during last year's pro-democratic "Orange Revolution," which brought him to the presidency.

"We see our future tied with the future of other European nations? I wish that this Easter marks the beginning of a new and better life for everyone," Yushchenko said.

Across Romania, a hostage crisis in Iraq involving three Romanian journalists and their translator overshadowed the paschal celebrations as tens of thousands of Orthodox Christians lit candles to mark Easter.

From the Black Sea beaches in eastern Romania to the central city of Craiova and the flooded plains of western Romania , Orthodox priests and faithful prayed for the release of the journalists and the interpreter kidnapped March 28.

At the Russian Orthodox Church in Harolds Cross, Dublin an estimated 1,000 people attended the Easter vigil on Saturday night. They began at 12 AM (Sunday) and continued until 4 AM.

The vigil in the Greek Orthodox Church, attended by hundreds, began at 10 PM on Saturday and ended at about 1.30 AM on Easter Sunday.

There are an estimated 10,000 Orthodox adherents in the Republic, with Russian Orthodox parishes in Cork, Galway and Monaghan, as well as Dublin.

Ninety percent are skilled workers and professional people of eastern European origin.

It is estimated that, in the Dublin Russian Orthodox parish, there are 13 nationalities, most from new European Union states.

Executive secretary of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting Michael Earle extended Easter greetings "to our Christian brothers and sisters within the Irish membership of the Orthodox churches."

On behalf of the IICM's 15 member churches, Mr., Earle said, "Our ecumenical family may be divided by human calendars, but we remain committed to each other in following God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and witnessing together to being signs of Christ's love, peace, justice and hope in this divided island. Our prayers are with you and the congregations that you serve this weekend."

In Alabama , more than a month after most Montgomery Christians celebrated Easter, the city's small Greek Orthodox community joined millions of Orthodox brethren around the world on May 1 to observe the paschal holiday.

"Christ is risen from the dead," intoned the Rev. Ted Bita during a service at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation. "It is the day of the Resurrection." Western Christians, including those who live in including America and Europe, celebrated Easter on March 27.

"We consider ourselves the mother church," said Barbara Sahady, whose husband, the Rev. Mark Sahady, assisted Bita in leading services Sunday. "We're the ancient church."

Barbara Sahady and other church members pointed out that the Orthodox Easter falls within the week of the Jewish Passover. Most Christians believe that the Last Supper was a Passover meal.

"We do it at the right time," said Tom Matthew, a native of Indiana, who is an Economics professor at Troy University. "If you read the Bible, it says Jesus had his last supper on Passover. So how can you say Easter is one month before Passover?"

Although the Church of the Annunciation only has a few members when compared with the larger Catholic and Protestant congregations in Montgomery, they did not spare the time or effort in celebrating Christianity?s holiest day. Most of the Annunciation parish?s estimated 60 families attended a late night service on Saturday, April 30, and did not get back home until about 3 AM on Sunday, May 1.

After a few hours of sleep, they were back in church for the next morning?s service and a luncheon of lamb, Greek salad and pastries.

While most Christian denominations observe Christmas on December 25 each year, Orthodox Easter is celebrated on the day designated by the Julian Calendar, rather than the Gregorian Calendar observed by Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, which celebrated Easter this year on March 27.

Because of the different calendars, Easter is celebrated on the same day once every three years or so. It coincided with Eastern and Western Christianity last year, and will again in 2007.

The Western Church, under the leadership of the pope, separated itself from the Orthodox Church about 1,000 years ago. There has been talk for years about a possible reunification of the major Christian denominations.

"Everything can be possible, depending on the human condition, acceptance of each other and, of course, the Holy Spirit," said Bita, a native of Romania who has finished his first year at the Montgomery congregation. "Maybe, once again, we can become one church."

During the concluding service Sunday morning, several members of the congregation stepped forward and read Biblical passages in several languages, including Spanish, Russian, Greek, German, French, Latin, Hindi and English.

The above incorporates information from reports posted by the Associated Press on May 1-2. It also incorporates information from reports published in the Irish Times ('Orthodox Easter Celebrated' by Patsy McGarry) and the Montgomery Advertiser ('Easter Celebrated the Greek Way' by Alvin Benn) on May 2.



Volume 7 Number 19 - Tuesday, May 10th, 2005	A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY