The Orthodox Easter Experience

The difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Easter dates extends back to the late 16th century, when Pope Gregory XIII corrected the inconsistencies in the Julian calendar with the transition of seasons by adopting the Gregorian calendar. Because the time of Jesus’ crucifixion was recorded as having occurred after the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, Easter was traditionally arranged to take place on the first Sunday after this event, as per History.com.

The Julian calendar was increasingly shifting away from the spring equinox, so the Gregorian calendar was introduced. According to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, aside from being viewed as a subversionary campaign by many Christians, Orthodox Churches of the East refused to adhere to the New Calendar, as it became known. This was because Easter would sometimes precede or fall on the same day as Passover. It wasn’t until the 20th century that several Orthodox Churches conformed to the Gregorian calendar for most of their holy days except for Easter.

To this day, almost every Orthodox Church observes Easter Day, officially known as Pascha, in conformity with the Julian calendar.

Incidentally, the Orthodox Church also practices unique ceremonies on the day of Easter. The service commences with the chanting of hymns called the Odes of Lamentation on Saturday evening just before midnight in a darkened church. The Odes are followed by the Orthros of the Resurrection, a ceremony that begins with the lighting of a single candle, the vigil light, whose fire is passed on to ignite all the unlit candles held by the parishioners.

The congregation is then led outside by the priest, where together they proceed around the church and gather at the closed front doors to sing the hymn of Resurrection. The priest symbolically knocks three times on the church doors to be let inside and the procession is welcomed by a joyful and brightly lit interior that replaces the previously grave and melancholic atmosphere. The hymn “Christ is Risen From the Dead”, which is chanted in different languages, is followed by a Paschal version of the Divine Liturgy service by St. John Chrysostom. Hard-boiled eggs dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ prepared by families are blessed by the priest, after which they are distributed among the parishioners to be cracked in a light-hearted game and eaten.

Despite originating from the same faith, the Orthodox and Catholic tradition differ in ways that I was completely unaware of until I researched the specific rituals and customs of the Orthodox Easter. Having been raised in a Catholic home in a predominantly Catholic city, the Orthodox Church was a distant concept that I was introduced to only when I met my roommate here at UST. I discovered not only the many differences but also the many similarities between the two religions through her and by researching their Easter rituals.

It’s particularly special to have been exposed to this in such a personal manner, because I think it’s important for someone who considers oneself Catholic to know about the very religion that is rooted in the same historic community and in many ways mirrors their own.

The Easter celebration is considered the most important feast in both Catholicism and Orthodoxy and both Churches profoundly venerate the dearly held meaning of the occasion. It should be that, despite the discrepancies in their respective calendars, both days should be held in equal light because they are fundamentally the same celebration. If one is either Catholic or Orthodox, one might often overlook the actual affinity that binds the two together at the core. But if one were to take the time to explore the tradition of the other, one would find that the two aren’t so different from each other after all. In fact, they serve to highlight the specific beauty in each tradition, helping us in the learning and cooperation with cultures that are not our own.