Easter In Russia
In Russia Christians go to church late on Easter Saturday night. At midnight they go out and walk around the outside of the church singing songs. The priest knocks on the door and everyone goes in to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The priest blesses the people's food and they return home to have a happy feast.
It has been a custom to give friends and family brightly decorated eggs at Easter time, exchanged with the happy saying, "Christ is risen". Over a hundred years ago a jeweler called Faberge began making beautiful Easter eggs out of gold, silver, diamonds and other precious stones.
They eat lamb, chicken, pork, bread, and Easter cake. Easter Sunday is a happy day of eating and visiting.
In Russia, pussy willow branches are picked especially for Easter. People tap each other with them for good luck.
Moreover, whereas Western Churches hold Easter sunrise services, in Russian Orthodox Church Easter services last all through Saturday night. The congregation gathers in the church or cathedral on Saturday evening and takes part in an Easter vigil commemorating the buried Christ. Orthodox churches in Russia have an inner sanctuary away from the reach of worshipers, and only to the access of the priest. On this day, the door is closed till midnight but at the stroke of midnight, the priest opens the door and comes out saying "Christ is risen! Christ is risen! Christ is risen!" and after hours of silent anticipation, the worshippers reply back “He is risen indeed!"
Another interesting Easter ritual in Russia is the Easter egg decoration. Easter egg decoration is an important part Easter traditions in Russia. The predominant color for egg dyeing in Russia is red. The red dye is chosen because it symbolizes the blood of Christ. Furthermore, people crack the eggs open using nails, in order to remind themselves again of the death of Christ. Another integral aspect of Easter celebrations in Russia is the family Easter dinner which is a community affair at the Church itself. The Easter dinner is a sumptuous feast, in which the entire congregation celebrates together. Russian people traditionally bake Easter cakes, known as "kulich," and make curd paskha and bring it to church along with them and asked the priest to bless it before they share it together in the community celebrations.
Easter In Canada
Easter is one of the major festivals in Canada, celebrated with great fanfare, just like other countries in the western world. In Canada, the festival falls on the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox. Apart from the religious observations, Easter celebrations in Canada are marked by popular traditions such as organizing Easter egg hunts, decoration of the eggs and feasting with family and friends. The air is filled with festivity, during the holiday season. The festival is very important for the Christians in the country, while the non-Christian community living there also takes part in the celebrations, thereby adding more color to the festivities.
In Canada, decorating Easter eggs is usually an activity done with children at school or home. The traditional Easter egg hunts are held by community organizations. World's largest Easter egg is a product of Canada. In 1975, the Easter egg or Ukranian 'Pysanka' was constructed, in the remembrance of early Ukrainian settlements in an area east of Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. Due to the complicated geometry of the egg shape of Pysanka, it was very difficult to raise such a huge structure. Professor Ronald Resch, a computer scientist at the University of Utah, undertook the project of designing the egg. With his strenuous efforts, Pysanka was raised, with intricate design. The egg consisted of a huge jig-saw puzzle, with 524 star patterns and 2206 equilateral triangles.
One of the major parts of the celebrations of Easter in Canada is the winter carnival, organized in Quebec City. The Quebec City Winter Carnival in Quebec, Canada, is a prominent pre-Lent carnival. The winter-themed carnival is dependent on good snowfalls and cold weather to keep snowy ski trails in good condition and the many ice sculptures intact. Hence, instead of relying on the lunar based Easter celebration, the carnival date is fixed on the last days of January and first days of February of the solar calendar. Besides the carnival parade, the Winter Carnival features special sporting events such as skating, skiing, and tobogganing.
People in Canada eat traditional Easter lunch, after offering prayers to the Almighty. The popular dishes served on Easter in Canada, include Maple Baked Beans, Potatoes Nicoise, Cape Breton Sconces and Apple Tart. The Easter eggs are consumed with by mixing them with maple syrup, after fasting is over. Most of the theatres of community halls of the major cities of Canada are booked in advance, to organize Easter plays and songs, during the festive season. Easter symbols including 'Pussy Willows', Easter lilies and bunnies find a prominent place in the traditions of the festival followed in the country.
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