Orthodox Christians across the world celebrate Easter
ATHENS — Across the world, Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter, commemorating the day followers believe that Jesus was resurrected more than 2,000 years ago.
www.todayonline.comOrthodox Easter is celebrated in many countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caucasus, with dates typically falling on the Julian-calendar date used by most Eastern Orthodox churches. Here are some of the principal countries where Orthodox Easter is observed:
- Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine
- Armenia, Georgia (Catholicate of Georgia), and other parts of the Caucasus with Orthodox communities
- Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea (Coptic Orthodox), Lebanon, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries with traditional Orthodox congregations
- Some nations with sizable Orthodox minority communities in Europe and the Americas (e.g., Australia, Canada, the United States) where local Orthodox churches mark the holiday
Notes:
- The exact date can vary by church, because many celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar, which often places Orthodox Easter one or more weeks after the Western (Gregorian) Easter. For example, in several years the date differs from Western Easter but in other years it coincides.
- In Ukraine and parts of Eastern Europe, Easter celebrations are also shaped by local customs such as midnight liturgies, blessing of food baskets, red eggs, and large family gatherings.