Performer of historical songs in the style of "country" Johnny Horton said: "In the Resurrection of Christ, the veil that separates the worlds turns into a spider web." This dictum accurately reflects why both Orthodox and Catholics seek to know their future on this day. Traditions and signs for Easter 2017 will again force us to look more closely at the world around us, notice natural phenomena and perform certain rituals.
Classical rites, signs and their meaning
Most of the traditions and signs belong to the canons of Orthodox Christianity. Various conspiracies, as a rule, are based on requests to the Son of God to bring prosperity, peace and harmony, health. But there are also not quite ordinary, almost forgotten ones, which relate to paganism.
Believers make sure to prepare a special Easter basket with a certain set of products, which they bring to the church for lighting. As a rule, they put in it
- baked or purchased Easter cakes,
- Easter eggs and krashanki - eggs,
- hot spices on garlic or horseradish,
- meat treats - lard, sausage, ham,
- salt,
- dairy - butter or cheese.
Each of the products has its own meaning and meaning, is used in a particular rite, accompanies the pronunciation of a conspiracy, for example, so that money is found. The basket had to be delivered to the house as soon as possible, and this should be done by the owner of the house, the head of the family, trying to overtake the neighbors, to be in time before them.
If it was necessary to drive evil spirits out of the house, then this can be done by showing her an illuminated basket and reinforcing the actions with certain words. This custom came to Russian Orthodoxy from pagan ancestors - among Christians it is customary only to read prayers with an appeal to the Lord, but pagans also communicated with evil spirits, moreover, without uttering any specific words, rudely driving her out of the house.
Signs of marriage and offspring
A lot of Easter signs are associated with marriage, family, well-being:
- scratch an eyebrow to get married,
- a cockroach or a fly hit the cabbage soup - the end of the separation is soon,
- hit the elbow - someone remembered
- the lip is combed - they will kiss.
Young girls who recently got married or were expecting matchmaking performed rituals to get pregnant:
- put an extra device on the table with a piece of cake,
- generously endowed the poor and needy,
- fed the birds with crumbs from the table,
- buried eggshells,
- be sure to get up on the ax,
- woke up before the sun,
- washed themselves with water, where an egg or silver lay all night.
Weather signs
The custom of noticing natural phenomena and predicting the weather or the success of the year on the Resurrection of Christ came to Orthodoxy from paganism. And now many people believe that if
- by this day all the snow has melted, there will be a big harvest,
- frost or thunder on Easter - there will be a lot of vegetables,
- rain - by damp spring,
- barking dogs - misfortune or fire,
- sunny day - to a hot summer,
- starry night - there will be frosts,
- a multi-colored sunset - to great luck.
Unusual beliefs
It was always believed that this day was endowed with special power, therefore the highest hopes were pinned on it, cherished desires were made, the most significant rituals were carried out, the strongest conspiracies were read. The pagans were sure that on Easter, evil spirits sit quietly and are able to hear requests, so they asked on this day not only from the Gods.
On this day, even sinners and criminals carry out their rituals, the purpose of which is to protect themselves from failure, disclosure of criminal acts and enemies. For example, in order to steal all year and not be caught, it was necessary to steal some trifle from a parishioner of the church, who earnestly prays at that moment.
Those who died on the Resurrection of Christ were buried with a painted egg in their hands to close the passage to the devils. The pagan belief says that in this case a whole stream of evil spirits rushed into the world of the living.
Treasure hunters must take with them something lit up in the church - an egg, sweets, lamb-shaped cookies or a piece of cake - with them. The devils guarding the treasure, sensing the presence of the holy object, fled and left their treasures unguarded. The return to Christianity makes signs, traditions and rituals more and more popular, which is great, because most of them are very beautiful and cute. Try to conduct at least one of them, and hope and peace in your soul will return to you.
In 2017, Easter fell on April 16. In Orthodoxy, the status of Easter as the main holiday is reflected in the words "holidays are a holiday and a celebration of celebrations." Church celebration of Easter lasts 40 days.
The Bright Resurrection of Christ is the oldest and most important holiday of the entire Orthodox world: the day of the triumph of life over death.
In the early centuries of Christianity, different communities celebrated Easter at different times. In the East, in Asia Minor, it was celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Nisan (March - April), no matter what day of the week this date falls. The Western Church celebrated Easter on the first Sunday after the spring full moon.
At the First Ecumenical Council in 325, it was decided to celebrate Easter everywhere at the same time according to the Alexandrian Easter. This continued until the 16th century, when the unity of Western and Eastern Christians in the celebration of Easter and other holidays was violated by the calendar reform of Pope Gregory XIII.
The Orthodox Church determines the date of the celebration of Easter according to the Alexandrian Easter: the holiday must be mandatory on Sunday after the Jewish Passover, after the full moon and after the vernal equinox.
Preparing for Easter 2017
On Maundy Thursday everything connected with washing, cleaning, water and bathing has a symbolic meaning. On Maundy Thursday, it is also customary to go to church for confession and communion. After returning from the church, the hostesses began to prepare the house for Easter: they carried out general cleaning, cleaning all corners of the dwelling, washed the floors, benches, kitchen utensils, walls and ceilings, arranged a grandiose wash, cleaned and shaken up all the rugs: Thursday to clean the house thoroughly, then it will be clean all year round, including spiritual cleanliness.
According to custom, after Thursday's general cleaning, the hostess no longer swept the floor and did not clean the house until Easter. After removing the dwelling, the hostesses began to cook: they baked cakes from pre-prepared dough, cooked Easter cottage cheese and other festive dishes, and baked meat. Also on Thursday evening, it was customary for the whole family to paint eggs.
The main Easter dish is cake, which symbolizes the presence of the risen Christ in the house. Easter cakes start baking on Thursday, on Saturday they are consecrated in churches. Also on Easter it is customary to make Easter cottage cheese (popularly called "paschi", or affectionately "pasochki") and paint eggs. Easter cottage cheese symbolizes the Easter holiday itself, and eggs are painted in memory of the miracle that Mary Magdalene witnessed.
Good Friday women baked Easter cakes and Easter, and traditionally distributed food to the poor. On this day, it is customary among believers to abstain from food until the removal of the Holy Shroud, which is considered a symbol of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior.
According to the Gospel legend, the risen Christ from time to time visited his faithful disciples during their meal. Therefore, the apostles, not knowing when Jesus would come next, always left bread for him in the middle of the table. Then the bread (in Greek - "artos") for Jesus began to be left in the temples, it was consecrated, broken into pieces and distributed to believers. And since the home and family are a small church, then on Easter Christians began to bake their own bread, which was supposed to symbolize the risen Christ in every home. In Russia, artos received the name "Easter cake".
Day of Holy Saturday for believers, it is marked by the lighting of Easter cakes and food for breaking the fast on Great Easter. In the churches, the morning Liturgy of Basil the Great was celebrated, during which the priests changed their dark clothes for light - festive ones. On the day of Great Saturday, people tried to finish all their affairs and come to the evening service in the church to meet the holiday of Great Easter, symbolizing deliverance from evil and the beginning of a new, bright life.
Easter 2017: traditions and customs
Easter service starts at midnight from Saturday to Sunday; it is all filled with spiritual joy and exultation. All of it is a solemn hymn to the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the reconciliation of God and man, the victory of life over death.
Immediately before Easter, believers gather in the church, from where the procession of the cross begins at midnight with the loud singing of the stichera of the holiday. Then the procession approaches the doors of the temple and the Easter Matins service begins.
On the day of Easter, it is customary to greet each other with the words: "Christ is risen!" In every church on this holiday, one can hear the words that signify the beginning of the church service: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death with death and giving life to those in tombs."
After the end of the festive divine service, Orthodox Christians usually "break their fast" - they treat themselves to blessed painted eggs and Easter cakes in the church or at home. Traditionally, the first food to be eaten was an egg.
On Easter, the children organized "pokatushki" - for whom the egg would roll farther. The painted Easter egg in Russian culture meant new life, rebirth. Easter eggs in Russia were rolled on the ground so that it was fertile.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, Easter eggs were "christened" - breaking different ends in order, just as people christened three times on their cheeks.
In Russia, after the silence of the bells during Holy Days, on Easter itself, the gospel is especially solemnly ringing. Throughout Bright Week, anyone can climb the bell tower and ring in honor of Christ's Resurrection.
The celebration of Easter lasts 40 days, because that is how much time Christ spent on earth with his disciples after the resurrection. Special celebrations in churches are held a week after Easter - when solemn services, processions of the cross, sprinkling with holy water are held on Bright Week. All week after Easter, it is customary to visit loved ones, on festivities, to christen and give gifts.
Signs for Easter. Folk beliefs
For Easter baked goods to be fluffy and tasty, the house must be quiet and calm. You cannot speak loudly and, moreover, quarrel.
After consecration in the church, each owner tried to bring the Easter cake home as soon as possible. This custom is based on popular belief: whoever comes home with Easter first will have the best harvest and that owner will be the first to finish the field work.
In connection with this custom, there were some other Easter beliefs:
- The bread will grow as fast as the owner runs with Easter
- Whoever overtakes everyone, the horse will be the strongest and will overtake others in work for a whole year
Weather signs for Easter were of great importance for our ancestors, because it was from them that one could find out how fruitful and successful the whole next year would be.
- If a thunderstorm breaks out on this day, it means that autumn will come late and will be dry. Rain without a thunderstorm foreshadows a rainy spring.
- If it is cloudy, then the summer will also be cold and cloudy.
- Frost for Easter predicts a good harvest.
- Cold, but not sub-zero weather - for a dry summer. All snow melts completely by the harvest year. E
- If the weather is clear on the Tuesday after Easter, it will rain all summer.
- And if it is warm and clear on Sunday, then the summer will be sunny and fruitful.
- A starry, clear night on Easter promises freezing and cooling.
According to Slavic beliefs, before Great Day or after it, the ancestors return to earth, where they stay until the Trinity period. In the western and southern provinces of the Russian Empire, peasants went to the cemetery immediately after the festive liturgy and consulted with the deceased. This is connected with the idea of the "Easter of the dead", according to which on the eve of Easter, the Lord opens heaven and hell (a sign of which are the royal doors open in the church) and releases the souls of the dead from the "other world" so that they can visit their homes and celebrate their Easter ...
After the morning service on the first day of Easter, they go to the cemetery to celebrate with the deceased, they bury the egg in the grave. Commemoration of the dead on Bright Week contradicts the church canon (as incompatible with the joy of the Resurrection of Christ) and retained the status of a purely folk custom.
The Russians had a belief that on this day the sky opens, and throughout the entire Bright Week the souls of the deceased freely move to the “villages of the righteous”, constantly turn between the living, visit their relatives and friends, drink, eat and rejoice with them.
In accordance with the belief of the villagers, the evil spirits who are in the underworld live in the silence of the grave and are very afraid of screaming and noise. And when on Great Day they fired shots from guns, knocked on wood and dishes, music and bells sounded, then people believed that this drives away evil spirits and evil spirits.
There was a belief that on Easter "the sun is playing." According to the ideas of Russian peasants, “the rising sun will now appear from beyond the edge of heaven, then again hide behind it, then look up, then descend from top to bottom, then shine with scarlet, white, azure flowers, then shine in all its glory so that no eye it is impossible to look at him "
At Velikodenskaya week, as well as on Maslenitsa, the main focus was on the youth and newlyweds. So, for example, in youth Easter round dances, future married couples were usually named and newlyweds who got married during the last year were called.
On Easter, mass festivities with singing, round dances and games, "bride fairs", swings and other amusements were organized almost everywhere.
Prior to Easter, people were diligently preparing for the big holiday. The height of work fell on a clean Thursday. They say that on this day even “ a crow is washing its ravens in a puddle ".
There was a popular belief:
« If on Maundy Thursday you wash and wash everything in the house, the whole year will be clean in the hut. "
The girls believed that if on a clean Thursday, in the morning dawn, they thoroughly wash themselves, wipe the body with a towel and then give this towel to the "obroshnik", then there will be no end to the suitors.
They did not forget about the festive table: they baked cakes, painted eggs, prepared Easter, etc. Usually, household chores ended by the evening of Great Saturday. And then the people went to church. The service began on Holy Saturday. The first part of it was called the midnight office. It was held in memory of the night prayer of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.
At midnight, bells were ringing (evangelism), all the candles were lit and chandeliers, the priests left the altar and sang with those present:
« Thy Resurrection, Christ the Savior, the angels sing in heaven, and grant us on earth with a pure heart to glorify Thee ".
Then a procession began around the church.
Upon returning to the temple, the troparion sang:
« Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death ".
Then the royal gates of the altar were opened, which symbolized the opening of the heavenly gates by Christ, closed to people after the fall of Adam and Eve, and matins began. This was followed by a festive liturgy, at the end of which artos was consecrated - a special bread with a cross and a crown of thorns. It was distributed to all those present in the temple on Easter Saturday.
From the first day of Holy Easter and throughout the entire bright week, prayers were served in the villages: the clergy walked around the huts, accompanied by "obroshniks" (they were also called god-bearers).
In addition to a prayer service in the hut, the peasants often asked to serve a prayer service in the courtyard, in honor of the saints who patronized domestic animals. To do this, they set tables in the yard, covered them with tablecloths, and put “cattle” Easter, intended for pets, on top of them. After the prayer service, this Easter was cut into pieces and fed to pets and poultry. Easter prayers, according to the peasants, were supposed to contribute to the well-being of the family and the economy.
Easter walks
In many places, any entertainment on Easter day was considered indecency and a great sin. But when the prayer services were over and the “icons passed”, festivities began in the village. One of the favorite pastimes at this time is visiting the bell tower. Usually, during the whole bright week, young people, children, and adults crowded around the bell tower: everyone wanted to ring the bell by all means. So, dreaming of getting married as soon as possible, the girl was supposed to be the first to go to the bell tower on Easter day and be the first to ring the bell. Other signs are also associated.
Another special pastime was egg rolling. rolled on an inclined wooden tray or on the ground from a low hill. At the bottom, the eggs of all the participants in the game were placed in a semicircle. Each participant, sending his egg down, had to knock someone's egg out of place. If he succeeded, then he appropriated the knocked down egg for himself and continued the game, if not, another participant entered the game, and the unsuccessfully rolled egg remained at stake.
This game came from pagan antiquity: then, rolling eggs was associated with magical actions, the purpose of which was to awaken and fertilize the earth.
The holiday was not complete without a swing. Usually girls sat or stood on them, who were rocked by the guys. In gratitude, the guys received colored eggs from the girls. In the Oryol province, the guys, having put the girl on a swing, beat her on the knees with a branch, demanding to say whom she loves. In the Vyatka and Nizhny Novgorod regions, the girl was rocked until she called the name of her fiancé. All these actions were accompanied by choruses:
On the holy week They hung a swing, First you swing, Then you get married.
It was believed that single youth should definitely take part in the festivities. Violation of this rule was condemned by society and was even considered a sin for which celibacy, childlessness or early widowhood can be paid.
The people believed that on Easter all nature rejoices and the sun rejoices. Early in the morning people went outside to watch the sun. It was believed that if it "plays", "trembles" - this is a good and healthy life, to a rich harvest and happy weddings.
Easter signs
It was believed that with the onset of Easter morning, the world was transformed. In hell, they stopped tormenting sinners, the doors of paradise were opened, so the deceased on that day would definitely go to paradise, no matter how sinner he was. It was customary to bury people who died during Easter with a red Easter egg in their right hand.
People believed that the Easter foods consecrated in the church had a special power. Therefore, all the bones from the Easter table were carefully preserved: some of them were buried in the ground on arable land to protect the fields from hail, and some were kept at home. During summer thunderstorms, bones were thrown into fires to prevent lightning strikes.
It was believed that on Easter day you can ensure your well-being for a whole year. If, for example, a person comes home first after the Easter service, then the whole year will be successful for him. And if during the liturgy the girl turns to God in a whisper:
« Give me a good groom, in boots and galoshes, not on a cow, but on a horse ", then the groom will marry in the near future.
There are many signs associated with the Easter egg. For example, you cannot throw (let alone spit out) the shell from it out the window, because from Easter until the Ascension, Christ walks the earth with the apostles and you can get into it with a shell. And Christ walks to see if his commandment is being fulfilled well - to bestow the poor. In some places it was forbidden to throw anything out or pour out of windows at all, as “ Christ walks under the windows ".
The Easter egg also helped in extinguishing fires. They believed that if a person with a righteous life takes such an egg and runs three times around the burning building with the words: “ Christ is Risen", then the fire will immediately subside and stop by itself.
The egg was the first course of the Easter meal. The owner of the house divided it into several parts according to the number of family members. Eating one egg together was supposed to strengthen the family.
Easter 2018: signs and history of the holiday
Easter is the most joyful holiday of all Christians, which is associated with many signs and beliefs. One of the beliefs is called "PURE THURSDAY", which also has a second name - GREAT. Three days before Easter, namely, on Thursday, it is customary to put things in order at home and around the house, as well as wash in cold water... It is believed that on this day, water will wash away all diseases and ailments from a person, and the cleanliness in the house brought him good. Previously, on Maundy Thursday, it was customary to cut children for the first time, and for girls to cut the ends of their hair, so that they were beautiful, thick and long.
Signs for Easter 2018
There are also a little creepy omens, for example, the people believed that on the night before the holy holiday you can see a deceased relative. To do this, you need to hide in the church at the time of the procession so that no one can see, and do not forget to take a passionate candle with you. It is believed that on Easter, the gates of paradise are always open, and therefore many elderly people would not mind wishing death on this day, no matter how strange it may sound, but it is so. Christians have always believed that all Easter food has miraculous and healing properties. So, people who loved to practice fortune-telling and witchcraft, always kept the shell from Easter eggs, so that later they could use it in fortune-telling. On the night before Easter, all the food was safely hidden so that the mice would not get to it. The people believed that if a mouse eats Easter food, then it will turn into a bat.
To make their skin color rosy, the girls washed themselves with water, in which they had previously painted eggs, and to be strong they stood on an ax. On Easter, it was customary not to pick up salt so that your hands would not sweat in the future. When Easter day came and everyone sat down at the table, the Easter egg, which was necessarily consecrated in the church, was peeled and divided by the number of family members. It was believed that this contributes to strengthening, well-being, and peace in the family. And finally, a little about the weather: on Easter day, a clear sky and a playful sun - to a good harvest; rain is good rye!
Easter 2018 - Great holiday
On Easter, believers go to church to glorify and thank God for the sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. Bells are ringing everywhere, crusades are held, lamps and candles are lit. Orthodox Christians go to church to consecrate Easter cakes and wish health to each other, greeting them with exclamations: "Christ is Risen!" Also, each housewife thinks in advance so as not to stand at the stove on these holidays, when it is impossible to work.
But what does the Easter holiday actually mean and where did the history of this holiday begin? Every believer believes that he is celebrating correctly, without even understanding where this Great Feast originates from.
Book of Exodus or the story of Easter
The Easter holiday is rooted in the depths of the Old Testament. In order to understand this, you need to refer to the Holy Scriptures, and specifically to the book called "Exodus". This book, written by the prophet Moses, tells about the Jewish people who were in bondage to the Egyptians.
The Jewish people endured great torment and oppression from the Egyptians. Despite this, they hoped for the mercy of God and always remembered the covenant given to them and the promised land. God chose Moses to fulfill His purpose. Moses was tongue-tied and the Lord sent Aaron, his brother, to help him. They came to Pharaoh and asked to let the people go in order to serve the Lord. But, Pharaoh's heart was hard-hearted, and he did not want to let the slaves go to serve God and go to their land.
The Lord showed great miracles and sent 10 different executions to the Egyptians. But the Egyptian pharaoh persisted and did not want to let the Israelites go.
Then God commanded the Israelites to slaughter one year-old male lamb for each family without blemish. They should anoint the door frames of houses with the blood of an animal. At night, an angel of God passed through Egypt and killed all the first-born, but did not touch the Jewish houses. Pharaoh was in great fear, expelled the Israelites from Egypt. But when the Jews approached the shores of the Red Sea, he chased after his slaves and wanted to take revenge on them.
But God is Almighty, for Him nothing is impossible. He opened the waters of the sea, and the Jews went over the sea as over land, and the Pharaoh with his army was sunk. In honor of this event, the Lord commanded the Jews as liberation from the Egyptian captivity.
Sacrifice of Christ or new story Easter
The origin and origin of the Easter holiday does not end there.
2,000 years ago, the baby Jesus, the Savior of mankind, was born in the land of Israel. Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and lived in the house of the carpenter Joseph. Until the age of 30, Jesus did not perform any miracle.
He was God and Man, since he was born from the woman Mary, who conceived by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was fasting in the wilderness, the devil came to Him and began to tempt Him. Christ ordered the devil to depart from Him, and he departed for a time.
He taught the people, healed, cast out demons from possessed people and performed great miracles. After 3 years, he was betrayed by Judas and crucified on Mount Calvary on Friday. Christ celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples. When the disciples gathered, Jesus took the bread, blessed and said: eat this is my body.
Easter: history
It is known that the holiday of the Bright Resurrection of Christ is the largest holiday in the Orthodox Church.
The very word "Easter" appeared in our language from Greek and is translated as "rebirth", "deliverance". History says that about 3.5 thousand years ago, the Jews gave new meaning to the canonical holiday of greeting spring - on this day they also began to celebrate the exodus of Jews from Egypt, described in the Old Testament.
And about 2 thousand years ago, Easter acquired another meaning - on this day Jesus Christ was resurrected. On this day, we celebrate the deliverance through Christ the Savior of mankind from slavery to the devil and the gift of life and eternal bliss to us. It is believed that redemption was accomplished by Christ's death on the cross, and eternal life was granted by His Resurrection.
Easter: traditions and customs
On Easter, it is customary for believers to visit temples and light up the traditional Easter treat. Easter is also put on the table.
Celebrated for seven days. Customs recommend that housewives stay at home on the first day, and men go home and congratulate friends and family. On this day, the tables should be set all the time, because you can already eat non-lean food. Ordinary food is welcome: herring appetizer, soup, chicken, potatoes, meat, pickles, salads. For sweet cakes, cakes and cheese Easter. The guest sits at the table for about half an hour, and then goes to another house. You should definitely visit your closest relatives, especially the elderly. It is not accepted to give gifts on this day.
The tradition of giving each other colored eggs and generally considering them a symbol of the holiday came from the legend that Mary Magdalene presented an egg as a sign of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to Emperor Teberia. He said that it was impossible, and then it turned red. Therefore, now there is a custom to paint eggs and decorate them in every possible way.
There was another important tradition - the bride. Unmarried girls were dressed up in the most beautiful outfits and played bacu. The girl took a painted stick and hit the figure that was lying on the ground, making special efforts. And the guys at this time watched and chose the best one.
Easter: how to behave on a holiday
Everyone around each other should congratulate each other with the words on their lips: "Christ is Risen!"
You cannot swear with someone or take offense at someone. If you still have old grievances, then the most correct thing would be to let them go, forgive. Or talk to that person to settle the conflict.
It is not recommended to go to the cemetery on this day. As the clergy say, this custom came to us from Soviet history, when Orthodox churches were closed or completely destroyed. Although according to church canons one should not go to the cemetery on this bright day, it is best to do it on the ninth day of Easter - Radonitsa.
You cannot work on Easter, you should devote time to spiritual enlightenment and good deeds. Also, all carnal joys should not be present on this day. Celebrating a wedding at this time is also not a good idea, it is better to postpone it.
Easter: signs
- The person who is the first to see the sunrise on this day will not know the trouble.
- To get rid of troubles, bad luck and quarrels, you need to burn out the cross on the door frame with an Easter candle.
- It is believed that a child born on this day will become a famous person. And those who were born during the Easter week will have good health and fortitude. Great people who can even change the course of history are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and in a shirt.
- For the elderly, there was a tradition of combing their hair, pronouncing the wish that they had as many grandchildren as hair on their heads.
- If you scoop up water from a spring or river on Easter night, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.
- If you are experiencing constant difficulties with money, on Easter, be sure to give the beggar a coin and feed the birds - all year you will not know the need.
- It's good for Easter (and during the whole Easter week) to ride a swing. This is a ritual of blowing. They say it blows away all sins.
- To hear a cuckoo - an addition to the family or an early marriage, the sound of a woodpecker - the appearance of housing.
Easter Orthodox and Catholic in 2017
It is known that Catholics and Orthodox Christians usually celebrate this holiday at different times. The celebration of Easter for the believers of these two confessions falls on one day only a couple of times a decade. The reason for this is the difference in calendars: Gregorian and Julian. Note that there is an interval of 13 days between them, but the day when Easter will be celebrated in a particular year depends on the phases of the sun and moon. Therefore, the differences in calendars vary from week onwards. In 2017, Orthodox and Catholic Easter will be celebrated on the same day - April 16. The next time this will happen only eight years later - in 2025, and then in 2028.