This year we celebrate Easter on Sunday, 8th April. Hristos Vaskrese!
Serbian and Russian Orthodox Churches follow Julian calendar. Easter does not have a fixed date in Western nor Eastern Churches.
This year the Orthodox Easter is celebrated on Sunday, April 8th.
Serbs consider Easter the most joyful holiday along with Christmas. Preparations for this holy day start seven weeks before, with Great Fast, and continue with quite interesting customs:
Good Friday – Veliki Petak (April 6th) is the day when all Christians mourn the unjustified crucifixion of Christ. It is the tradition that on this day nothing else is done apart from decorating Easter eggs. There is a beautiful custom of Serbia – decorating eggs with flowers, leaves and/or wax; which gives eggs a special touch. Traditionally eggs are being boiled with onion skin, which provides them with lovely deep burgundy colour.
An egg has been a symbol of new life since ancient times. Red colour depicts blood of Christ and His Ressurection, and this is why the eggs are painted in red colour. Even today, the first painted egg has to be yellow; and is called “Čuvarkuća“– Guardian of the Home. It is traditionally kept beside the family icon until next Easter.
Easter is considered the most significant day in Christianity because on that very day Christ has defeated death by Ressurection. Serbs call it Uskrs or Vaskrs, which means „Ressurection“. Church bells are ringing throughout Serbia, and festivity may begin. Children are especially waiting for because of the tradition of painting and then cracking eggs. The first thing we get and eat on Easter is the egg. Even if we have guests – first they get an egg, and then they will be served. On this day, and the next 40 days we greet each other with words „Hristos vaskrse!“ (or voskrese ), which means „Christ has resurrected!“. The proper reply to this greet is „Vaistinu vaskrse!“, which means – „Truly has resurrected!“
With this greet, we tap the Easter eggs, and the one with the ‘strongest’ egg (meaning, the one that didn’t crack) is the winner.
We hope you enjoy this year’s Easter with your family and friends in love and peace.