Russia is celebrating Easter, the
most important and joyful Christian holiday to commemorate the
resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion. Patriarch of
Moscow and All Russia Kirill has held an overnight festive service at
the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
In his Easter
message, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said that "the holiday
of Easter celebrates the victory of life over death, for the
Resurrection of Christ the Savior granted resurrection from the dead to
all of us”.
Festive Easter services are taking place
at over 30,000 churches of the Russian Orthodox Church worldwide. The
latest public opinion poll showed that an overwhelming majority of
Russians - some 90 percent - celebrate Easter this year.
Easter
is a floating holiday with its date determined on a lunisolar calendar
every year separately. In 2011, the Eastern and Western dates of Easter
coincided to fall on April 24th.
