Monday, March 29, 2010

Joy of Easter.

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Easter is a beautiful ceremony in the

Russian /Ukrainian Orthodox Religion.

If people have a chance to go see one such ceremony it is worth their while

The church is all decked out. Christs’ coffin is there, surrounded by candles, white lilies and other flowers

The candles are lit and the whole place looks and smells so holy with incense.


The ceremony is an all night mass and people have to stand as there are no benches or chairs.

Maybe some churches have benches I don’t know. Old people sit up front.

Women on the left and men on the right

I guess you are allowed to bring your own chair.

The choir is unbelievably beautiful

People get their blessings

There is a procession around the block with candles.
Then the church gives every one a hard boiled colored egg.

When Christ has risen every one rejoices and lots of kissing takes place
and then everyone goes downstairs to bless the
Easter bread, cheese, kolbassa’s and eggs basket.

This is the best part because then you exchange your eggs with friends and strangers.

Every one is happy on this day.

You get home around 5 am just in time for breakfast and you feast on the food that was just blessed.

It gives you a very glowing feeling to know that today you

Took part with Mother Mary, in the death and resurrection of her beloved son,
the son of God.
You cried with her and you rejoiced with her.

There is not one Mother there, who doesn’t feel the trials and tribulations of a Mother’s broken heart.
There is not one Mother who doesn’t feel the glory of God as he gives back to her the son she thought she would never see hear or speak to again.

It is a miracle and those who have known pain, sickness and hopelessness, can once

again believe that with God’s help, good things do happen.

When you get home, the air smells fresher, the flowers seem brighter, and life seems to have turned a new page

You have a fresh outlook, new ideas and a new reason for living.

This is why we have such traditions.
They are to remind us who we are and what is expected of us.

They remind us that just when things can seem so hopeless,

there is suddenly a light that shines upon your head

lightening the load in your soul and things don’t seem so dark anymore.

You can soldier on and fix everything that’s broken.

People chant thrice

Christ has Risen! Christ Has Risen! Christ has Risen!

Rejoice man kind, for Christ has risen for you.


:)

8 comments:

quilly said...

Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ is coming again!

Hallelujah and amen!

George said...

This sounds like a beautiful worship service. In our Episcopal church we have an Easter Vigil the night before Easter and then a joyous celebration Easter morning. I think they are the most wonderful services of the year.

Maude Lynn said...

This sounds lovely!

A Lady's Life said...

LOL

This week is very special for a lot of people. I think for services, this is the nicest one of the whole year even for those people who do not go to church.
I never go now but I used to and these are the memories they left me with.
Today life leaves very little time to sit and just do nothing Its all go go go. Before life was a little slower. Less electricity affecting peoples brains and you had time to enjoy the important things in life like reading, sleeping, family,and going to church to listen to a lecture you may have heard 100 times before but still listen with fresh ears and it does help because now you go home and find more patience for things at home because your mind is refreshed.
I don't know To each his own.
Its better than wearing your pants halfway down your bum, a prison trend which took over the planet lol Now this sends a meaasage lol
Have a good one.
:)

Voegtli said...

Here, where I am, the majority of the people are Buddhists and Hindus. And yet, Easter will be celebrated too, because it is both a UN and a national holiday.

A Lady's Life said...

Peter this is good. When I travelled I also enjoyed seeing and being invited to enjoy other holidays My christmas tree stayed up all year long changing decorations.It was fun and great for the kids to see.
But now I enjoy my holidays because I see they are not respected anymore and we are the losers.
Do I care who Jesus was? No.
I believe in him because of all the good that came out of his teachings and sacrifice.I love his story.:)His story began before he was born.
Because he cared, we care. You care.
:)

A Lady's Life said...

well I made two comments but they are not on so I will wait and see maybe they will come on later :)

A Lady's Life said...

Peter:my christmas tree is up all year.
I always changed the decorations so we could celebrate other nations holidays
It was fun and the kids learned from it.
Now I celebrate my holidays because I see there is a need for it as more and more criticize it.
Our country is great only because of the free christian religion we have here where people are allowed to develop in their time and their own way.Change this.. and you change everything.