April 8, 2018, Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter. Easter is the most ancient and important Christian feast in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On this day it is customary to paint eggs and cook Easter cakes. Initially, chicken eggs were colored with red paint. It symbolized the blood of Jesus, but there is another legend. According to tradition, after the death of Christ, seven Jews gathered at the feast. During the feast, one of them said that Jesus would rise from the dead on the third day. The owner of the house replied that he would believe this only if the eggs on the table turned red. At the same time, the egg shell flushed. Easter cake is a symbol of Christ’s victory over death. The top of the cake is supposed to be decorated with a cross, thorns wreath or letters ХВ (Hristos Voskres / Христос Воскрес).
East traditions include consecration in church of Easter cakes and painted eggs. West traditions in its turn suggest some gifts, searching for eggs by children. However, both of the traditions offer Easter salutation that means a triple kiss.
Christians of Astana began to come to churches to consecrate cakes and pray from midnight on April 8. Slavic friends treated Muslims with Easter cakes. The weather also pleased. Although it was a bit windy, the sun was warming up.
It should be noted that the Head of the Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated the Kazakhs on the bright Easter holiday. The President said that “on this spring day the hearts of people in different parts of the world are filled with special warmth, joy and hope. The eternal values of love, kindness and mercy symbolizing this day are equally close and dear to all the inhabitants of our country”.
The service was held in more than 300 churches in total that day in Kazakhstan. According to the diocesan administration of the Russian Orthodox Church, about five million people came to worship. Easter, which is called the Holiday of the Light, unites many people.
Anzhela Kaliyeva
