Australia’s Unique Celebration of Orthodox Easter: Discover the Traditions

While Australians recently delighted in their Easter long weekend, a significant portion of the nation is gearing up for their own distinct Easter festivities that are just around the corner.

For many, this upcoming celebration is Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, a significant event that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a time to honor the transformation from death to life, embodying profound spiritual renewal.

The journey toward Pascha is deeply rooted in tradition for the approximately 230 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. This pivotal moment in the church calendar is preceded by Great Lent, a period dedicated to fasting and prayer, which spiritually prepares communities for the sacred day.

The observance began with Palm Sunday on April 5th, according to the Orthodox calendar, ushering in Holy Week. This week is filled with solemn ceremonies leading up to Pascha, celebrated on Sunday, April 12th.

In many communities, the joyous commemorations extend into Easter Monday, allowing for continued reflection and celebration.

Countries that recognise Orthodox Easter Sunday as a public holiday include Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine.

In Australia, diaspora communities from these countries, as well as some African countries including Eritrea and Ethiopia, are expected to observe the light-filled holiday.

How is the date of Orthodox Easter determined?

Debate around Easter can be traced to 325 AD, when the Council of Nicaea (the first council of the Christian church) met in ancient Nicaea (now İznik, Türkiye) to resolve the early controversy between sections of the church on when Easter should be held.

It was decided that Easter should be held on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox.

While most Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians still follow this rule, the differing dates of Easter are dependent upon which calendar is used.

In the fourth century, all Christians abided by the Julian calendar, which was established by Julius Caesar in 45 BC and is based on Earth’s journey around the sun.

Although Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches separated in 1054, Christians around the world continued to observe Easter on the same date.

Why does the Orthodox Church celebrate Easter on a different date?

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII established the Gregorian calendar to correct inaccuracies in the Julian calendar. This new calendar included the addition of leap years, which was used to resolve an 11-minute miscalculation that caused seasons to become out of sync, pushing Easter further away from the spring equinox.

When the Gregorian calendar was implemented in the Catholic church, only Western churches aligned with the Pope initially made the change. It took more than 170 years for Protestant churches to start aligning with the new date, with most adopting it by around 1845.

Another reason for the different dates is that Orthodox Easter must occur after Jewish Passover to reflect the historical timeline of events described in the New Testament. This rule can further shift the date, sometimes placing Orthodox Easter one to five weeks later than Western Easter.

What is the lead-up to Orthodox Easter?

The journey to Orthodox Easter begins with Great Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, reflection and repentance. During this time, many avoid meat and dairy, choosing to instead focus on plant-based foods.

The final week, known as Holy Week, is especially significant as each day commemorates events leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus with churches holding frequent services, often in the evenings.

One of the most important moments occurs on Holy Saturday night, when communities gather in darkened churches and hold candles. At midnight, the priest announces the resurrection, and the flame is shared among the congregation to symbolise the spreading of light.

How is it celebrated?

Rich in cultural and religious traditions, there are several practices which are shared during celebrations. However, this can vary depending on the country and their communities.

Decorated eggs, which are dyed red and boiled to symbolise the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is a well-known practice. In many cultures, people play a game where they tap the eggs against each other, signifying breaking the tomb and the victory over death. The last egg to remain uncracked is said to bring good luck for the coming year.

Food is central to the celebration, particularly lamb, which is roasted and shared with family after the fasting period ends. Easter bread is also common, usually rich and sweet in flavour, and dependent on the culture.

It is also common for Orthodox Christians to greet each other with a Paschal greeting, which begins with “Christ is Risen” and is responded to with “Truly, He is Risen”. The phrase in Greek is ‘Christos Anesti’, and is the title of an Orthodox Easter hymn sung in celebration of the resurrection.

Whether marked with solemn reflection or joyful activities, Orthodox Easter continues to be a vibrant part of the global and Australian cultural landscape.

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