Christians of Eastern and Western rites celebrating Easter

Easter is a movable feast, with its date calculated each year according to the lunar-solar calendar, Ukrinform reports.

This is the oldest and most important Christian holiday of the liturgical year. For Christians, Easter symbolizes the triumph of life over death, liberation from the burden of sin, and a transition from a state of bondage to one of freedom and love.

While Easter celebrations among Western and Eastern Christians are fundamentally similar, the dates typically differ. This year, however, despite differences in calendars, all Christians are celebrating Easter simultaneously — April 20. Palm Sunday was observed on April 13. This alignment occurs only once every three to four years.

It is worth noting that Ukraine will be celebrating its fourth Easter under martial law. Police forces will be operating under heightened security during the holiday period. Due to martial law restrictions, the schedules for Easter services have been adapted to comply with curfews. Authorities are urging believers who plan to attend church services to ensure the church has a shelter nearby.

Meanwhile, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) is urging the public to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines to prevent Russian provocations and terrorist threats during Easter: to limit attendance at mass gatherings; not to fall for provocations or incitement to illegal activity; to respect the curfew; not to ignore air raid sirens and seek shelter immediately during alarms; to report suspicious objects or individuals to law enforcement.

The SSU also reminds citizens that large gatherings are often targeted by the enemy.

In Kyiv, according to the city administration, the curfew will remain in effect during Easter night, and church services will be held via online livestream. In contrast, in Khmelnytskyi, the curfew has been shortened by two hours for Easter night. Kirovohrad region will also have a shorter curfew.

In some regions, public events have been restricted during the holidays. For example, in Ivano-Frankivsk region, the regional defense council has canceled all mass gatherings for Easter. In Zaporizhzhia, priests are urging people to join services online for safety. In Kherson region, Easter and memorial day services will also be conducted online. Police there are encouraging residents to stay indoors during the holidays unless absolutely necessary.

As Ukrinform previously reported, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine switched to the Revised Julian calendar on September 1, 2023.