Preparations for Orthodox Easter well underway as the feast day grows in popularity
Moscow (AsiaNews) – Yesterday the Orthodox around the world celebrated Palm Sunday. In Moscow the Patriarch of All Russia Aleksij II told the more than 5,000 faithful inside Moscow Christ the Saviour Cathedral that “We are entering a special time” that prepares us for the victory of Christ over death “within us.”
This year’s Easter, which is celebrated according to the Julian calendar, falls on 27 April, and for the Orthodox, it is the most important religious festivity.
Statistics released in March by the Levada Center, a sociological research institute, show that a majority of the population will celebrate the occasion.
After 70 year’s of state atheism Easter is gaining in popularity in the country like New Year’s Eve and March 8 (perceived in Russia to be as much a herald of spring as International Women’s Day).
Almost three quarters of Russians see themselves Orthodox. In last three years this number increased from 59 per cent to 71 per cent. At the same time only 8 per cent is practicing.
About 39 per cent of the population does not attend church at all, and only 10 per cent receives the Eucharist once a year.
But traditionally at least 80 per cent of Russians celebrate Easter.
The data illustrate the widespread phenomenon of the ‘Easter Believer,’ people who go to church only on ‘high holidays’.
In Russia Easter is a time of cultural projects and plans for volunteering and charity.
One of the best known venues is the Moscow Easter Festival created in 2002 on the initiative of the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre V. Gergiev and of Moscow Major Y. Luzhkov.
Backed by Patriarch Aleksij I the festival will take place this year as well (27 April to 9 May) offering a rich programme of musical and artistic events.
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