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- April 20 — Bright Easter in 2025: a biblical description of the main Orthodox holiday
April 20 — Bright Easter in 2025: a biblical description of the main Orthodox holiday
The Bright Resurrection of Christ is the greatest and most important church holiday for Orthodox Christians. According to the Gospel, on this day, Jesus Christ overcame death and rose from the dead, proving his divine nature. Believers celebrate Easter with awe and spiritual joy, it all starts with a night service and a procession. In the morning, those who did not have time to consecrate Easter cakes and Easter eggs in advance bring Easter food with them to the service. Believers greet each other with the words: "Christ is Risen!" — "Truly He is risen!". In 2025, Catholics and Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter on the same day — April 20. This date will open Holy Week, a special holiday week when all fasts are canceled and solemn services are held in churches. Read more about the Easter event and what it means for believers in the Izvestia article.
Bright Easter is the main Orthodox holiday on April 20.
Easter is the most important Orthodox holiday dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This episode of the Gospel is the central event of the Christian faith, a symbol of the victory of life over death and sin. In 2025, Orthodox and Catholics will celebrate Easter on April 20. Such a coincidence of dates occurs infrequently and will happen for the first time since 2017. For Orthodox believers, the holiday will be a time of spiritual renewal, joy and hope for the salvation of the soul.
In Russia, Easter is celebrated with special reverence and joy, and the service begins on Saturday night. This period symbolizes the establishment of a new covenant between God and man, as the sacrifice of Christ opens the way to the salvation of people.
On Easter, festive divine services are held, including Midnight Mass, a procession, matins and the Divine Liturgy. Believers bring Easter cakes, eggs and other traditional treats to the temple for consecration. Easter marks not only a historical event, but also the spiritual rebirth of every Christian.
Where and how is the Resurrection of Christ described in the Gospel
The event of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is described in detail in all four Gospels — Matthew (Chapter 28), Mark (Chapter 16), Luke (Chapter 24) and John (Chapter 20). Despite some differences in details, all the evangelists agree on the main point — that Christ was crucified, died, buried, and rose on the third day, just as he predicted to his disciples.
According to the narrative, after the crucifixion and death of Christ, the body was placed in a tomb, which was closed with a stone. The burial site was guarded by guards at the request of the high priests to prevent theft of the body (Matthew 27:62-66). On the third day, early on Sunday morning, myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb with incense to anoint the body of the deceased, but found that the stone had been rolled away and the coffin was empty (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18).
At that moment, an angel appeared to them, who announced the resurrection of Christ and urged them to inform the disciples about it: "Do not be afraid, you are looking for Jesus crucified. He is not here; He is risen!" (Matthew 28:5-6). Subsequently, Jesus himself appeared first to Mary Magdalene and then to other followers, confirming that he had risen from the dead and was alive (John 20:11-29; Luke 24:13-49). Christ met with his disciples in the upper room, uttering the phrase "Peace be upon you!" and showing the nail wounds that remained after the crucifixion.
A week later, he also appeared to Thomas, who was not with the rest of the disciples at that moment, to strengthen his faith, giving him the opportunity to touch his wounds. That is why the Sunday a week after the holiday is called Fomin, and the following days are called Fomina Week.
The Resurrection of Christ is presented in the Gospels as a key event confirming the divine nature of Jesus, the fulfillment of biblical prophecies and the foundation of the Christian faith, symbolizing the victory of life over death and giving believers hope for salvation and eternal life.
The significance of Easter for believers in Russia
For Orthodox believers in Russia, Easter is the spiritual center of all church life, a joyful holiday. It confirms faith in the resurrection and the divine power of Christ. On this day, believers congratulate each other and come to churches for solemn worship.
Easter is accompanied by the singing of Easter carols, the consecration of Easter cakes, eggs and cottage cheese, as well as festive feasts. The Easter service begins on Saturday night from Midnight, followed by a procession around the church with lighted candles symbolizing the light of the resurrection. After returning to the temple, Light Matins and Divine Liturgy are served.
Special Easter prayers and hymns are performed during the service. The Easter Troparion must be read:
"Christ has risen from the dead, restoring death to death and giving life to those who are in the grave."
Believers recite prayers of gratitude and ask for spiritual rebirth. A special place is occupied by the prayer "Our Father" and the akathist to the Resurrection of Christ. On this day, it is customary to congratulate each other with the words: "Christ is Risen!" and kiss three times as a sign of love and forgiveness. Believers prepare Easter treats, gather at the festive table with their loved ones and share consecrated food.
However, even on this joyful day, it is worth remembering the spiritual essence of the holiday: one should not indulge in excesses, one should not make a scandal, condemn people and be rude. It is forbidden to engage in hard work, quarrel, show anger and despondency. The Church reminds us that it is important to spend Easter in love, peace and gratitude — with prayer in our hearts.
Immediately after Easter, Bright Week begins — a special festive period that lasts for seven days, until the Saturday before St. Thomas Week. Throughout the week, all divine services are held according to the Easter rite, and the altar Royal gates in the temple remain open, symbolizing the openness of the Kingdom of Heaven and the joy of the resurrection.
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