Easter service was held at Kursk Holy Trinity Convent

On April 20, an Easter service was held at the Kursk Holy Trinity Convent, an Orthodox convent of the Kursk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

"The most important thing for us, for the Kuryans, is the conciliar prayer, because times are not easy. I was in church almost every day during Holy Week, and I noticed: So many people! People manage to attend morning and evening services and pray... It is a very significant decision by our president to declare the Easter truce, because in all ages, Easter has been the brightest holiday for Orthodox Christians, the most joyful holiday," said Ekaterina Kharchenko, a deputy of the Russian State Duma.

Kharchenko added that many young families and children attended the service. In her opinion, this is where the continuity of generations and the unity of Kursk residents are felt. In a conversation with Abbess Susanna Kharchenko, she concluded that the Holy Trinity Convent is the safest place in Kursk.

"Easter is a long—awaited holiday that we have been waiting for for a whole year, but despite all the difficulties that have occurred since August 2024, we are not discouraged <...> This is a wonderful decision (Easter truce. — Ed.), we are very happy about this," said Andrey Budnik, senior priest and confessor of the Kursk Holy Trinity Convent.

He also stated that this initiative is entirely aimed at peace, harmony and reconciliation in the conflict zone, and Easter unites both Orthodox and Catholics.

Izvestia correspondent Tatiana Simonenkova added that the residents of Kursk are happy with the president's proposal for a truce. She added that bells were ringing in all the temples and for the first time in a long time there were no rocket danger sirens at night. Simonenkova noted that the general prayer helps the population, some parishioners even stood on the street during it.

As part of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission, a center for assistance to internally displaced persons from the border region operates on the territory of the monastery, which began work back in August 2024. Residents apply to the center for food and hygiene kits, medicines and medical equipment, and volunteers from different cities of Russia are also being delivered there.

April 20 — Bright Easter in 2025: a biblical description of the main Orthodox holiday

On Sunday, the church will celebrate the miraculous Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Earlier in the day, Archpriest Oleg Kobets, rector of the Transfiguration Cathedral in Belgorod, told Izvestia that the temporary ceasefire on Easter was good news for believers who planned to participate in a church service or a procession.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Easter truce on April 19. At the same time, he stressed that the Russian military must be prepared for possible violations and provocations by Ukrainian militants. On the same day, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky announced Ukraine's readiness to adhere to the Easter truce.