Photo Gallery: Orthodox Christians Around the World Celebrate Easter

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Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion for the sins of all mankind. The event marks the victory over sin and death and the beginning of a new world redeemed by the Savior's suffering.
Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate Easter, the day of Christ's resurrection, on Sunday. Christians call it "the feast of feasts."
Easter is a moveable church holiday because its date is calculated each year according to the lunar-solar calendar. It always falls on the Sunday after the full moon, following the vernal equinox.
The dates of Easter are different for different Christian denominations because Western Christians use the Gregorian calendar and Eastern Christians use the Julian calendar.
Easter services are always held on the night of the feast, from Saturday to Sunday, and last until dawn. On the eve of Easter and on Easter Day itself, believers consecrate Easter delicacies. According to tradition, the symbols of Easter are Easter bread and colored eggs.
The Easter holiday also marks the end of the most important and strict Lent of the year, when Orthodox families gather to break their fast with delicacies.
Check out Sputnik Africa's gallery on how Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate the major religious holiday!
© AFP 2024 Robert Atanasovski

Macedonian Orthodox Christians light candles from the holy fire that arrived from Jerusalem during an Easter service at the Saint Jovan Bigorski monastery in Mavrovo, some 115km west of the capital Skopje, early on May 5, 2024. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrated Easter according to the Julian calendar.

Macedonian Orthodox Christians light candles from the holy fire that arrived from Jerusalem during an Easter service at the Saint Jovan Bigorski monastery in Mavrovo, some 115km west of the capital Skopje, early on May 5, 2024. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrated Easter according to the Julian calendar. - Sputnik Africa
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Macedonian Orthodox Christians light candles from the holy fire that arrived from Jerusalem during an Easter service at the Saint Jovan Bigorski monastery in Mavrovo, some 115km west of the capital Skopje, early on May 5, 2024. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrated Easter according to the Julian calendar.

© AFP 2024 Menahem Kahana

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during a ceremony of the "Holy Fire" at the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4 2024, on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during a ceremony of the "Holy Fire" at the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4 2024, on the eve of Orthodox Easter.  - Sputnik Africa
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Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrims hold candles during a ceremony of the "Holy Fire" at the Deir Al-Sultan Monastery on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4 2024, on the eve of Orthodox Easter.

© AP Photo / Petros Karadjias

Young men stand in front of a bonfire during Christian Orthodox Easter celebrations in Xylophagou village, southeast of the island of Cyprus, on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Cypriots lit the traditional Easter bonfires, or lambradjia, as it is known in Cyprus, where they burned effigies of Judas Hiscariot, the disciple thought to have betrayed Jesus.

Young men stand in front of a bonfire during Christian Orthodox Easter celebrations in Xylophagou village, southeast of the island of Cyprus, on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Cypriots lit the traditional Easter bonfires, or lambradjia, as it is known in Cyprus, where they burned effigies of Judas Hiscariot, the disciple thought to have betrayed Jesus.  - Sputnik Africa
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Young men stand in front of a bonfire during Christian Orthodox Easter celebrations in Xylophagou village, southeast of the island of Cyprus, on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Cypriots lit the traditional Easter bonfires, or lambradjia, as it is known in Cyprus, where they burned effigies of Judas Hiscariot, the disciple thought to have betrayed Jesus.

© AFP 2024 Amanuel Sileshi

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.  - Sputnik Africa
4/15

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.

© AFP 2024 Ronaldo Schemidt

Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.

Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.  - Sputnik Africa
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Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.

© Sputnik . Alexandr Kryazhev / Go to the mediabank

Easter procession at the Ascension Cathedral in Novosibirsk.

Easter procession at the Ascension Cathedral in Novosibirsk. - Sputnik Africa
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Easter procession at the Ascension Cathedral in Novosibirsk.

© AP Photo / Vadim Ghirda

Children of the Armenian community hold chocolate eggs that they received at the end of an Orthodox Easter religious service at the Armenian cathedral in Bucharest, Romania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Children of the Armenian community hold chocolate eggs that they received at the end of an Orthodox Easter religious service at the Armenian cathedral in Bucharest, Romania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.  - Sputnik Africa
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Children of the Armenian community hold chocolate eggs that they received at the end of an Orthodox Easter religious service at the Armenian cathedral in Bucharest, Romania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

© AFP 2024 Oliver Bunic

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (C) leads an Orthodox Easter liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 5, 2024.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (C) leads an Orthodox Easter liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 5, 2024.  - Sputnik Africa
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Serbian Patriarch Porfirije (C) leads an Orthodox Easter liturgy at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade, Serbia, on May 5, 2024.

© Sputnik . Kristina Kormilitsyna / Go to the mediabank

Believers at the meeting of the Blessed Fire at the Vnukovo-3 airport. The Blessed Fire was delivered by a special flight from Jerusalem to Moscow for the Easter service at Christ the Savior Cathedral.

Believers at the meeting of the Blessed Fire at the Vnukovo-3 airport. The Blessed Fire was delivered by a special flight from Jerusalem to Moscow for the Easter service at Christ the Savior Cathedral. - Sputnik Africa
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Believers at the meeting of the Blessed Fire at the Vnukovo-3 airport. The Blessed Fire was delivered by a special flight from Jerusalem to Moscow for the Easter service at Christ the Savior Cathedral.

© AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis

Believers light candles after a cake and Easter egg blessing ceremony at the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Believers light candles after a cake and Easter egg blessing ceremony at the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024. - Sputnik Africa
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Believers light candles after a cake and Easter egg blessing ceremony at the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

© AFP 2024 Vano Shlamov

Georgians celebrate Orthodox Easter in front of the Kashveti Church next to the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi on May 4, 2024.

Georgians celebrate Orthodox Easter in front of the Kashveti Church next to the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi on May 4, 2024.  - Sputnik Africa
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Georgians celebrate Orthodox Easter in front of the Kashveti Church next to the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi on May 4, 2024.

© AFP 2024 Amanuel Sileshi

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.  - Sputnik Africa
12/15

Ethiopian Orthodox devotees pray during the celebration of Easter at the Bole Medhanialem Church in Addis Ababa on May 5, 2024. Ethiopian Easter, also known as 'Fasika' in Amharic, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, and it comes after a 55-day period of Lent among faithful Orthodox believers. Orthodox Christians partake in the 55-day religious fasting, abstaining from eating meat and other animal products.

© AFP 2024 Ronaldo Schemidt

Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.

Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.  - Sputnik Africa
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Orthodox Christians gather with lit candles during the Holy Fire ceremony at the Holy Sepulchre church in Jerusalem's Old City on May 4, 2024, on the eve of Easter Sunday.

© AP Photo / Yorgos Karahalis

Greek Orthodox faithful light their car Niles with the "Holy Fire," transferred from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, at a church in Athens on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Greek Orthodox faithful light their car Niles with the "Holy Fire," transferred from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, at a church in Athens on Saturday, May 4, 2024.  - Sputnik Africa
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Greek Orthodox faithful light their car Niles with the "Holy Fire," transferred from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, at a church in Athens on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

© AP Photo / Armin Durgut

An Orthodox girl sits next to a family member during an Easter service in the Orthodox church in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

An Orthodox girl sits next to a family member during an Easter service in the Orthodox church in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sunday, May 5, 2024.  - Sputnik Africa
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An Orthodox girl sits next to a family member during an Easter service in the Orthodox church in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

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