On Sunday, April 20, Ukrainians celebrate Easter. For the fourth time, the main holiday of all Christians is being met by our Motherland in the conditions of a full-scale war unleashed by the Russian Federation. However, despite all the trials, most of our compatriots intend to celebrate this great holiday. UNN tells how Easter 2025 will be held in Ukraine.
Easter: the history of the holiday
The holiday of Easter has its roots in the distant pre-Christian times, when our ancestors celebrated the day of the vernal equinox. It symbolized the retreat of winter and the final arrival of spring. People perceived this holiday as a kind of victory of Light over Darkness.
With the advent of Christianity, the main event associated with Easter is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, whom Christians revere as the Son of God. Christians call the Resurrection of Christ the victory of Life over Death.
Easter came to Ukraine as the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord in 988 after the baptism of Kyivan Rus by Prince Volodymyr. Since then, Christian traditions have become closely intertwined with Ukrainian folk customs and have firmly taken root among our people.
This holiday is very popular among Ukrainians today and, despite the war, they are not going to deprive themselves of the festive bustle, delicious Easter eggs and sweet (and not so sweet) Easter cakes.
Where are the main services held?
In Kyiv, on Easter, the main service and other celebrations, as usual, take place in St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
On Saturday, April 19, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral hosted an Easter service led by Metropolitan Epifaniy.
On Sunday, April 20, St. Michael's Cathedral hosts:
• 09:00 – late Divine Liturgy;
• 17:00 – Easter Vespers.
Easter cakes in St. Michael's Monastery can be consecrated until 5 p.m.
In the Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra (OCU), the Easter service began on April 20 at 6:00 a.m. The consecration of Easter cakes will begin here from 12:00 p.m.
How Roman and Greek Catholics celebrate
This year, Ukrainian Christians of different denominations are rejoicing side by side at the Feast of the Resurrection of the Son of God.
In the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Kyiv, the Easter Liturgy took place today at 7:00 a.m. You can consecrate the Easter cake throughout the day.
The faithful of the Roman Catholic Church who live in Kyiv will celebrate the main Easter Mass in St. Alexander's Cathedral on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. The consecration of Easter dishes will last here until 7:00 p.m.
Security measures
The National Police of Ukraine has stepped up security measures for Easter. Law enforcement officers, together with dog handlers and explosives technicians, are on duty near churches, patrol roads and selectively inspect citizens' belongings. The number of crews has been increased.
The Security Service of Ukraine also reminded of the enemy's cruelty and insidiousness and warned about the danger of terrorist attacks.
Earlier, UNN wrote that Ivano-Frankivsk region had canceled all mass events on Easter in the Prykarpattia region. Khmelnytskyi and Kirovohrad regions, on the contrary, shortened the curfew on the festive night.
In Kyiv, the city authorities called on religious communities to limit mass Easter services or make them online. The capital's authorities also called on the leaders of religious communities to take the necessary security measures during the festive services.
Also today, about six thousand employees of the State Emergency Service with 2.5 thousand units of specialized equipment are on duty in the streets of Ukrainian cities.
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