Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter — including in Kiev, Antakya
Published: 05:04 PM,Apr 16,2023 | EDITED : 09:04 PM,Apr 16,2023
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ATHENS/MOSCOW/KIEV: Millions of Orthodox Christians around the world rang in Easter on Sunday with large midnight Masses.
The predominantly Orthodox countries include Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus and Serbia, but people also celebrated the solemn Easter Massin German Orthodox churches. The festival was overshadowed again this year by Russia’s war against Ukraine, where fighting continues.
According to official figures, around 70 per cent of the pre-war population of more than 40 million in Ukraine are Orthodox or Greek Catholic Christians.
In Kiev, Easter celebrations were to take place under high security precautions. During the night, as usual, a curfew was in force until5 am.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encouraged his compatriots to keep on believing in victory over
Russia in his Orthodox Easter message.
“The war could not erase us, our values, our traditions and our holidays,” he said in a video released on Sunday.
“Today we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The main symbol is victory: the victory of good, the victory of truth, the victory of life. We celebrate Easter with an unshakeable faith in their reversibility of these victories.”
Zelensky said that a year ago, just after Russia’s attack, prayers were being said for Ukraine to survive at all. Since then, they have forced Russians away from capital Kiev and other areas, although fighting remains intense in the east. — dpa
The predominantly Orthodox countries include Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus and Serbia, but people also celebrated the solemn Easter Massin German Orthodox churches. The festival was overshadowed again this year by Russia’s war against Ukraine, where fighting continues.
According to official figures, around 70 per cent of the pre-war population of more than 40 million in Ukraine are Orthodox or Greek Catholic Christians.
In Kiev, Easter celebrations were to take place under high security precautions. During the night, as usual, a curfew was in force until5 am.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky encouraged his compatriots to keep on believing in victory over
Russia in his Orthodox Easter message.
“The war could not erase us, our values, our traditions and our holidays,” he said in a video released on Sunday.
“Today we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The main symbol is victory: the victory of good, the victory of truth, the victory of life. We celebrate Easter with an unshakeable faith in their reversibility of these victories.”
Zelensky said that a year ago, just after Russia’s attack, prayers were being said for Ukraine to survive at all. Since then, they have forced Russians away from capital Kiev and other areas, although fighting remains intense in the east. — dpa