Quiz about the Easter

According to Tradition, Christ's tomb was carved into a rock and was located in a garden near Golgotha. The coffin was owned by a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple of Christ.

The Gospel does not describe the Resurrection of Christ itself, how He rose and came out of the cave. But the following testimony about what happened next remains: "And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. (Mat.28:2); His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. (Mat.28:3); And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. (Mat.28:4)".

The Myrrh-bearing Wives (Mary Magdalene, Mary of Jacob, and Salomia) went early in the morning after the Sabbath to the Tomb of Christ to anoint His Body with scents.

The moment Christ gave up the spirit, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, and the bodies of the deceased saints were resurrected. On the day of His resurrection, the resurrected ones entered Jerusalem and appeared to many people.

According to the Gospel, Christ first appeared to Mary Magdalene: "Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. (Mark.16:9). She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. (Mark.16:10); And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. (Mark.16:11)".

Upon hearing the news of Christ's resurrection from the Myrrh-bearing Women, Peter and John ran to the tomb. This event is described by John the Evangelist, but he does not give his name: " Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. (John.20:3). So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. (John.20:4). And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. (John.20:5). Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, (John.20:6), and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. (John.20:7). Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. (John.20:8).

When the Myrrh-bearers came to the Tomb, they saw two Angels saying to them, "... Why do you seek the living among the dead? (Luke.24:5) He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (Luke.24:6), saying, «The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. » (Luke.24:7).

The elders, having learnt what had happened, consulted with the chief priests, gave money to the soldiers and commanded them to say this: "Tell them, «His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slep”. (Mat.28:13)

At the time of Christ's first appearance to the disciples gathered together, the apostle Thomas was absent. When the other apostles told him that they had seen Christ, he did not believe.

Christ appeared to His disciples many times after His Resurrection, the following appearances are preserved in the Gospel and Tradition:

1. To Mary Magdalene in the garden;
2. The Myrrh-bearers (after meeting Christ, Mary Magdalene caught up with Mary of James, who was also returning from the tomb of the Lord. As they were on their way to tell the disciples, suddenly, Jesus Christ Himself met them)
3. Then Jesus Christ appeared separately to Peter and assured him of His resurrection.
4. To the two disciples going to Emmaus
5. To all the apostles and other disciples except the apostle Thomas
6. One week later, on the eighth day after the Resurrection of Christ, to all the disciples already with the Apostle Thomas
7. To the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias
8. To the apostles and more than five hundred disciples
9. Then Jesus Christ also appeared to James separately.

The apostles Luke and Cleopas were walking to Emmaus and discussing the tragic death of the Master. Christ approached them and was not recognised by them. On the way, Christ told them about the prophecies in the Holy Scriptures concerning His death and resurrection. When Christ came into the city, He sat down to eat with them, blessed the bread, the disciples recognised Him, but He immediately became invisible to them.

At another appearance to His disciples, Christ called the apostle Thomas and said: " …Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. (John.20:27)."

Easter is celebrated for forty days because after His Resurrection, Christ remained on earth for forty days, then He ascended into heaven.

The name Antipascha means "instead of Easter", or "opposite of Easter" - it is not an opposition, but a reference to a past feast, a repetition of it on the eighth day after Easter.
The first mention of Antipascha is in the Antiochian "Apostolic Constitutions" (about 380), and the description of the Jerusalem divine service on this day is in the "Pilgrimage of Egeria" (about 400). This day is also called the St Thomas' Week in remembrance of the miracle of the Apostle Thomas' assurance.

Throughout the days of Easter, believers greet each other with the words, "Christ is Risen!" Responding to this greeting with, " Indeed, Christ is Risen!"

The vestments of the priests are red during Easter services.

The first week after Easter is called Holy Week. In this case, each day is called accordingly: Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, etc.

At the end of the nightly Easter service, a special bread, the artos, is sanctified. The word artos (Greek for leavened bread) is a common sanctified bread for all the members of the Church, otherwise it is the Prosphora. During Holy Week it is placed near the Royal doors and is taken out for every procession.

The Easter procession is conducted: on the day of Easter and the Easter Sunday, every day of Holy Week, and every Sunday (until the Easter Sunday).

There is a legend that Mary Magdalene came to preach to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. As a gift to him, she brought a hen's egg, which had been a symbol of life since ancient times.

When she told the emperor about the Resurrection of Christ from the dead, he replied that the white egg in her hands would sooner turn red than he would believe such nonsense. After his words, the egg turned red immediately.

On Friday of Holy Week, the day of the icon of the Mother of God the Life-Giving Spring is celebrated. The appearance of this icon is related to the miraculous event of Our Mother of God healing a blind man in the middle of the 5th century at a spring near Constantinople.
The warrior Leo, who later became emperor (455-473), met a blind man in a grove dedicated to the Theotokos who asked for water. Leo could not find a water spring for a long time, but suddenly he heard the voice of the Holy Mother of God, who pointed him to the spring and ordered him to apply the clay from that water to the blind man's eyes. After that the blind man saw, and the soldier, becoming emperor, marvelling and rejoicing at the miraculous healing, ordered to clean the spring and built a temple in its place. The temple was named as a testimony to the miraculous power of the spring.
In memory of this healing miracle, on the day of the Icon of the Mother of God, the Life-Giving Spring, a small sanctification of water is served.

Radonitsa is a day of special all-church commemoration of the deceased. It comes from the word joy - the holiday of Easter lasts 40 days.

It takes place on the 9th day after Easter, on Tuesday of St Thomas' Week (the next after Holy Week), to share the joy of Easter with relatives and friends who died in the hope of resurrection and eternal life.

During the duration of Holy Week, the Royal Doors remain open in the temple, symbolising the open way to paradise.

On Saturday of Holy Week, after the intercessory prayer, a special prayer is recited for the breaking of the artos, then while kissing the cross it is shared with the faithful as a piece of sacred food. It is to be consumed in the morning on the empty stomach.

During Holy Week, the Paschal Hours are read instead of the morning prayers. Further, until the celebration of the Feast, two prayers are substituted:

– "O Heavenly King" for the troparion: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life"

– "Worthy is" in the intercession: "The angel cried to the Lady Full of Grace: Rejoice, O Pure Virgin! Again I say: Rejoice! Your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb! With Himself He has raised all the dead! Rejoice, all you people!

Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! The Glory of the Lord has shone on you! Exalt now and be glad, O Zion! Be radiant, O Pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of your Son!".