{"id":2662,"date":"2012-04-11T08:00:59","date_gmt":"2012-04-11T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2662"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:04:51","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:04:51","slug":"celebrating-russian-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/celebrating-russian-easter\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Russian Easter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Let\u2019s hope that all of us are done with taxes<\/a>. This leaves us with just one problem to solve – what to do with hundreds of plastic eggs we have left over from Easter. So let\u2019s tackle this problem and learn a bit about Easter in the process (and if you don\u2019t celebrate Easter, you might still find this post interesting and helpful).<\/p>\n

To get rid of the plastic eggs, ask your Russian friends if they can use some for Easter egg hunts. No, I don\u2019t mean the ones next year. I mean the ones for Easter 2012. As you know, Russian Orthodox Church uses Julian calendar meaning that most of the times \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b <\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u043b\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0445 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432<\/strong> (dates of religious holidays) in Russia are not the same as those in the West.<\/p>\n

Easter is no exception. This year\u2019s \u0421\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043b\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044c\u0435<\/strong> (Holy Easter Sunday) falls on April 15. If you are confused by \u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044c\u0435<\/strong> (Sunday) v. \u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (resurrection), check out this post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As you might have suspected, Russians do not celebrate just the Easter Sunday. After all, \u041f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0445\u0430<\/strong> (Easter) is the single most important Christian holiday, the essence of the entire \u0445\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (Christian faith). By the way, don\u2019t you love the compound word \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>? It is made up of \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0430<\/strong> (faith) and \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to profess).<\/p>\n

Back to Easter holiday. Every day of the \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044f<\/strong> (Holy Week), the week before \u041f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0445\u0430,<\/strong> has its own name and traditions, some Christian and others – pagan, associated with it. The three biggest ones are<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0427\u0435\u0442\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0433<\/strong> (Holy Thursday) – also known as \u0427\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0427\u0435\u0442\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0433<\/strong> (Clean Thursday), this is the day of \u0422\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0412\u0435\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044f<\/strong> (The Last Supper). \u00a0Traditionally, on this day \u043f\u0435\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u0438\u0437 <\/strong>\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430 <\/strong>\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u044b<\/strong> (ladders are baked with dough), the symbols of ascension to Heaven.<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u041f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (Holy Friday) – also known as \u0421\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u041f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (Holy Friday). Lesser known is this day\u2019s other name \u041e\u0433\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0449\u0435<\/strong> (Fire) and the old custom of burning \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u043b\u044f\u0434\u044c<\/strong> (junk) on this day. This is also the day when \u0431\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u044b <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u043c\u043e\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0435<\/strong> (evil spirits and house spirits) are especially active.<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0421\u0443\u0431\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (Holy Saturday) – last Saturday before Easter, this is the day when \u043a\u0443\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0445\u0438 <\/strong>\u043e\u0441\u0432\u044f\u0449\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0432\u0438<\/strong> (Easter bread and paskhas<\/a> are blessed in churches). What? You don\u2019t know what these are?!<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0443\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0447<\/strong> is a sweet bread with \u0438\u0437\u044e<\/span>\u043c<\/strong> (raisins), \u0446\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (candied fruit) and \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c<\/strong> (almonds). In honor of the holiday, it is glazed with a white sugar glaze and letters \u0425\u0412<\/strong> for \u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0441 <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0441<\/strong> (Christ is risen). As with any traditional Russian dishes, there are lots of variations in recipes. Here\u2019s an English-language recipe<\/a> I found, but haven\u2019t tried yet.<\/p>\n

Kulich is so much so an Easter tradition, that even in the Soviet days \u0433\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u044b<\/strong> (grocery stores) sold \u043a\u0443\u043b\u0438\u0447\u0438<\/span><\/strong> in early spring, complete with sugar-glazed tops (sans the letters, of course).<\/p>\n

If baking, especially with \u0434\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0436\u0438<\/strong> (yeast) sounds intimidating (it does to me), then you might want to try making \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0445\u0430<\/strong>, another traditional Easter dish. Essentially, it\u2019s a very sweet and rich cheese pudding. It requires some advance preparation, especially since finding an ingredient called \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> is next to impossible in a typical American supermarket. It\u2019s not exactly cottage cheese, but instead more like farmer\u2019s cheese, only even drier. Just follow this recipe<\/a> since it sticks very close to the traditional one.<\/p>\n

With all these rich buttery dishes done, it\u2019s time to \u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u044f<\/span><\/strong>\u0439\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (color eggs). You see, I was just kidding about giving plastic eggs to your Russian friends. \u041f\u0430\u0441\u0445\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (Easter Bunny) and \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0438\u0441\u043a <\/strong>\u044f\u0438<\/span>\u0446<\/strong> (egg hunt) are not traditional Easter \u0430\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (attributes) in Russia. Instead, there is \u043a\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u044f\u0438\u0446<\/strong> (rolling eggs) down a hill, a game that is a bit like marbles.<\/p>\n

When it comes to egg coloring, eschew fancy egg coloring kits (even though they are now on sale). Instead, do it the traditional way, with \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0448\u0435\u043b\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (onion skins). Boiling eggs for 15-20-30-40 minutes in water with lots of dry onion skins gives them a reddish-brown color. The longer you boil, the deeper the color. Pastels, such as green and yellow, are usually reserved for \u0420\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (Radonitsa<\/a>), not Easter (read more in the follow-up post)<\/p>\n

And now you are ready to celebrate! But keep in mind that Russian Easter is celebrated for 40 days, from \u0412\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (Resurrection) to \u0432\u043e\u0437\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (Ascension). This, by the way, explains why in Russia \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0443\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u0448\u0435\u043c\u0443<\/strong> (commemoration of the deceased) are held not only on the day of the burial (wake), but also on \u0441\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> (fortieth day).<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u0435\u0442…<\/strong> (To be Continued…)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Let\u2019s hope that all of us are done with taxes. This leaves us with just one problem to solve – what to do with hundreds of plastic eggs we have left over from Easter. So let\u2019s tackle this problem and learn a bit about Easter in the process (and if you don\u2019t celebrate Easter, you…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2663,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,913],"tags":[13025,13099,1175,1229,1240,117562,1288],"class_list":["post-2662","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-traditions","tag-celebrating-russian-holidays","tag-learn-russian","tag-orthodox-easter","tag-russian-easter","tag-russian-holidays","tag-russian-orthodox-church","tag-russian-traditions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t