We here at RUSSIAN-AMERICAN INFORMATION SERVICES have observed that those in the local media have generally tended to focus their attention on stories about Roman Catholic and Protestant Easter celebrations – as well as on Jewish observances of Passover – during this time of year.

Now, while such reportage is certainly commendable, and greatly to be encouraged in our "PC" ("politically correct," "post-Christian") world – a world currently in dire need of something that is both morally-edifying and uplifting, in order to offset much of what passes for "education," "news," and "entertainment" today – we do regret the near-absence of any news items concerning our [Eastern Orthodox Christian] celebration of Pascha, wherein we commemorate the Resurrection of Christ from the dead.

For those who might wonder why our [Eastern Orthodox] observance of this Day of Days does not correspond with that of the Roman Catholics and the Protestants, the following little "rule-of-thumb" might prove somewhat informative: the Eastern Orthodox Church always observes Pascha on the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox on March 21st – but, March 21st according to the Julian calendar (as established by the First Council of Nicaea, in the Year Of Our Lord, 325), and not according to the Gregorian calendar (the Roman Catholic calendar commonly used throughout the world – with but a few exceptions – since the sixteenth century). In addition, if the first Sunday after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox, chances to occur prior to, or simultaneously with, the Jewish Passover, then the Feast-day of Pascha is carried over to the Sunday following, since the Anti-type (i.e., Pascha) cannot, by definition, either precede or coincide with its Type (Passover).

Since, in this [the Twentieth] century, the Julian and Gregorian calendars differ by 13 days, March 21st (according to the Julian calendar) corresponds to April 3rd (according to the Gregorian calendar). Consequently, the first full moon is on April 9th (April 22nd), and the first Sunday after that is April 14th (April 27th), with Passover being observed on April 8th (April 21st). Thus, we are taking this opportunity to inform you that this coming Sunday (April 27th, 1997, as the "world" computes time, in accordance with its secular "Gregorian" calendar; April 14th, according to the traditional Orthodox Church calendar), Eastern Orthodox Christians throughout the world – in Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, in Australia, in America (including, therein, our own Pacific Northwest) – Russians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs, Albanians, Arabs, Romanians, Japanese, Chinese, Africans, Aleuts, etc., et al. (to name but a few) – will all be observing the greatest and most solemn of any of the Holy Days on the Orthodox Christian calendar: that of the Bright and Radiant Feast-day of OUR LORD'S GREAT AND GLORIOUS RESURRECTION – His "Passover" from death into Life – which we Orthodox Christians call "Pascha" (the term being derived from the Hebrew word "pesach" [Passover], which those in the Roman Catholic and Protestant worlds commonly refer to as "Easter," in honour of the Teutonic goddess of spring, Eostre).

Now, while we are prepared to grant that it might be logistically impossible for most of the members of our local media to attend the Paschal celebrations elsewhere in the world, we would like you to be aware that locally (meaning, within the Greater Seattle area), there are no fewer than seven Eastern Orthodox churches, all of them quite accessible from any of our TV, radio, or newspaper offices. In alphabetical order, they are – :

* Russian Orthodox Cathedral Of St. Nicholas 1714 - 13th Avenue (Seattle) 322-9387

*St. Nectarios American Orthodox Church 10300 Ashworth Avenue North (Seattle) 522-4471

The Vigil service begins at approximately 11:30 p.m. (2330 hours), on Saturday night (April 26th), and culminates in a Midnight Procession that signals the beginning of Mattins, as the worshippers – trebly exchanging the traditional "kiss of peace" – joyously proclaim: "Christ is Risen!" and hear, in return, the equally joyous response: "Truly, He is Risen!" (or, alternatively: "He is Risen, Indeed!")

The Mattins service is then followed by the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, at (or about) 1:00 a.m. (0100 hours), in the course of which the Gospel reading is taken from the Introduction to the Gospel of St. John the Theologian ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word..."), which is read in as many languages as the celebrants are familiar with, or able to obtain texts for.

The Divine Liturgy itself lasts until approximately 2:30 a.m. (0240 hours), and is generally followed by a traditional Agape feast in the church hall, at which the seven-week-long Lenten fast (the strictest fast period of the year, during the course of which those who are devout practitioners of the Faith have refrained from partaking of meat, fish, and dairy products, for the duration) is finally broken. Now, "the table is full-laden; ...let no one go hungry away," as St. John Chrysostom proclaims in one of his famous Paschal homilies.

Yes, laden indeed is the table. But, central to it all are the traditional viands of Pascha. These are red-coloured eggs, symbolizing the Saviour's death and Resurrection, their scarlet colouration being symbolic of His Most-precious Blood – and their shell, of the Tomb in which the Son of God was placed after the removal of His body from the Cross. (Such eggs – bearing symbols of Christ's victory over death and the devil – are typically exchanged by Orthodox Christians at this time of year, in commemoration of St. Mary Magdalene's proclamation of the "Good News" of the Resurrection to the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, to whom she presented just such an egg, indicating thereby that even the most humble of natural things can acquire a profound spiritual significance, if viewed in the proper spirit.)

There is also kulich, a Russian paschal sweetbread; and pascha – a sweet-cheese spread to put upon the kulich. Both are richly flavourful and highly aromatic. And there is also the "blood" of the grape, of course – and the "blood" of many other fruits of the earth: wines of different sorts – as well as what Scripture refers to as "hard drink" ("for to gladden the heart, and to make men merry"). There is vodka (among the Russians), slivovitz (among the Serbs), metaxa (among the Greeks), arak (among the Arabs) – aids, all of them, to digesting the heavy meats and other rich foodstuffs that are eaten, once again, for the first time in seven weeks. (Truly, St. Paul knew whereof he spoke, when he advised St. Timothy to "use a little wine, for thy stomach's sake.")

And truly, too, is the joy of this radiant Holy Day unutterable, as all nature attempts to transcend its fundamental bounds in proclaiming the Saviour's conquest of death and hell. Throughout the world, upon this morn, the prayerful melodies of the birds are sweeter than at any other time during the course of the year. Nor at any other time do the flowers of spring compete so earnestly one with another in showing forth their love for their Creator, as they spread the heady fragrance of their perfumes upon the night air. And at dawn, the sun dances with joy in the heavens, for the True Sun – the Sun of Righteousness (of Whom it is but a pale reflection) – "hath risen, with healing in His wings." This day are the Gates of Paradise opened, and the Gates of hell are razed; this day "not one dead remaineth in the grave." Yet, wondrous as all this is, more wondrous still is the miracle that takes place in the Holy Land, inside that very Tomb wherein the Saviour was interred.

There, within the dim recesses of the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre, is to be found that very Tomb which was provided by St. Joseph of Arimathaea to be the final resting place for the mortal flesh of his Creator – that very Tomb within which he and St. Niceness reverently placed the body of their Saviour. And it is there – as countless pilgrims, travelers, and curiosity-seekers (Christians, Jews, and Muslims – friends of Christ, and foes) alike have testified – that the Miracle of the Holy Fire takes place on Pascha.

This "Primeval Flame of Life" – this Holy Fire (from which the Orthodox Patriarch-celebrant subsequently lights the candles o the worshippers gathered to celebrate the Resurrection, although it burns cool to the touch, and blue to the eye, for the first few minutes of its own life) – appears to be kindled miraculously by none other than God Himself!

And those who would question or doubt the authenticity of this miracle, would do well to bear in mind that – on those several occasions when the Orthodox Patriarch was prevented from entering the sealed Tomb to obtain the Holy Fire (whether by the authorities, or by non-Eastern Orthodox Christians – who thus hoped to seize the heavenly flame for themselves, and thereby put the Orthodox to shame) – the Holy Fire would burst forth from the pillars within the church; and, like living lightning, seemingly possessed of an intelligence and a will all its own, it would fly about the interior of the cathedral and ignite the candles of the worshippers, of its own accord, thus showing believers and skeptics alike that this was none of man's doing; and this miracle has occurred – always, always without fail – on Eastern Orthodox Pascha, as testified to by written records of its occurrence, which go back a thousand years – and more!)

Who, O God,
Is like unto our God?
Our God,
Who worketh wonders!
For Christ is risen from the dead,
He trampled death, by dying;
And, by His Resurrection, He
(As often He had said)
Did grant, to all of us, a boon –
A gift:
Mortality to shed,
And put off tears,
And sighing.

This report was composed by G. Spruksts, Russian Cultural Consultant,
for distribution to the media by
Russian-American Information Services

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