Orthodox Easter in Canada

Date: Orthodox Easter in Canada falls on a different date than Western Easter due to the use of the Julian calendar by the Orthodox Church as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. The date varies yearly, typically occurring in April or early May.

History: The celebration of Orthodox Easter in Canada reflects the traditions brought over by immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. As these communities established themselves in Canada, they continued to observe their religious festivities according to their ancestral customs.

Traditions: Traditional practices for Orthodox Easter include:

• Midnight Service: Many Orthodox Christians attend a special midnight church service called the Paschal Vigil, which marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• Holy Fire: Some churches participate in the Holy Fire ritual, symbolizing Jesus' resurrection.
• Easter Feast: After fasting during Lent, a feast is prepared with foods such as lamb, sweet breads like Tsoureki (Greek), Paska (Ukrainian), or Kulich (Russian), and painted eggs known as pysanky.
• Egg Tapping: A game where individuals tap their eggs against others' to see whose egg will crack first; this is symbolic of breaking open Christ's tomb.
• Home Blessings: It is common for families to have their homes blessed by a priest during the Easter season.

What People Do: On Orthodox Easter day in Canada, people engage in:

• Attending church services.
• Gathering with family and friends for celebratory meals.
• Exchanging gifts like chocolate eggs or small tokens.
• Children often participate in egg hunts and other festive games.

The observation of Orthodox Easter is more prevalent within cities that have larger populations of Eastern European or Middle Eastern descent. It remains an important cultural and spiritual celebration for members of the Orthodox faith across Canada.