Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter

Skopje, 15 April 2012 (MIA) - The Orthodox Christians Sunday celebrate Easter - the greatest Christian holiday, day when day when Jesus Christ proved his divine power and risen from the dead.

Christ's Resurrection was announced at midnight in all temples in Macedonian Orthodox churches and Easter liturgies are being held today.

It is the culmination of events during Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday reflects the return of Jesus to Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and Good Friday honours the crucifixion of Jesus. Finally, Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection after his death.

The red colour of the Orthodox Easter egg signifies the blood of Christ, its shell His three-day entombment, and its breaking His Resurrection by which the 'egg of life' brought forth a life, up to then unknown.

The red coloured eggs represent the sealed tomb in which the body of our Saviour was placed after His crucifixion. At first the egg is closed and without life, but after several weeks it is broken open and lets the life come out-the little chick. In the same way, the Lord lay in the closed tomb for three days, but then He broke the seal from inside. He who is the Life and Light could not be sealed, and when the time was fulfilled, He came out; in the same way the chick breaks the shell to come out at the proper time. So the eggs at Easter remind us how Christ Himself resurrected from the dead.

Originally only red dye was used to colour the eggs. Red signifies the sacred blood of Christ, which was shed for our salvation. At the time when Jesus rose from the tomb, Mary Magdalene was crying because she thought that someone had stolen the Body of the Lord. Then she saw Him and talked with Him. The Lord told her to go and tell the Apostles of the Resurrection. She ran through the city shouting, "Christ is risen!" On the way she passed someone carrying a basket with eggs, and she said to him, "Christ is risen!" The man answered, "He will rise when these eggs turn red!" Immediately the eggs turned red, and they were amazed.

When Friday dawned, Christ was sent bound from Caiaphas to Pontius Pilate, who was then Governor of Judea. Pilate interrogated Him in many ways, and once and again acknowledged that He was innocent, but to please the Jews, he later passed the sentence of death against Him. After scourging the Lord of all as though He were a runaway slave, he surrendered Him to be crucified.

Thus the Lord Jesus was handed over to the soldiers, was stripped of His garments, was clothed in a purple robe, was crowned with a wreath of thorns, had a reed placed in His hand as though it were a sceptre, was bowed before in mockery, was spat upon, and was buffeted in the face and on the head. Then they again clothed Him in His own garments, and bearing the cross, He came to Golgotha, a place of condemnation, and there, about the third hour, He was crucified between two thieves.

Although both blasphemed Him at the first, the thief at His right hand repented, and said: "Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom," to which our Saviour answered, "Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." As He hung upon the Cross, He was blasphemed by those who were passing by, was mocked by the high priests, and by the soldiers was given vinegar to drink mixed with gall. About the ninth hour, He cried out with a loud voice, saying, "It is finished." And the Lamb of God "Which taketh away the sin of the world" expired on the day when the moon was full, and at the hour when, according to the Law, was slain the Passover lamb, which was established as a type of Him in the time of Moses.

Even lifeless creation mourned the death of the Master, and it trembled and was altered out of fear. Yet, even though the Maker of creation was already dead, they pierced Him in His immaculate side, and forthwith came there out Blood and Water. Finally, at about the setting of the sun, Joseph of Arimathea came with Nicodemus (both of them had been secret disciples of Jesus), and they took down the all-holy Body of the Teacher from the Cross and anointed it with aromatic spices, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. When they had buried Him in a new tomb, they rolled a great stone over its entrance.

Such are the dread and saving sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorated, and in remembrance of them, we have received the apostolic commandment that a fast be observed every Friday.

The custom arose that people hit their eggs against each other to see whose will crack, whose will open like the tomb. One says, "Christ is risen!" and the other answers, "Truly He is risen!"sk/11:01

Easter - greatest Christian holiday

Skopje, 14 April 2012 (MIA) - The Orthodox believers will observe Sunday the greatest Christian holiday - the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ - Easter. It is day when Jesus Christ proved his divine power and risen from the dead.

It is the culmination of events during Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday reflects the return of Jesus to Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and Good Friday honours the crucifixion of Jesus. Finally, Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection after his death.

The red colour of the Orthodox Easter egg signifies the blood of Christ, its shell His three-day entombment, and its breaking His Resurrection by which the 'egg of life' brought forth a life, up to then unknown.

The red coloured eggs represent the sealed tomb in which the body of our Saviour was placed after His crucifixion. At first the egg is closed and without life, but after several weeks it is broken open and lets the life come out-the little chick. In the same way, the Lord lay in the closed tomb for three days, but then He broke the seal from inside. He who is the Life and Light could not be sealed, and when the time was fulfilled, He came out; in the same way the chick breaks the shell to come out at the proper time. So the eggs at Easter remind us how Christ Himself resurrected from the dead.

Originally only red dye was used to colour the eggs. Red signifies the sacred blood of Christ, which was shed for our salvation. At the time when Jesus rose from the tomb, Mary Magdalene was crying because she thought that someone had stolen the Body of the Lord. Then she saw Him and talked with Him. The Lord told her to go and tell the Apostles of the Resurrection. She ran through the city shouting, "Christ is risen!" On the way she passed someone carrying a basket with eggs, and she said to him, "Christ is risen!" The man answered, "He will rise when these eggs turn red!" Immediately the eggs turned red, and they were amazed.

When Friday dawned, Christ was sent bound from Caiaphas to Pontius Pilate, who was then Governor of Judea. Pilate interrogated Him in many ways, and once and again acknowledged that He was innocent, but to please the Jews, he later passed the sentence of death against Him. After scourging the Lord of all as though He were a runaway slave, he surrendered Him to be crucified.

Thus the Lord Jesus was handed over to the soldiers, was stripped of His garments, was clothed in a purple robe, was crowned with a wreath of thorns, had a reed placed in His hand as though it were a sceptre, was bowed before in mockery, was spat upon, and was buffeted in the face and on the head. Then they again clothed Him in His own garments, and bearing the cross, He came to Golgotha, a place of condemnation, and there, about the third hour, He was crucified between two thieves.

Although both blasphemed Him at the first, the thief at His right hand repented, and said: "Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom," to which our Saviour answered, "Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." As He hung upon the Cross, He was blasphemed by those who were passing by, was mocked by the high priests, and by the soldiers was given vinegar to drink mixed with gall. About the ninth hour, He cried out with a loud voice, saying, "It is finished." And the Lamb of God "Which taketh away the sin of the world" expired on the day when the moon was full, and at the hour when, according to the Law, was slain the Passover lamb, which was established as a type of Him in the time of Moses.

Even lifeless creation mourned the death of the Master, and it trembled and was altered out of fear. Yet, even though the Maker of creation was already dead, they pierced Him in His immaculate side, and forthwith came there out Blood and Water. Finally, at about the setting of the sun, Joseph of Arimathea came with Nicodemus (both of them had been secret disciples of Jesus), and they took down the all-holy Body of the Teacher from the Cross and anointed it with aromatic spices, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. When they had buried Him in a new tomb, they rolled a great stone over its entrance.

Such are the dread and saving sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ commemorated, and in remembrance of them, we have received the apostolic commandment that a fast be observed every Friday.

The custom arose that people hit their eggs against each other to see whose will crack, whose will open like the tomb. One says, "Christ is risen!" and the other answers, "Truly He is risen!"sk/11:27

Macedonians celebrate Christmas

Christmas celebration in a church.

Orthodox faithful in Macedonia are celebrating Christmas today. Christmas liturgies are underway in all churches across the country.

The central event will take place Saturday at Skopje church 'St. Clement of Ohrid', where the Head of Macedonian Orthodox Church (MPC), HH Stefan, will serve Christmas liturgy.

The Christmas celebration in Macedonia begins in the evening of January 5th, which is known as kolede. Children go from door to door singing Christmas carols, heralding the birth of Jesus, and receiving fruits, nuts and candy from the people. Later in the evening, the elderly people from the neighbourhood gather around a bonfire outside, and engage in a conversation about the past year and the year to come.

The following evening is the Christmas Eve, when a traditional oak log (badnik) is brought to the home. This log is cut by the father of the household and his older son, while the table is being set for the Christmas Eve supper (Posna Vechera). The dinner cannot have anything derived from animals, and it cannot be cooked using cooking oil or other types of fat. The traditional dinner usually consists of baked fish. The dinner is the last day of a traditional 40-day Orthodox Lent, which is done in a way to honor the Virgin Mary for carrying baby Jesus.

The oak log is cut into three pieces, representing the Holy Trinity, and each piece is brought into the house by the father. A member of the family receives a piece and places it on the fire. As this is done, the son and the father exchange a greeting: "Good evening and happy Christmas Eve" (Dobra Vecher i Vesel Badnik). While the log is being placed on the fire, the mother and the grandmother gather the children together into the room where the dinner is to be served. Each person carries a bundle of straw from outside, and together with the mother they spread the straw on the floor. The spreading of the straw on the house floor is meant to make the atmosphere more like that when the night Jesus was born. The house is decorated further decorated with oak and pine branches, representing the wish of the family for long and healthy life, "with health strong as oak, and with a life long as that of the oak."

Then the Christmas dinner is served on the same table that the Christmas candle is burning. As part of the dinner, homemade bread (pogacha) with a coin hidden in it (usually placed inside before it was baked) is served. The traditional belief is that whoever gets the coin in his/her piece, will have a particularly successful year to look forward to.

The Christmas candle is then lit, and everyone sings a Christmas hymn. Very early Christmas day, people attend the first morning church service. After the family returns from church, the first guests arrive. This is usually someone who is a dear friend of the family, and is especially honored during the celebration. The guests are met by the hosts, who kiss the guest three times on the cheeks and give him/her the Christmas greeting "Christ is born" (Hristos se rodi), and the guest replies "Indeed he is" (Voistinu Se Rodi).

These greetings are exchanged throughout the three days or Christmas. After the exchange or the greetings, the guest shakes the burning oak log and when the sparks fly up, he/she expresses his/her best wishes for the family. This is usually done in some form of rhyme, mentioning the Special desires of the family.

Macedonians Celebrate Badnik

Badnik - a pagan tradition still remaining.

Orthodox Christians in Macedonia are celebrating Friday the Christmas Eve (Badnik) - the day prior to great holiday the Birth of Jesus Christ – Christmas.
Badnik is traditionally celebrated before "St. Clement of Ohrid" church in Skopje where this year's Badnik godfather will be given the last year's Badnik Cup.The event starts by hoisting Badnik flag and the Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia HH Stefan, will address the believers and give the last year’s Badnik Cup to the new godfather.
In Macedonia, celebrations began on 5 January, the evening known as "kolede", in which neighbourhoods gather together to light a bonfire, listen to traditional music and share food and drink.

Badnik table dinner.

This morning children visit their neighbourhood, knock at the doors and sing Kolede songs. The home-owners give the children candies, sweets, fruit and coins.
The family dinner on Badnik is the only holiday when you can find rich and poor gathered on one place. In the evening on Badnik, the closest family is gathering around the Badnik dinner.
The main event at this dinner is the cutting of the Christmas bread on pieces for each member of the family, one for the home and one for Jesus Christ. Inside the Christmas Bread there is a coin. There is a belief that who ever finds the coin in his/her piece of the bread will have luck the whole year. The coin is put in a glass of wine and the lucky person should drink from the wine.
The house is decorated with oak branches with their leaves on, representing the wish of the family for long and healthy life.
More about religion in Macedonia.