Orthodox, Catholic Christians celebrate Resurrection of the Lord

Both Orthodox and Catholic Christians today celebrate the Holy Easter, the most important holiday of Christianity, marking the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the victory of life over death and the beginning of salvation for all mankind. In the villages of Moldova, Easter is kept with sanctity and is an occasion to return to essential values: family, faith, forgiveness.

"The Easter holiday is the only celebration that truly unites the family. This holiday means the actual switch from winter to summer. Easter urges people to renounce sins and reconcile with God. The Easter greeting, the blessing with holy water, and the offerings help people achieve holiness, light and goodness," Father Maxim Melinti has told MOLDPRES.

In the village of Discova, Orhei district, preparations for Easter begin during the Holy Week, when housewives bake Easter bread and cakes, and yards are carefully cleaned. People say that, beyond the lavish meal, the holiday means a pure soul and the joy of reuniting with loved ones.

"Easter is the celebration that brings us all together. I am waiting for my children from Italy and France; they come home once a year, and we just wait to sit at the table together," a local resident told MOLDPRES.

For others, the celebration of the Resurrection means visiting relatives and neighbors, but especially participating in the Easter service, a moment filled with emotion and light.

"We go to church with baskets full of red eggs, Easter bread and wine, to have them blessed. Then we sit at the table with loved ones. It's a joy that cannot be expressed in words."

"We greet each other with Christ is Risen! and forget grievances. It's a time when we should be kinder and more reconciled with everyone," adds an elderly woman from the village.

The Resurrection of the Lord is the most sacred holiday in the Christian calendar, bringing not only spiritual light, but also a wealth of traditions that connect us to our ancestors. The red egg, a symbol of immortality, is indispensable on the Easter table, along with baked lamb – a sign of sacrifice and resurrection. On Easter morning, people wash with water in which red, white eggs and a coin have been placed for health and luck. Eggs are cracked "end to end" on the first day and from the second day – "back to back." In the past, the holiday was also marked by games, dances and "swinging," a Moldovan tradition promising abundant harvests and a lucky year.