Easter in 2023

The bright holiday of Easter every year gives wonderful spring days filled with pre-holiday fuss, aromas of fresh Easter cakes and thoughts about good changes for the better. It is curious that many interesting signs, traditions and customs are associated with this holiday. We will tell you more about them, and at the end we will certainly give some delicious Easter recipes.

Great Lent 2023 – Key Dates

For all religious believers, Easter occupies a place of honor in the Orthodox calendar. On this day, Orthodox people honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ. An example of thorough preparation for a grand celebration is Great Lent, which lasts 7 long weeks and begins immediately after Maslenitsa.

In 2023, Lent will last from February 27 to April 15. Believers know that this period is the longest and most important of all fasts. This tradition is based on the forty-day sojourn of Jesus in the wilderness. The last, strictest, seven days of fasting are called Holy Week. This week it is customary to remember the events of the Last Supper, the trial of Jesus, his subsequent suffering and crucifixion. 

In Lent, the laity observe a special diet, so many are concerned about the question of what exactly can be eaten during Lent before Easter. To determine the severity of fasting, it is better to first consult with the priest, so as not to drive yourself into despondency or illness. Meat, eggs and other animal products are mostly prohibited. And these restrictions are not accidental, because the essence of Great Lent is to refrain from sinful acts as much as possible: overeating, lying, anger, bad thoughts. This time is given to rethink the events of the past year. It is necessary to try to cleanse the body and soul of everything that prevents you from approaching spiritual harmony.

Orthodox Holy Resurrection of Christ in 2023

Пасха относится к праздникам с неопределенной датой, поскольку она меняется каждый год. Более того, от нее зависит не только Устав церковной службы, но и другие праздничные дни, например, Праздник Святой Троицы, Вербное воскресение и другие. Пасха в 2023 году выпадает на 16 апреля.

Preparing for Easter celebrations

It is customary to prepare ahead of time for Easter. Even during Holy Week, they clean houses, buy meat, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. This can be done the entire last week before the holiday, except Friday. The whole day is set aside for grief and sorrow for the murdered Savior.

Among the signs associated with the preparation for the Bright Sunday of Christ, there are many customs with a very interesting history.

• Painted eggs. According to legend, the tradition of painting eggs for Easter dates back to Roman times. So, according to her, Mary Magdalene happily told the emperor Tiberius the news that Jesus had risen. Tiberius did not believe the woman and, calling God to witness, demanded that the egg turn red as a sign of the veracity of these words. Which happened instantly. Since then, a tradition has appeared among the people to paint eggs for Easter and present them to each other as a reminder of the Great Miracle.
• Baking Easter cakes. According to the rules, culinary Easter products are baked on Maundy Thursday, 3 days before Easter.
• Consecration of food in the church. It is believed among the people that the one who consecrated food for the Easter table will have good luck for a whole year.

Traditions, rituals and signs for Easter

Since ancient times, the most ancient holiday of Easter consisted of many traditions and rituals. Many of them are still followed today. So in most families, Sunday morning begins with mutual congratulations and the exchange of colored eggs. In the people they are called ‘paints’.

And then everyone sits down at the festive table and heartily rewards themselves by eating delicious dishes – Great Lent is over and now you can treat yourself to baked pork, pastries, a glass of Cahors.

How to decorate the house and table for Easter? It is considered a good omen to decorate the table and rooms with fresh flowers. Thus, we not only pay tribute to the Lord, but also welcome the spring in the house. Red napkins or candles give special solemnity. A bright shade symbolizes life and is considered the main color of the holiday.

Then family members go for a walk to relatives or friends. And others, without waiting for Parents’ Day, rush to the cemetery to visit and honor the memory of the departed. At a meeting, people present each other with colored eggs and say: “Christ is risen!” In response, you must certainly answer: “Truly Risen!” Then you should kiss three times.

Among the people there are interesting customs and signs for Easter:

• A dish with fresh herbs from wheat germ is placed for the dead souls of relatives. The number of colored eggs should match the number of commemorated.
• Easter cakes and eggs are given to relatives and friends, and what is left is distributed to people in need.
• A painted egg, Easter cake and a jar of honey are placed in the corner with icons to commemorate the souls of the departed.
• It is not recommended to throw away the shells of colored eggs. It is carefully collected from the table and buried in the ground.

What to cook for Easter in 2023

A festive Easter table is not complete without various delicious dishes. And of course, the most important place among them is rightfully occupied by rich fragrant and lush Easter cake. In the old days, for its preparation, they took flour only from a new crop, strictly following the recipe of their ancestors. Today you can choose the recipe for baking at your discretion. Consider some of the most successful recipes for cooking culinary products for Easter:

Easter cake

According to this recipe, the cake turns out tender and incredibly tasty. To prepare the dough, mix 300 grams of warm milk, 16 grams of dry yeast, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 6 tablespoons of flour. Mix the whole mass and leave it warm for half an hour.

In a separate cup, beat with a mixer or a regular fork 4 eggs, a few tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of vanilla. Gradually pour in a pack of melted butter and add about 200 grams of sour cream.

If bubbles appear in the dough after half an hour, then everything is going according to plan and there is enough yeast. Mix the batter with the egg mixture until smooth. Beat the flour into the mixture with a fork until the dough becomes difficult to knead further. Again we send the mass to a warm place for an hour and wait until it ‘comes’.

As soon as it has increased two to three times, knead the mass with your hands, after lubricating them with vegetable oil. Add flour as needed. As a filling, you can use raisins, dried fruits and sweet multi-colored candied fruits.

Now it remains to spread the pieces of dough into molds and let it stand a little more. This will take approximately 20-30 minutes. We set the temperature in the oven to 180 degrees and send our products for half an hour.

For the glaze you will need gelatin, sugar, water and lemon juice. A tablespoon of gelatin must first be filled with water and left to swell. At this time, pour a glass of sugar with water (6 tablespoons) and cook over low heat, not bringing to a boil. Then we combine gelatin, sugar mixture and a spoonful of lemon juice. Beat with a blender and cover the cakes.

Cottage cheese Easter cake

For baking cottage cheese Easter cake, a classic Easter recipe is suitable, but keep in mind that a pound of cottage cheese will need to be added at the stage of kneading the dough.

Paskha

Cottage cheese paskha is another indispensable attribute of any Easter holiday table. For cooking, you will need a special form. The shape of the cottage cheese Easter paskha resembles Mount Golgotha, where Jesus went up for execution, carrying his heavy cross.

Cottage cheese Easter paskha is divided into raw, boiled and custard. They are similar in composition and taste, differ only in the method of preparation. The main ingredient of the product is cottage cheese, dry or bold. The recipe for making cottage cheese Easter paskha without baking is simple. Alternately beat 1 kg of cottage cheese with a blender, add 150 grams of soft butter, nuts, raisins, dried fruits. Then we put a separate cup on the fire with a mixture of 4 eggs, sugar, vanilla and 400 grams of cream. We mix the two resulting masses and lay them in a mold covered with gauze. Drain the serum. We press Easter on top and put it in the refrigerator for a day.

How to color eggs for Easter

If you have to tinker with the preparation of Easter cake, then special skills are not required for coloring eggs. Use special paint, onion peel or thermal stickers. You can also get creative with this and apply special patterns, each of which has a special meaning:

• Pine – longevity and health;
• Grid – fate;
• Painted motifs – prosperity to the family;
• Berries – the happiness of motherhood and family values;
• Flower – purity and integrity.

Do not forget that Easter is a bright holiday not only for religious people, but also for everyone who wants to become part of it. It is associated with renewal, the arrival of spring and hope for the best. How should Easter Sunday be celebrated? Rejoice, treat others with traditional dishes, invite guests to your place, visit the suffering and commemorate the departed. In a word, do everything that brings joy and comfort to your neighbor, and therefore to you!