Orthodox Easter

…The major holiday of the Orthodox religious calendar. It is usually about two weeks after Catholic Easter. For many people this holiday starts with church attendance on Saturday evening, where the festive church service is held and the father, or Orthodox priest blesses kulichi (traditional Easter cake) and pisanki (painted Easter eggs). The father greets the congregation repeating many times over: “Christ is risen!” and the congregation replies in chorus “Indeed He is risen!” During the day people visit relatives and closest friends and present them with Easter basket, filled with kulichi and pisanki, which are believed to posses a spiritual power. Everybody greets each other with “Christ is risen”, then follows the answer “Indeed He is risen!” and exchange with triple kiss, the so-called Khrystosuvanni.