Fighting in Ukraine overshadows Orthodox Easter

Predominantly Orthodox countries include Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus and Serbia. But people also celebrated the solemn masses in European Orthodox churches. The festival was again overshadowed this year by Russia’s war against Ukraine, where fighting is ongoing. According to official figures, around 70 percent of the more than 40 million inhabitants in the attacked country before the war are Orthodox or Greek-Catholic Christians. In Kiev, the Easter celebrations should take place under high security precautions. At night, as usual, there was a curfew until 5 a.m.

The Orthodox Churches adhere to the Julian calendar in connection with Easter. The Gregorian calendar applies to both Catholics and Protestants. This usually leads to the fact that the Orthodox celebrate the most important festival of the church year at a different time from the other Christians.

Easter egg for Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated the second Orthodox Easter since the invasion of Ukraine he ordered in Moscow’s famous Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Together with Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, the head of the Kremlin attended a service of the Russian Orthodox Church leader, Patriarch Kirill, on Sunday night. Photos and videos show Putin and Sobyanin standing next to each other with candles in their hands. Kirill also presented Putin with a decorated art Easter egg.

A little later, the Kremlin published this year’s Easter message. Accordingly, the 70-year-old, against whom an arrest warrant has now been issued at the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, said: “The wonderful, beloved Easter gives believers hope, inspires good thoughts and deeds and serves to raise high moral standards in society to affirm ideals and values.”

Putin also praised the Russian Orthodox Church, which “in the face of serious challenges is actively involved in matters of mercy and charity”. Church leader Kirill is internationally regarded above all as a fervent supporter of Putin’s war – and has repeatedly defended it in the past, among other things in sermons.

“Massive Attack”

Despite the Orthodox Easter, fighting continues in Russia-invaded Ukraine. Two teenagers were killed by Russian fire at night in the southern region of Mykolayiv, said the local military governor Vitaly Kim on Sunday. In the Zaporizhia region, too, the head of the military administration, Yuriy Malashko, reported a “massive attack” by the Russians.

A church was damaged, for example, so that the service had to be canceled. “Nothing is sacred, even on the night of Christ’s resurrection,” Malashko wrote.

In the eastern city of Sloviansk, where a rocket hit a residential area on Friday, rescue work continued. Residents were still missing in the rubble, local officials said. According to the latest information, eleven civilians were killed in the attack, including a small child. According to Ukrainian sources, more than 20 other people were injured.