Christ is Risen - Russia: Last Major Christian Country in the World Celebrates Birth of Son of God

Today is Easter, the biggest holiday for all Eastern Orthodox Russians and people around the world. Unlike Western Christians, we think that Christ's resurrection was even more important than his birth. The Son of God has merited eternal life because he had sacrificed himself for people's sins, thus defeating death and sin. Last night, ceremonial services were held in all Eastern Orthodox churches. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill led the service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral. Dmitry Kaistra reports about how Russians greeted Easter Sunday and about the traditions and meanings. Since the Holy Saturday, in the richly decorated and light-filled Christ the Savior Cathedral, the Acts of the Apostles were read, and the Paschal walk was hosted by the Holy See with the Christ's burial shroud. Right before midnight, the Holy Flame is delivered to Moscow. The Paschal service begins with the Cross Procession, led by Patriarch Kirill. The clergy and the laity circle the Cathedral three times. The first two times the doors that symbolize the shrine's entrance are closed, they'll open on the third time. Christ has risen. Easter is here. - Christ has risen! Indeed, He has risen. - Christ has risen. Indeed, He has risen. - Christ has risen. Indeed, He has risen. The Paschal greeting is said in celebration of that great miracle. Easter is here. The Easter Vigil begins. President Vladimir Putin, PM Dmitry Medvedev and his wife, and Mayor Sobyanin pray with the people. The feast rite is led by Patriarch Kirill. Shiny festive priests' copes and flickering candlelight. The profaned and crucified God has risen, a miracle has taken place. Life has beaten death again. Hell has been defeated. To symbolize the joy of the spiritual connection with Christ and eternal life in Heaven, the President and the Patriarch exchange Easter gifts. Easter Day is exceptional, God has risen, filling the universe with his being. The volume of this joy is endless, too. 500 km from the Christ the Savior Cathedral, in the city of Valday, they also celebrated the great holiday in the Iversky Monastery. - Christ has risen! Indeed, He has risen. - Christ has risen! Indeed, He has risen. Hundreds of people brought their humility and their hopes to the sacred shrine, towards the rising Christ. This year, three holidays came to the Valday monastery during Easter: Easter, Annunciation Day, and the shrine's Dedication Day of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God. They made special monastery dough for Easter in the Iversky Monastery. On average, it takes about 4-5 hours to make one batch of Easter cakes. They used the dough to make hundreds of Easter cakes that were later glazed. They also make gigantic, 5 kg blessed Easter bread that can be stored for a year. Consuming it with holy water is said to cure many ailments. This is the blessed Easter bread, they make it on Easter. It has some text that says 'A living sacrifice: the lamb of God...' Eggs were gathered at the monastic metochion. They will dye these eggs in the monastery and serve them at the table for Easter. In the frater, they became red, the color of Christ's blood. At home, people dye them with special coloring that we buy at the store. In the Monastery, people only dye them with onion peel. The Valday Iversky Monastery is one of the three that were founded by Patriarch Nikon. Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich had approved the Patriarch's idea and devoted funds for the convent from the treasury. The Monastery was built in the Athos architectural tradition. Even the frocks here were supposed to be similar to the Greek originals. Patriarch Nikon visited the convent during construction in 1654 for the first time. He declared Lake Valdayskoye holy as dipped a Bible and a cross all the way to the bottom of the lake. Oak gates have been here since Nikon's times, they were delivered here in 1653. The memory of the founder, Patriarch Nikon, was depicted through the Cathedral's fresco, right above the main shrine— the Iberian wonderworking icon, but with one curious detail. A monk: "Our Monastery was founded by Patriarch Nikon, that's why he's honored here. However, since he was consecrated as a saint, he is portrayed just like the other icons but without a halo". For Easter, monk Veniamin and Vladimir have decorated the Holy Sepulchre with flowers, golden daisies, lilies, and carnations. The monk: "There must be live flowers, no plastic ones are accepted". During the days before Easter, the brothers were humbled through hard work. The monk: "Take our Lord for example: he was swaddled in a manger, which is a peculiar example of humility. God has shown us the way." They prayed especially hard. Hieromonk Antonius: "For us, Easter is a gateway from sin to life. Life with Christ, life with God, and eventually, eternal life". Sergius, monastery worker: "Easter is in spring when nature blooms. It's like a resurrection. But, how will we enter this resurrection? With what heart, what soul? The Monastery is the place where you cleanse yourself". The lights are on beneath the holy icons of the Iversky Monastery, where so many prayers have been made and so many events took place. And, just like they've been doing for centuries, they consecrate eggs and Easter cakes once again. A clergyman: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". Visitors: "For us, Easter is incredible joy. Christ has risen, death was beaten, the gates of hell were open. We're awe-struck. -We're awe-struck in anticipation of the holiday. Yes, absolutely". - Christ has risen! Indeed, he has risen. The holiday of all holidays, the triumph of all triumphs, the sacrament of Easter night that brings rejuvenescence to the world. Vladimir, a monk in the Iversky Monastery: "It is an unspeakable joy that we're all with God. And there is so much more to come". Dmitry Kaistra, Anton Kasimovich, Valery Vinokurov, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, Gennady Mikhalchev. Vesti News of the Week.