After a fasting period of 40 days, the Catholics, including those from the Republic of Moldova, celebrate Easter on April 4. To avoid crowdedness in the context of the pandemic, the churches will hold more services than the previous years, in the open air, IPN reports.

Priest Petru Ciobanu, chancellor of the Episcopal Court of the Roman-Catholic Diocese of Chisinau, said Easter is the most important feast day during the liturgical year as it reminds of the central event of our salvation – the return to life of Jesus Christ, his victory over death. On this day, the Christians should go to church or should follow from home the religious ceremonies that will be broadcast live on Youtube.

According to the priest, the Catholics prepare to celebrate Easter with clean souls by confession. As the Orthodox Christians, the Catholics prepare Easter bread, red eggs and lamb.

The Passion Week ends in the evening of April 3 and the Catholic churches on this occasion will hold services. The Saturday before Easter is called Silence Saturday and rembers the day Jesus Christ was buried. The service on Silence Saturday at the Roman-Catholic Cathedral of Divine Providence in Chisinau starts at 8pm.

On April 4, four services will be held at the Cathedral of Divine Providence: at 9:00am in Polish, at 10:30am in Russian, at midday in Romanian and at 6pm in Russian again. According to Petru Ciobanu, three services were held the previous years, but this year they will also hold the evening liturgy so as to avoid crowdedness due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On some years, the Catholic and Orthodox Christians observe Easter on different Sundays as the churches follow different calendars.