Catholic Christians celebrate Easter this Sunday, March 31. Contacted by IPN for details, diocesan bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chisinau, Anton Coșa, conveyed a thought of blessing on the occasion of the holy feast of Christ’s resurrection to all Catholic and Roman Catholic Christians in the country. “I wish everyone to be able to feel the feast both externally and internally, by getting closer to holy confessions and then to Holy Communion. May this joy not remain only in us. May we offer it to others and through good deeds give people a reason to be better. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed?” the bishop said.
The Easter celebrations began on Thursday evening with the 6 p.m. Mass In Coena Domini (Divine Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper). On this occasion, eight young people were admitted to the First Communion. On Friday, the only day when there is no Mass, the death of Jesus is marked by reading the passion from the Gospel of John, followed by the Adoration of the Holy Cross, since two weeks ago the crosses were all covered with a purple cloth. The people come and kneel before the crucifix, the Saving Cross. Later, the faithful who came to the church take communion.
On Saturday evening, the Easter Vigil takes place, beginning at 8 p.m., with the lighting and blessing of the fire in the churchyard. From this fire the Paschal candle is lit. From the Paschal candle the attending faithful will light their candles. Next comes the proclamation of the Resurrection of Jesus through an old church song, the Paschal Preconium, continuing with the Liturgy of the Word. Five texts from the Holy Bible, from the Old and New Testaments, will be read. After a short sermon, an adult who has been preparing for a year will be baptized and will be introduced into the church through baptism. For this purpose, the rite of consecration of water will be performed, after which the Eucharistic liturgy will continue as every Sunday. At the end, the resurrection of Christ will be proclaimed by singing. The blessing of Easter food will follow.
Four liturgies will be celebrated on Sunday at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Divine Providence in Chisinau. At 9.00 a.m. the service will be held in Polish, at 10.30 a.m. – in Russian, at 12 noon – in Romanian and in the evening, at 6 p.m. – again in Russian.
After Resurrection Sunday, throughout Bright Week, liturgies of the Lord’s Resurrection will be performed every day in the morning at 10 a.m and in the evening at 6 p.m., until next Sunday, when it is celebrated Thomas Sunday.
Orthodox Christians this year observe Easter on May 5.
