Holy Easter!

Today is the feast of Holy Easter in the Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Constantinople). Most of the years, the dates for the observance of this holiday is totally different for the Eastern Church (Orthodox) and the Western Church. About once every six years, the dates are a month apart (this year is one of those).

My spouse, Aaron, and I enjoy celebrating both Easters. Aaron’s background is Roman Catholic and mine is Greek Orthodox so we double our joy by observing both on their actual dates. This magnifies our Spring celebration!

The Easter services in the Orthodox Church are essentially the same as those in other churches. Palm Sunday is still the week before the holiday following a period of fasting and prayer known as Great Lent. The bunny is typically a western creation but we all understand his fabled role. Easter eggs are likewise popular but growing up, we always decorated hard-boiled eggs dyed red only!

The epitafios is symbolic as the Tomb of Jesus and is bourne and honored in liturgical processions both inside and outside churches from Good Friday until Easter. It is venerated upon entering and leaving the church. The Icon of Jesus rests inside during the same days.

Above is the Icon of the Resurrection which is prominently placed at the entrance to the church sanctuary on Easter for the parishioners to venerate upon entrance and exiting.

This weekend, in the celebration of Easter, my spouse, Aaron, and I will have our condominium in Arlington, overloaded with guests to enjoy the festivities with us! Of course, we’ll be bare (naked, nude) while inside our four walls. Aaron and a cousin of mine, Michael, will make (an eight-hour process) and bake our very own loaves of the Christpsomo (pictured above) using my paternal grandmother’s recipe. I will be responsible for dyeing the eggs they will use. I need to make at least a small contribution towards the feast!

Happy holy Easter to all!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: Due to this being the fourth consecutive post here over the past four days (April 29: Arbor Day; April 30: Bottoms-Up!; May 1: May Day/World Naked Gardening Day; May 2: Holy Easter) the next post entry planned for here is for Friday, May 7, 2021, and the proposed topic is “USA: Mother’s Day!”