Religion

Sunday is ‘Pascha’(Easter) for Orthodox Christians

Alter boys and candles play a role during a service the weekend of Pascha in 2015 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte.
Alter boys and candles play a role during a service the weekend of Pascha in 2015 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte. Joshua Komer jkomer@charlotteobserver.com

On Sunday (May 1), more than 250 million Orthodox Christians around the world – including thousands in Charlotte – will celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Pascha (pronounced PAHS-kuh), the Orthodox churches’ term for Easter, comes this year more than a month after Catholics and Protestants celebrated this most important Christian feast day.

The Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity – rooted in national churches in Greece, the Middle East and Eastern Europe – follows a different calendar than the churches based in the West.

Tim Funk

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Sunday is ‘Pascha’(Easter) for Orthodox Christians."

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