Changes

Pascha normally falls either one or five weeks later than the feast as observed by Christians who follow the [[Gregorian calendar]]. However, occasionally the two observances coincide, and on occasion they can be four weeks apart. The reason for the difference is that, though the two calendars use the same underlying formula to determine the festival, they compute from different starting points. The older [[Julian calendar]]'s solar calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian's and its lunar calendar is four to five days behind the Gregorian's. The Pascha date this year: '''{{pascha date|format=[[F j]], Y}}''', next year: '''{{pascha date|format=[[F j]], Y|year={{next year}}}}''', and '''{{pascha date|year={{in two years}}|format=[[F j]], Y}}''', the year after that.

Paschal [[orthros|matins]] begins with a procession that starts around midnight. The people leave the dark church building singing, carrying banners, [[icons]], [[Candle|candles]], and the Gospel. The procession circles the outside of the church and returns to the closed front doors. In Greek practice, the Gospel which tells of the empty tomb is now read. In Syrian practice, following the Gospel reading, the priest beats on the door and takes part in a dialogue with an interlocutor inside the church doors, crying out with the words of [[Psalm]] 23 (24): "Lift up your heads, O gates! And be exalted, you everlasting doors, that the king of glory may enter in!" In Slavic practice, neither of these rites is preserved. Next, the [[Pascha#Hymns|Paschal troparion]] is sung for the first time, together with the verses of [[Psalm]] 67 (68) which will begin all of the Church services during the Paschal season.

[[srmk:ВаскрсВелигден]][[ro:Sfintele Paşti]]