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Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter

Russian Orthodox believers celebrated Easter, also known as Pascha, on April 8

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Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill blesses believers as they collect traditional cakes and painted eggs prepared for an Easter celebration at the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow

© AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

Workers unload a huge traditional Russian Easter cake (paskha), a festive dish made of cottage cheese, butter, dried fruits and vanilla to enter the Guinness book of the World Records in front of the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow. More than 670 kg of cottage cheese, 250 kg of powdered sugar, 118 kg of butter and 27 kg of peanuts were used to prepare the cake

© EPA-EFE/SERGEI ILNITSKY

A young girl receives an Easter egg after Easter church service in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

A Russian Orthodox priest sprinkles Holy water as he blesses Easter food and believers prior to the Orthodox Easter holiday celebration at the Church of St. Apostle Peter in St. Petersburg

© EPA-EFE/ANATOLY MALTSEV

Russian Orthodox Church believers prepare their Easter cakes and eggs for blessing in Donskoi monastery in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/SERGEI ILNITSKY

Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Russian people hold candles lit from the Holy Fire from Jerusalem during Easter church service in Moscow

© EPA-EFE/SERGEI CHIRIKOV

Orthodox believers hold candle lamps during an Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

A spring festival held on Moscow's Tverskaya Street to mark Orthodox Easter

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

A spring festival held on Moscow's Tverskaya Street to mark Orthodox Easter

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Orthodox believers follow an Easter procession from the Cathedral of the Intercession to the Vladivostok central square

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

Orthodox believers follow an Easter procession from the Holy Trinity Cathedral to the Church on Blood in Honour of All Saints Resplendent in the Russian Land in Yekaterinburg

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

Eastern Orthodox churches, which observe the ancient Julian calendar, usually celebrate Easter later than Western churches. This year, Russian Orthodox believers celebrated Easter on April 8. Many Orthodox believers attend church liturgy at Easter, whether it is on Sunday morning or midnight liturgy between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday, families hold a special lunch consisting of eggs, cakes and festive foods. Traditionally, Easter eggs, hard-boiled eggs dyed bright red to symbolize the spilt Blood of Christ and the promise of eternal life, are cracked together to celebrate the opening of the Tomb of Christ. Get a glimpse of traditions of celebrating the holiday in Russia in this photo gallery.

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