This year, the Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates “Pascha” (Easter) on April 12, according to the 2026 Julian calendar.
At Pascha, Greek Orthodox Christians worldwide greet one another with a hearty “Christos Anesti! (Christ is Risen!) Alithos Anesti! (Truly He Has Risen!).” And in their churches, they jubilantly sing the “Paschal Troparion,” or “Christos Anesti” hymn, a stanza of the Divine Liturgy that celebrates the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ from death to eternal life:
Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling death, and to those in the tombs granting life!
As the congregation sings on, icons throughout the church illuminate the Divine Liturgy, and ignite sacred flames in faithful hearts. At Pascha, the “Anastasis” icon deepens their faith.
