Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter at Midnight Mass

(5 May 2013)
1. Wide of priests bringing the "Holy Fire" into the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
2. Mid of head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, lighting torch with Holy Fire brought from Jerusalem, lights at the cathedral turning on, zoom out of Kirill joining other members of the clergy in procession, pan right
3. Mid of worshippers with candles
4. Wide of procession of members of the clergy, Kirill holding incensor, UPSOUND (Russian) Patriarch Kirill: "Jesus Christ Has Risen Today!", worshippers repeating same words, pan left of procession and zoom in to Kirill swinging incensor
5. Wide of Patriarch Kirill swinging incensor, UPSOUND (Russian) Patriarch Kirill: "Jesus Christ Has Risen Today!", worshippers repeating same words
6. Wide of worshippers making sign of the cross
7. More of Patriarch Kirill and members of the clergy holding candles
8. Wide of Russian President Vladimir Putin walking up steps, followed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev with his wife Svetlana and Moscow's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin
9. Wide of Mass
10. Worshippers attending Mass
11. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Yelena (surname not given), Moscow resident, worshipper:
"It is a joy for me, happiness, renovation of life. It is like New Year's day for an ordinary person."
12. Wide of worshippers and members of the clergy after Mass
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of people gathered in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in central Moscow on Sunday for Easter Mass led by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.
The service lasted several hours, well into the early hours of Sunday.
Patriarch Kirill entered the cathedral and symbolically lit a torch with so-called Holy Fire brought from Jerusalem, as the cathedral lights were turned on.
The Holy Fire ritual, celebrated in Jerusalem the day before the Orthodox Easter, honours the belief that a Holy Fire appears spontaneously from Jesus' tomb as a message that he has not forgotten his followers.
The ritual dates back at least 1,200 years, and the precise details of the flame's source are a closely guarded secret.
The Holy Fire was brought to Moscow on a special flight from Jerusalem, but it was delayed due to bad weather in the Russian capital.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his wife, and Moscow's Mayor Sergey Sobyanin also attended the service.
Russian Orthodox Easter is being celebrated throughout Russia and at tens of thousands of Russian Orthodox churches across the world.
For Russian Orthodox Christians, Easter is their main religious celebration.
Orthodox Christians follow the old, Julian calendar, so mark Easter this Sunday, whereas Roman Catholic and Protestant congregations that observe the new, Gregorian calendar, held their Easter celebrations at the end of March this year.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...

[@gamingwithscottie1478]

I am Russian-American. I celebrate this holiday. 🇷🇺☦️🥚🐰

[@anniegrant9938]

Very high in spirit and inspirational

[@EmebetYirgalem]

Amen Amen Amen ❤

[@borisbadanov1257]

Christ is risen! Joyous pascha

[@fourogatos.-3399]

Μπράβο ορθοδοξοτατοι αδελφοί φίλοι Ρώσοι

[@isayashabitamu1487]

from ethiopia i wondar so much about easter cermony

[@Josuefons]

Χριστὸς ἀνέστη!

[@EmebetYirgalem]

I am for Ethiopia ❤❤❤❤

[@ROCdave5861]

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Divine Liturgy, which traces back to St Iakovos the adhelfotheou (St James the male relative of God), first patriarch of the Mother Church in Jerusalem, taught to him by our risen Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ in the 40 days between his glorious resurrection and his ascension into heaven. The mass is a much later, western service.

[@lehuynguyen8400]

Tardis Whovian Mass is equivalent to Divine Liturgy. It is a western term, true, but not later.

[@drinaldi2000]

The Mass of the Roman rite is rooted in St. Peter just as the Divine Liturgy is rooted in St. James. St. Peter composed the early version of the Roman Canon that has been used unceasingly since, though adding in lists of Martyr-Saints in its minor litanies.

[@ROCdave5861]

The Divine Liturgy was taught to St. Iakovos the Adelphotheou by our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ during the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension; edited by St. Basil the Great, and again by St. John Chrysostom.☦@@drinaldi2000

[@aleksandarstavric2226]

@@drinaldi2000 No sir , St. Peter did not compose anything (Blessed memory ) He was not very educated.

[@ТатьянаБондаренко-д7п]

???

[@пожалуйста-д2т]

Христос действительно воскрес☦️

[@bahijabaho2963]

Amin 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@elliotportner8020]

Great

[@kyriljordanov2086]

Vaistinu Vaskriese!

[@Switzerland_rules379]

For some reason, when I translate it, it says I am taking medicine in Vaskries

[@msy787]

أرادوا عثرة روسيا و لكن ويل للذي تأتي عن طريقه العثرات

[@CALAMITYGURULASTDAYS]

AP Reality check Orthodox Christians do Not celebrate Easter we celebrate Pascha (Passover) the Fulfillment of the meaning of the Passover lamb.

[@CALAMITYGURULASTDAYS]

@Straight White Male Please watch my 2 uploads I just did yesterday about Pascha. CHRIST IS RISEN! INDEED HE IS RISEN! Kristos AnestI Alithos Anesti!

[@RonaldTolar-pg8uh]

Do it again with more water !

[@RonaldTolar-pg8uh]

Do it some more !!!!!!

[@msy787]

يسوع المسيح يحمي روسيا شعبها وقيادتها

[@pravindave4194]

Uparkot fort,fuliya hanuman,gebansapir ,shops,fort,zoo,temples,residence aria,junagadh

[@silviaruhsen4666]

Oh, ny God

[@pravindave4194]

Visit,gujarat state,india ,many cities,talukas,villages ,

[@msy787]

أرادوا عثرة روسيا و لكن ويل ..للذي..تأتي عن طريقه العثرات

[@Rajko1978]

only Putin and Trump are the only two politiicians who still believe in our Lord Jesus Christ...

[@msy787]

الله يحمي روسي

[@silviaruhsen4666]

Da, da

[@johnmichalski5981]

We don't call it "Easter." We call it PASCHA!

[@Rudolph347]

But this is Russia

[@ТатьянаБондаренко-д7п]

Называйте как хотите, у насэто Пасха, Воскресение Господне🙏🙏🙏😊

[@anniegrant9938]

Would have love to have been there with Putin

[@AgustinDaulo-cs6jk]

Russia 🇷🇺 represent Baltazar, the 3rd Magis that offered the Myrrh to Jesus on His birth. Russian Orthodox Church will be responsible for preaching the gospel in Communist nations.

[@Carolus-Rex]

It's vigil not mass Don't use Catholic words

[@ehazebroek14]

Not easter but Christmas 😇

[@justiniand6a788]

Actually it is Easter. You can hear them shout "Hristos Voskrese".

[@msy787]

روسيا دولة لها أخلاق أمريكا دولة لا اخلاقية لذلك الاخيرة لا تخجل مما تفعله في العالم