Easter is the main and brightest holiday for Orthodox Christians. According to the New Testament, on this day Jesus Christ, crucified on Golgotha for the sins of humanity, rose from the dead. This event is the foundation of the Christian faith. We tell the story and customs of Easter that believers traditionally follow. When is Easter celebrated in 2026? The date of Bright Resurrection of Christ does not have a specific date-it changes from year to year. This peculiarity of Easter originates from the ancient calendar adopted by the Jewish people. The fact is that the crucifixion of Christ occurred at the same time that the Jews celebrated their liberation from Egyptian oppression-also Easter. Later, this holiday was named Passover, while Easter remained the holiday of Bright Resurrection. Speaking of dates, the old Easter-Passover-fell on the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Christians celebrate Easter after this celestial phenomenon, with the following weekend after the full moon becoming festive. By the way, the full moon and Easter cannot occur on the same day: if the full moon falls on the last day of the week, the holiday is moved to the next Sunday. The Catholic and Protestant churches use the Gregorian calendar, so here too the date of Bright Resurrection differs from the Orthodox, who follow the Julian calendar. The difference between them is 13 days. Orthodox Christians will celebrate the holiday of Bright Easter on April 12, 2026. Symbols and Traditions Easter is considered not only the main event in the Christian world but also a spring holiday for all believers. The renewal after the cold winter is symbolized by Easter streams, light-the Easter fire, and life-kulich and eggs. The latter symbolize life, as there is new life under the eggshell, and kulich, in its shape, resembles artos-a tall bread with an image of the thorny crown and cross. The Easter egg serves as a reminder of the Resurrection of Jesus and eternal life, while the red color-popular for dyeing eggs-refers to the sufferings and blood of the Son of God.