Holy Pascha — The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The date changes each year; in 2026, Pascha falls on April 12 (civil date).
Dates follow the calendar tradition used by this project. Parishes using the new calendar celebrate fixed feasts on different civil dates.
Holy Pascha is the central feast of the Christian faith, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its services proclaim Christ’s victory over death and invite the faithful into joy, forgiveness, and communion with God.
Meaning of the feast
Pascha, the Resurrection of Christ, is at the heart of Christian faith. Saint Paul teaches that without Christ’s Resurrection, preaching and faith would be in vain. The Church confesses that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and conquered death through His own death. His Resurrection reveals Him as the Messiah and Lord, while also proclaiming hope for the renewal of creation: a life in which God dwells with His people and death, mourning, and pain pass away.
Scriptural background and worship
The Gospels testify that the disciples, who had hidden in fear, encountered the risen Christ. They saw Him, touched His wounds, and ate and drank with Him; afterwards they proclaimed the Resurrection. The Paschal services begin near midnight on Holy Saturday. In darkness, the faithful process with candles, and before the closed doors of the church they repeatedly sing the Paschal troparion. The opening of the doors recalls the Gospel witness to the empty tomb and proclaims the triumph of light over darkness. Paschal Matins is normally followed directly by the Divine Liturgy.
Spiritual meaning today
A long preparation leads to Pascha: preparatory Sundays, Great Lent, and Holy Week. Repentance, reconciliation, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and learning the faith help make this a journey of the heart rather than a mere observance. The veneration of the Cross in the middle of Lent recalls that Paschal joy is inseparable from Christ’s self-giving. Throughout the Paschal services, Christians exchange the greeting, “Christ is risen!” This is more than a seasonal expression: it is a confession of hope and a call to forgive one another. Holy Communion has a particular place in the feast as participation in the life of the risen Christ.
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Sources: Orthodox Church in America