Passover

Ljubljana/Maribor – Ljubljana Archbishop and Metropolitan Stanislav Zore held an Easter Sunday mass in the Ljubljana Cathedral to note that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is something that brought new hope and life. Masses of the Resurrection of the Lord were held in numerous other churches around the country.

In address on his facebook page President Rumen Radev congratulated Bulgarians on Easter.

"Dear compatriots,

Prime Minister Florin Citu met with representatives of religious denominations on Wednesday, to whom he conveyed that no additional measures are being considered on the occasion of Easter and the religious holiday specific to Ramadan, stating that the movement of persons on the night of the Resurrection, respectively May 1 - May 2, as well as on the night of May 8 - May 9 will be allowed.

In the town of Rakovski (southern Bulgaria), where the largest Catholic community in the country lives, today they celebrate Easter and will exercise their right of vote.

Citizens will first celebrate the holiday in the largest Catholic church in Bulgaria "Sacred Heart Of Jesus", then head to the polls.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on April 3 released a message marking the Christian holiday of Easter.

"I congratulate with my sincerest feelings our Christian citizens of various churches and groups on Easter, one of their most important feasts," said Erdoğan, according to a statement from Turkey's Communications Directorate.

Turkey's president shared Passover greetings on March 27 with the country's Jewish community.

"I congratulate with my heartfelt feelings our Jewish citizens on the occasion of Pesach, one of the most important religious holidays of Judaism," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a message shared by Turkey's Communications Directorate.

People maintain social distancing during an Easter service open for the public, as the Orthodox Easter was not celebrated by faithful in churches last April, because of a nationwide lockdown against the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Athens, Tuesday. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]

We celebrate one of the greatest Christian feast - the Resurrection of Christ. In the Christian religion of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated on the third day after being crucified and buried. The empty tomb was seen by the women who were visiting the tomb. Then Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and to the apostles.

He recalled that Easter is celebrated this year in "special conditions" and said that it is possible to implement social distance measures in churches, but added that the SPC accepts and will respect "the advice of the people who can tell us how to fight coronavirus infection".

The Greek government has doubled fines and included removal or car plates for anyone who travels without reason for Orthodox Easter this weekend.