The Christians from all over the world celebrate Easter or the Resurrection of Jesus this night. The Orthodox Christians go to church to take light from the Holy Fire brought from the Jerusalem Church of the Holy Sepulchered. From the Chisinau Metropolitan Cathedral “God’s Birth”, the Holy Light will be distributed to all the churches in the country.
At midnight, after the candles are lit, the parishioners together with the priest go around the church three times, singing “Jesus has risen”. The Paschal Vigil begins with the Midnight Office, which is the last service of the Lenten Triodion and is timed so that it ends a little before midnight on Holy Saturday night. At the stroke of midnight the Paschal celebration itself begins, consisting of Paschal Matins, Paschal Hours, and Paschal Divine Liturgy.
The faithful take red painted eggs, paschal bread, steak and other traditional food to the church to have them blessed. After the service, the faithful are allowed to eat sweet food and Lent is thus closed.
The week that begins on Easter Sunday is called Bright Week, during which there is no fasting, even on Wednesday and Friday.
