Easter in Moldova

So I decided that I should go to an Orthodox Easter service just to see what it is like. I had been told that the Orthodox faithful usually gather before midnight on the Saturday night. So at 11 pm I headed out to a nearby Orthodox church. When I arrived I was surprised at a very heavy police presence. This is not the main Orthodox church in Chisinau but maybe someone important is coming. This church actually also has a monastery associated with it and I had recently read an article about all their renovations and a new building for the monastery (a yellow building which you may see in one of the photos). On the outside of the church there is a plaque that says 'Cathedral of the Ministry of Interior Affairs'. Hmmmm... I wonder what that means... so different to be in a country where there is a state church. Especially curious considering the current elected government is the communist party. Aren't they atheists?
Anyway, I put my headscarf on go into the church and stand among all the other worshippers. In the Orthodox church there are no pews, just a bench or two along the outside and back for the elderly who may need to sit. There is a priest at the front of the church chanting and occasionally another priest comes through the iconostasis (I am told this is the correct word, not iconoclast, for the big ornate screen at the front, which has doors on either side that are part of the ornateness). The choir is in the balcony at the back of the church with responses to the chanting of the priest. One of the things I must say is that any time I have been in or near an Orthodox church I have been impressed with the beautiful choir music.
So this goes on for awhile and more and more people are arriving all the time. It's getting closer to midnight and there is a sense of anticipation. I notice everyone has candles and they are getting them ready. Then at midnight all the lights are turned off. The people stand in darkness and silence for a few minutes - long enough to reflect on the darkness of the tomb and the fact that Jesus died and was buried. Then at midnight the priest starts chanting 'Hristos a inviat!' (Christ is risen!) and the people all respond 'Adevarat a inviat!' (He is risen indeed!) The liturgy is repeated with another phrase that I didn't quite catch and then the priest holds up a candle from which the people can light theirs. There is a real scrum to get close to the front and have your candle lit by the priest's candle. I wasn't surprised when I smelled singed hair and a woman went past me with her friend batting at her head to put out the sparks. People were crowded together and candles were at all levels, including those held by children. I was surprised there weren't more accidents than that.
So once everyone's candles were lit, the priests headed through the crowd and led the procession outside the church. Fortunately it was a mild, clear, beautiful night. I followed the procession outside as they circled the church once, twice, three times. I was curious about the baskets that a lot of people had brought with them. Looked like picnic baskets to me. Being a good Baptist I figured maybe they were going to have a potluck supper after the service. I found out later that people bring their Easter food with them to have it sprinkled with holy water and blessed by the priest.
After three times the priests stopped at the entrance and there was more chanting and beautiful music from the choir. But not only the choir, the priest themselves formed a male choir that was deep and rich in their choral liturgy in concert with the mostly/all? female choir. (I have posted a video of this on the next post.) Eventually the priests led the people back inside. I followed and stood in there for a while but it was pretty tiring standing and stuffy after being out in the beautiful clear air. I wandered outside and sat on a bench next to a woman with a basket. I asked her about the baskets and she explained to me about the holy water and the blessing. She also told me that the service would continue until 5 a.m. Then everyone goes home and has a big feast and then they sleep all day.
I didn't stay. I left around 1 a.m. so that I could get up on Easter Sunday morning.
and go to my own church. On the way to my church I picked up one of our newest team members, Katrin. Nobody had told me that they changed the service to 9 a.m. instead of the usual 10 a.m. service. So we missed the children's program but we did get to see the Easter drama presented by the youth. In the afternoon we were invited to Sora Maria's for Easter dinner, along with the Brazilian family. Maria and her daughter, Antonella, served us lamb and mashed potatoes and salad. Lamb is the traditional Easter dinner here in Moldova. So tender... mmmm. I told them about the baskets at the Orthodox service. This food hadn't been blessed with holy water, but it was blessed by the Lord as we remembered the sacrifice of the Lamb of God for our salvation and celebrated together with thankful hearts the resurrection of our Saviour.