This is a special year for Christianity, since the Easter Day (April 20) will be the same for all three primary divisions (Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism).
This happens once every 4/5 years.
Since the Eastern Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, their Easter usually falls some days or even weeks after the Catholic/Protestant one.
This is a special year for Christianity, since the Easter Day (April 20) will be the same for all three primary divisions (Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism).
This happens once every 4/5 years.
Since the Eastern Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar, their Easter usually falls some days or even weeks after the Catholic/Protestant one.
You made it read, a bit, like the Catholics and Protestants were using different calendars
It gets even more interesting when the Jewish Passover (Pesach), is in synch with the others; this is a strong reminder of the common connectivity about this spring observation and why it is most likely on this date -- too, for some hundreds of years a.c.e., spring was also the beginning of "the New Year.")
"The Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, which typically falls in March or April of the Gregorian calendar. Passover is a spring festival, so the 15th day of Nisan begins on the night of a full moon after the northern vernal equinox.
Hmmm. These spring holidays are either on the day immediately after the full moon of the northern vernal equinox, or the Christian Sabbath immediately following the first full moon after the northern vernal equinox. Coincidence? Naaaaaw
I will celebrate this Easter by listening to Bach's Matthäuspassion (Klemperer), Dvorak's Stabat Mater (Sinopoli) and Couperin's Lecons de Tenebres (Les Arts Florissants), among other things.
I've found staying up for twenty-four hours, ringing a Tibetan bell, and, for instance, putting Morton Feldman's Piano and String Quartet on repeat play (or any number of different pieces might do) a perfectly alright way to observe both the vernal / autumnal equinox and the winter / summer solstice.
I will go to the old midnight service at the local Orthodox church and hear the music there! I don't know what I'll do the next day. Marie Keyrouz' "Chant Byzantin" album is my favorite album of Paschal music. I might listen to Bach's St. John Passion, pagan though it is with all those violins and whatnot, just because I like the music.
On Good Friday, I will listen to Penderecki's St. Luke Passion. On Easter, I will listen to Bach's Easter Oratorio - and maybe, Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony.
For today I planned some of my favourite masses, that is Bach's Mass in B minor (Herreweghe), Mozart's Missa Brevis "Organ Solo" K 259 (not sure about the performers) and Guillaume de Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame (Peres/Ensemble Organum).
For tomorrow I have Bach's Saint Matthew Passion (Herreweghe) and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (Pierlot/Ricercar Consort).
On Saturday I shall not listen to anything.
On Easter, there is some time reserved for Bach's Oster Oratorium (Herreweghe of course!) and Handel's Messiah (Christie).
Good Friday: we listened to Vivaldi's Stabat Mater coming back from church. It never fails to move me. The music and the Latin words fit so sublimely with the deep emotions expressed. To see your child suffer & die, and yourself not able to help...
Remember, if you would, Christians & other minorities persecuted by hostile regimes, and all prisoners of conscience round the world.
I'm reminded of a story Ravi Zacharias told of meeting with a Muslim cleric who was responsible for instigating several suicide attacks. When he was ushered in to see the cleric, his aides told Mr. Zacharias he could only ask one question. Instead of a question, this statement came to him: "Until we receive the son God has provided for us, we will be offering our own sons on the battlefield of this world for possessions and territory."
The cleric was silent. But as Mr. Zacharias left, the man came to his side and said, "You're a good man."
Sunday will be full of activities - our church's Easter breakfast, the morning service, then having the family over for dinner - that I won't have much time for listening. But if I'm lucky and get up early enough, I'll try to listen to Telemann's Death is Swallowed up in Victory. That usually gets the blood flowing.
Easter: an old celebration of fertility, sex, renewal and spring traditionally symbolised by the rabbit (well, they "bonk a lot" as my mum says, but in ancient Egypt it was the hare which was the symbol!) and the egg. A tradition that has been around for well over 4000 (perhaps even 5000) years and common to MANY ancient religions each with their own goddess of spring and fertility (good old Ishtar has been mentioned already as the Babylonian goddess, and Ingélou has mentioned some other ones).
So, to celebrate I will go listen to some music associated with spring (even though it's actually autumn where I live.) Happy Easter everyone!
Handel's Messiah of course. Both the standard version and the Dublin version. I have a standard version sung in German coming in the mail (Richter), and I might pull out my 1751 version (all male, Higgenbottom).
also Rimsky-Korsakov Russian Easter festival overture
I love this piece because in this, you can feel the spirit of the whole Easter liturgy
I wish a Happy Easter to all friends in TC
and may Christ's resurrection brings peace to everybody's heart
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