Stay Home This Easter: Zelenskyy Calls for Ukrainians To Watch Services on TV

12 April 2020 19:07

Traditionally Ukrainians eat Easter cakes during the holiday. This year, companies are offering Easter cake delivery to people's doors for free.htv_prod_adminadske

Most of Europe may be celebrating Easter on April 12but the Ukrainian population is mostly Orthodox, which means Easter for them willnot be marked until April 19.

Most of Europe may be celebrating Easter on April 12 but the Ukrainian population is mostly Orthodox, which means Easter for them will not be marked until April 19.

On Easter Sunday, many go to churches where they have their Easter food blessed with holy water. However, this year, the president has called on churchgoers to stay at home and watch church services broadcasted on TV.

“We’re currently in a constant dialogue with the heads of all of our churches. Western Rite Christians are already marking Easter this Sunday. We’ve ended up in this situation where we have to change traditions for the health and life of the people,” explained the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his address.

He noted that the government will do everything necessary to help set up the service broadcasts on TV.

“The government will do everything so that everyone would have the opportunity to celebrate Easter at home. I hope that all the church leaders will maximally assist us with this decision, as they understand the responsibility they carry for the safety of their parishioners,” stated Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which marks Easter on April 12, presented a raft of recommendations for holding Good Friday and Easter services during a quarantine. Orthodox churches in Ukraine said they’d be determining the correct course of actions “as the time approaches.”