YEREVAN. - The Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) is celebrating Easter today.

Easter is a holiday of purification, renouncement from sins and return to God. It is considered one of the most important holidays both in the Old and New Testaments.     

The Resurrection Sunday has become the basis of the Christian doctrine.

On that day people dye eggs, which symbolize resurrection and beginning of new life. The red color stands for the life-giving blood of crucified Christ.

Armenia theologian and philosopher St. Gregory of Tatev wrote the following on dyeing the eggs in red: “We dye the eggs red only on Easter Day, since the egg symbolized the Universe: the shell is like the sky, the envelope resembles the air, the white of the egg is the water, while the yolk is the Earth itself. The red color means that the world was saved at the cost of Christ’s blood. When we take a red egg in our hands, we proclaim our rescue.”

Easter Vigil Divine Liturgy is served in the evening ahead of Easter, this being followed by the Easter festivities. The Easter Mass is served in the morning.  

Greeting each other, the Christian say: “Christ has risen from the dead. Blessed is the resurrection of Christ.”