How does the service take place in church on Easter? What time does Easter service start and end?

The festive Easter service may vary, just as services on ordinary days begin at their own time in each. But it differs from everyday worship in its special festivity. There are so many Christian holidays, but the most sublime and joyful is Easter.
The service begins around 11 pm. Its main part is preceded by the Midnight Office. Priests, Apostolic Acts and the Canon of Holy Saturday. At this time, the shroud, which was carried to the middle of the temple on the eve of the holiday, is carried away until the Ascension.

If you want to go to the temple for Easter service, it is better to come early. At night on Easter, a lot of people come to church: not only deeply believers, but also those who simply want to watch. If you are late, you may not get inside the temple at all.

At night, you can bless the food you brought with you. It is customary for Christians to bless colored eggs and Easter cakes. Some people also bring food that will be on the Easter table. Just don't bring alcohol! The Church does not welcome this.

Continuation of the Easter service

The Easter holiday service may have a different starting time in individual parishes, just as weekday services may begin at different times. However, this service differs from everyday worship in its special solemnity.

Despite all the changes in the modern world, it remains one of the main and most beloved holidays for most Russians. The church's Easter services begin a week before Easter. At this time, parishioners go to church more often. There is a tradition according to which the doors of churches are no longer locked a few days before Easter, so that any believer has the opportunity to visit the Abode of God at a time that is more convenient for him.

Easter services are held throughout Bright Week (until Saturday inclusive). A special day is Saturday on the eve of the holiday itself. It is on this day that Lent ends, and parishioners can already go to church so that the clergy will bless Easter cakes, eggs and other food for the festive table with holy water. On this same Saturday, there is an opportunity to remember your deceased relatives and light candles for the repose.

On Saturday evening, a night vigil begins, during which the laity go to the All-Night Vigil.

What and how to do in the house of God

In order not to bring confusion into the solemnity of the common service and to feel confident, there are some conventions that must be observed. The following rules will help you understand how to behave at the Easter service.

The Church is the abode of God, and therefore one should remember, no matter how long a person is there, his stay should be covered with reverence and love.

Stages and start times of the All-Night Vigil

The Easter night service is the most majestic and highly solemn of all types of worship. There is a belief that Easter night is the quietest night of the year. The white, gold and silver robes of the priests, choral chants, and the rolling sound of bells create a special atmosphere. The exclamation “Christ is Risen!”, which is sacred to every Orthodox Christian, touches the soul.

Easter night is marked by a festive service, which consists of several stages. First: bringing out the Shroud. It takes place on Good Friday at three o'clock in the afternoon - the same time that Jesus Christ died on the cross. Until the moment of removal, believers are prohibited from having fun, eating food and swimming on this day. After the laying of the Shroud in the temple, those fasting will be allowed to consume a small amount of bread and water. Then the following happens:

• singing stichera at the altar;
• procession;
• matins;
• matins and taking out artos (this is festive bread, which is then broken and distributed to the parishioners);
• liturgy.

Each stage of the ministry is important and under no circumstances is it ignored, since it has a special symbolism related to the story of the resurrection of the Lord. The night Easter service takes place just before twelve o'clock at night. The beginning of the Easter service is called “Easter Midnight Office”. After it, the Shroud, accompanied by the singing of “I will arise and be glorified...”, is brought into the altar and placed on the Great Throne, where it will remain for the Ascension.

Before twelve o'clock, three long strokes of the bell - Blagovest - are heard, which then intensifies the loudness of the measured strikes, announcing that the Easter holiday has begun. Then the churchmen sing three times, first quietly, and then louder, “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior...”.

Matins and procession

At twelve o'clock at night matins and procession follow. To the sound of the bell ringing, priests with a crucifix, banners, faces of Saints, incense and church lamps move in a procession from the altar to the exit. Banner bearers, singers, candlebearers, deacons and clergy walk in pairs behind the lamp, the altarpiece on the cross and the icon of the Mother of God. The final pair of clergy carries the Gospel and the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord. The abbot leads the way in the festive procession. Lay people carry flaming candles.

The whole procession goes around the temple three times. It reads “Thy Resurrection, O Christ the Savior...”. At the same time, a peal of bells rings out over the temple of God, announcing the good news: “.” The priests greet the laity three times: “Christ is Risen!”

The entire procession stops in the vestibule. The ringing of the bells subsides, and to the singing of “Christ is risen from the dead...” the priest sprinkles holy water on those present. Afterwards it is read “May God rise again...”, and the laity exclaim: “Christ is risen.” As soon as it sounds: “Christ is risen from the dead...”, the priest symbolically describes a cross on the doors with a censer, and they open.

The departure from the temple and the closing of its entrance gates are symbolic.

Christians are leaving the arch of the Abode of God, just as Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. However, our Lord, having shed his blood, again opened the gates of heaven for humanity. And when the doors of the temple open again at Matins, the gates to eternal life are symbolically opened for believers.

Continuation of Matins and end of the night vigil

The morning service continues as soon as the entire procession is back in the temple, where candles and lamps are burning in abundance. The great litany is announced, the canon is sung and the small litany is pronounced, the luminary “Having fallen asleep in the flesh...” is sung, the stichera for Praise and the stichera for Easter are sung. At the end, the Word of John Chrysostom is read out, symbolically recalling the meaning and significance of the Resurrection of the Lord for all believers.

Matins concludes with “Let us embrace each other...”. After this, the laity kiss the cross in the hands of the clergyman and kiss Christ (three times symbolic kisses) with the priest. Matins lasts an average of 90 minutes. At the end of it, Orthodox Christians greet each other with the Good News of “Christ is Risen,” kiss Christ and exchange Easter eggs. The next stage is the Liturgy, at which the troparion, ...”, ipaka, kontakion, dismissal are sung and the Orthodox laity are blessed. Believers who have observed fasting go to confession with communion.

In God's churches, where Easter services are conducted simultaneously by several priests, the Gospel is read in several languages. This also carries a certain symbolism: this is how the Savior’s commandment to bring the Word of God into the world is observed. This stage lasts on average 120 minutes. After the Liturgy, the laity go home, break their fast and celebrate Easter with their family and loved ones.

The all-night Easter service, with its reverent atmosphere, is designed to introduce believers into the sacrament of communion with the Lord.

Every Orthodox Christian believer who plans to visit church on the eve of Easter, and especially the night service, has a very good and true message. If you don’t know what time the Easter service begins and how it goes, then look for useful information in an accessible form in our material.

During the long Great Lent, forty days plus Holy Week, people prepared themselves spiritually, weakening their bodies, for the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. Holy Saturday has already arrived - this is the last day of fasting, but a very important and special one. It is important to know what time the Easter service begins and ends today in order to become part of the annual Resurrection and bring joy and good news home about the coming of the holiday from the temple on the night from Saturday to Sunday.

The Easter service is a very important event throughout the year; in 2019 it will take place on April 27.

Read interesting materials on the topic:

If you are going to a church service, then aim for somewhere around midnight from Saturday to Sunday. At this time, the festive midnight service begins. The service begins with the priest and the deacon heading to the shroud, which was laid in the center of the church on Good Friday and here it will lie until the Resurrection of Christ.

The Shroud is a symbol of the shroud with which the body of Christ was wrapped when he was taken down from the cross on Friday. It shows a full-length depiction of the Savior crucified on the cross. It symbolizes the time the Lord spent in the cave where he was buried and the shroud is located in the center of the temple until the moment when Christ is Risen, that is, already three hours after the start of the Easter service it will be taken back to the altar for the whole year.

Quiet hymns about the resurrection of Christ begin to be sung around midnight. Please note that at this time the Royal Doors of the altar will still be closed inside the temple and the priests will come out of the side gates. Then the stichera is sung and the royal doors are opened, the voice of the priest and choir becomes louder and more confident.

Procession for Easter

The Easter service continues with a procession around the church of priests and the entire congregation. This action is called a religious procession and is carried out to the sound of bells. At the beginning of the procession they carry a lantern, then an altar cross and an image of the Mother of God, followed by deacons holding candles and a censer in their hands. The procession is completed by a priest who carries the Gospel in his hands, and second next to him is the icon of the Resurrection.

The procession of the cross goes around the temple three times, with the congregation following the priests with all the necessary paraphernalia. Everyone stops every time in front of the closed gate on the western side of the entrance to the temple. For the last time, the ringing of the bells subsides and in this silence every believer can hear the most important words that she has been waiting for so long: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life (that is, life) to those in the tombs.”

How long does the service last?

So, the Easter night service begins around midnight and lasts on average several hours, ending around three in the morning. Decide for yourself whether to take children to church; after all, there will be a lot of people there and it is quite difficult to hold a religious procession for such a long time.

At this point the festive service ended and the Divine Liturgy immediately began. Many no longer stay for it - they hurry home to tell their family and relatives the good news that Christ is Risen, that fasting and sorrow are over and the long-awaited holiday has finally arrived, which will last not only on Sunday, but throughout holiday week (popularly called Fomina week).

On behavior in church during the Easter service and more:

• When entering the church at any time, you must cross yourself three times and bow at the door. Orthodox Christians cross themselves with three fingers of their right hand.
• Take off your gloves, for men it is necessary to remove your headdress, and for women - put on a scarf.
• When addressing a priest personally, you need to start with the words “Father, bless.” At the same time, the person should fold his palms crosswise and kiss the hand of the clergyman with which he blessed. Then you can ask your questions.
• On Easter night, the temple is the place where a special and very important sacrament is performed. Due to the large number of people this can be difficult, but still try not to stand with your back to the altar.
• If you decide to take children to the temple with you, you need to explain to them in advance how to behave there: do not make noise, do not run or be capricious, you are not allowed to talk loudly in the temple.
  Of course, you will need to turn off the phone, it is best to at least put it on silent mode.

The Easter service begins at midnight on the day of transition from Holy Saturday, that is, April 27, 2019, the day of the Resurrection of Christ. The service begins at 00.00 and lasts about three hours. After the religious procession, the morning Divine Liturgy begins.

Schedule of public services in churches.

What time does the early and late morning service in church begin and end?

Important: each temple creates its own schedule of public services! There is no general schedule for all temples!

Two liturgies, early and late, are served on major Christian holidays and Sundays in churches with large parishes.

The early service is held at 6-7 am, the late service at 9-10 am. In some churches, the time is shifted to 7-8 a.m. for early services and 10-11 a.m. for late ones.

The duration of public worship is 1.5-2 hours. In some cases, the duration of the morning liturgy can be 3 hours.

What time does the evening and night service in the church begin and end?

Evening public worship is served no earlier than 16:00 and no later than 18:00. Each temple has its own schedule.

The duration of the service is 2-4 hours and depends on the significance of the upcoming holiday. According to the Rule, Vespers can be daily, small and great.

Every day is performed on weekdays, unless a holiday with a polyeleos or vigil falls on them.

Malaya is part of the All-Night Vigil. The Great Service is served on major holidays and can be performed separately or combined with Matins.

The world is changing, and these changes affect, among other things, the Church Charter. Night or all-night vigils rarely last from three to six hours (for monasteries). In ordinary churches, the duration of the night service is 2-4 hours.

The night service begins at 17:00-18:00 depending on the parish Charter.

What time does church service begin and end today: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday?

The daily cycle of church services consists of nine different services. This includes:

• Vespers - from 18:00 - the beginning of the circle,
• Compline,
• Midnight Office - from 00:00,
• Matins,
• 1st hour - from 7:00,
• 3rd hour - from 9:00,
• 6th hour - from 12:00,
• 9th hour - from 15:00,
• Divine Liturgy - from 6:00-9:00 until 12:00 - is not included in the daily cycle of services.

Ideally, in every functioning church these services should be held daily, however, in practice, the daily cycle is performed only in large churches, cathedrals or monasteries. In small parishes it is impossible to ensure constant worship in such a rhythm. Therefore, each parish determines its own pace, coordinating it with its real capabilities.

It follows from this that you need to find out the exact schedule of services in the temple you are going to visit.

Approximate times for morning and evening services are given at the beginning of the article.

What time does Saturday church service begin and end?

Having carefully read the previous part of the article, you most likely noticed the fact that the beginning of the liturgical day corresponds not to 00:00 (as is customary in secular life), but to 18:00 (the previous calendar day).

What does it mean?

This means that the first Saturday service begins on Friday after 18:00, and the last one ends on Saturday before 18:00. The most important Saturday service is the full Divine Liturgy.

As a rule, Saturday services are dedicated to the venerable fathers and mothers, as well as to all the saints, to whom they turn with appropriate prayers. On the same day, the commemoration of all the dead takes place.

What time does church service start and end on Sunday?

The first Sunday service begins on Saturday after 18:00, and the last service ends on Sunday before 18:00. Sunday services are filled with the theme of the Resurrection of the Lord. That is why Sunday services, especially the Divine Liturgy, are the most significant in the weekly cycle of services.

Check with the temple you are planning to visit for the exact schedule of services.

What time does the festive service in the church begin and end: schedule

You can find approximate times for morning and evening services at the beginning of the article.

Each temple draws up its own schedule of public services, including holiday ones. There is no general schedule for all temples!

As a rule, the Charter prescribes the so-called “all-night vigil” to be served on holidays - a particularly solemn service, which in modern interpretation has retained the division into Vespers and Matins.

In addition, on the days of the twelfths and other major holidays, the Liturgy necessarily takes place, during which believers receive communion.

At the same time, each holiday service has accompanying texts and rituals unique to it, which cannot but affect the duration of the service.

What time does the Christmas service in church begin and end?

• 1st hour service. Time - from 7:00. Stichera are read about the fulfillment of the prophecy about the birth of the Messiah.
• 3rd hour service. Time - from 9:00. The stichera about the Incarnation are read.
• 6th hour service. Time - from 12:00. The stichera with the call to meet Christ are read, and the Gospel is read.
• 9 o'clock service. Time - from 15:00. Stichera are read. At the end they read figuratively.

• Depending on the day on which Christmas Eve falls, one of the evening Liturgies is celebrated: St. Basil the Great or St. John Chrysostom. Time: depending on the temple from 17:00.
• Celebration of the Great Vespers of the Nativity of Christ.
• Celebration of the All-Night Vigil of the Nativity of Christ. Time: depending on the temple - from 17:00 to 23:00.

There is no strict sequence in conducting the festive service. In large churches and monasteries, Christmas services (evening, the most solemn part) last 6-8 hours, in small ones - 1.5-2 hours.

Find out about the exact time of the service at the temple you are going to visit.

You can read about the folk traditions of celebrating Christmas.

What time does the service in the church on Epiphany Eve begin and end?

Services on Epiphany Eve are very similar to Christmas services.

On this day, the hours are read in the morning, and in the evening the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated. After the Liturgy, as a rule, the first blessing of water occurs.

Depending on the day on which Epiphany falls, the order of services may differ.

On January 19, morning and evening services are held with the obligatory subsequent blessing of water.

The exact time of the services will be told to you directly in the temple.

What time does the festive service in the church for Candlemas begin and end?

Meeting completes the Christmas circle of Orthodox holidays. The date of celebration is February 15.

After the solemn morning liturgy, the rite of consecration of water and candles is performed.

Be sure to check the time of the liturgy in the church.

What time does the festive service in the church for the Annunciation begin and end?

The Annunciation is celebrated on April 7. However, believers should attend the evening service on April 6. In some churches, all-night vigils are held from April 6 to 7.

On April 7, early and/or late liturgies are served with mandatory confession and communion for the laity.

What time does the festive service in church on Palm Sunday begin and end?

The date of Palm Sunday celebration depends on the date of Easter celebration and is determined according to the lunisolar calendar.

Festive services begin with the evening service and subsequent all-night vigils on Lazarus Saturday. Lazarus Saturday is the day before Palm Sunday. During the evening service, palm branches are necessarily blessed.

On Palm Sunday, early and/or late liturgies are performed, followed by the consecration of the willow tree.

The time of services depends on the internal regulations of the temple.

What time does the festive service in church on Easter begin and end?

Everything depends on the internal regulations of the temple. Be sure to check the time of services!

As a rule, holiday services begin on Saturday with an evening service (16:00-18:00). In some churches, after the evening service, a blessing of Easter cakes is held.

Then all-night vigils begin with a mandatory religious procession at 24:00.

After vigils and matins, the Divine Liturgy is served, followed by the blessing of Easter cakes. As a rule, the blessing occurs at the first rays of the sun.

In the evening of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, an evening service is celebrated. However, Easter cakes are no longer blessed.

Beautiful Easter greetings can be found.

What time does the festive service in the church on Radonitsa begin and end?

Radonitsa is a special holiday that connects the past and the future. On this day it is customary to remember deceased relatives and friends.

Radonitsa is celebrated on the ninth day after Easter Sunday.

The evening before, an evening service is held, and in the morning there is an early and/or late liturgy. A full memorial service is served either after the evening service or after the morning services - it all depends on the internal rules of the temple.

In addition, the charters of many churches require that Easter funeral services be held in city cemeteries.

More information about Radonitsa.

What time does the festive service in the church for Trinity begin and end?

The date of the celebration of Trinity or Pentecost depends on the date of Bright Resurrection.

Important: on the eve of the holiday of Trinity, Trinity Parents' Saturday is always held, the peculiarity of which is a special funeral service. This is a special Funeral Liturgy, after which you can and should visit the cemetery and remember the deceased.

The evening of Parents' Saturday is marked by a festive All-Night Vigil.

On Sunday, early and/or late holiday liturgies are celebrated. In many temples, bouquets of twigs and medicinal herbs are blessed.

Be sure to check the time of services directly with the temple you want to visit!

Tips on how to talk to children about the Trinity.

Goda will help you not to miss significant services.

Video: How to behave in the Temple?

What time does the Easter service in the church begin? This is the right question that many believers ask themselves on Holy Saturday. If you decide to attend the Easter service this year, you should find out in advance exactly when it begins in a particular church. Although, there are their own church canons, which all churches try to adhere to.

Important information about the Easter service

Easter prayers begin on Holy Saturday. Let us remind you that this is the last day of Lent, which always happens right before Easter. Each year, accordingly, the date of Holy Saturday will also be different, because it depends directly on the date of Easter. People gather for the service in advance and the onset of Easter itself is midnight, celebrated in the church. How to prepare.

On the night from Saturday to Sunday, that is, on the night of Easter, the Acts of the Holy Apostles are read in churches. They talk about how they witnessed the bright resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Saturday service ends with a religious procession, which is a harbinger of the morning service. The procession goes around the church.

The service in honor of the onset of Easter lasts, as a rule, from late Saturday evening until 2-3 o'clock in the morning on Sunday. If you plan to take children with you, then you need to be absolutely sure that during the long service they will not be capricious or distract the people who came to the temple to pray.

After the religious procession ends, this usually happens around midnight, and Matins begins. Then it goes into the Divine Liturgy, after which you can partake of the sacraments of Christ. If you decide to receive communion after the Easter service, then you need to confess in advance and receive a blessing from the priest for this. Of course, if you ignore these rules, no one will be denied communion. But we should remember that the true essence of this sacrament is to receive communion with a pure body and spirit, and not to turn everything into just a show for show.

Several important rules on how to behave during the Easter service in church:
Under no circumstances should you turn your back to the altar during the service;
Turn off mobile phones upon entering the temple premises;
If you take children with you, you need to make sure that they behave quietly, understand the essence of what is happening, do not run around and do not distract people;
While reading, the priest often crosses himself with the cross and the Gospel; it is not necessary to be baptized every time, but you must bow at such moments.
Every believer who is at a church service must be baptized with the words: “Lord, have mercy,” “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
You need to cross yourself three times when entering the temple, and also three times when leaving the temple.
During the Easter service, it is not customary to kiss each other three times and give each other colored eggs; this must be done after the service is over.
Clothing should be clean and modest. Women should not come to church wearing trousers and without covering their heads.
It is always necessary to be baptized without gloves.
Please also note that you are not allowed to speak loudly to each other or talk on the phone during the service.

Advice! It happens that a person is baptized, seemingly out of place. There is no need to worry or be nervous about this, because you can be baptized at any time and this, of course, does not contradict the general rules of behavior in the church. If the gesture was made out of impulse of the soul, then there is nothing reprehensible in it.

When does the service start?

So, what time does Easter service start in church? This is the most important night for every Orthodox believer, preparation for which begins on Thursday evening. On this day, Easter cakes are baked and eggs are painted. On Good Friday they do nothing; on Saturday they always go to church with a basket to bless the food. Then in the evening they return to the temple to defend the festive service in honor of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. How to cook .

As a rule, the service begins on Saturday around 23.00 and ends on Sunday morning, somewhere at 2-3 am. After the first hour of the service, a procession of the cross takes place around the temple, after which the priest announces to everyone that Easter has come and Christ is Risen.

During the evening service on Holy Saturday, the priests talk about what the holy apostles, who were real witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ, wrote. Divine services begin at 23.00, so by this time you can gather in the temple. After the procession, everyone returns to the temple, the service and prayers continue.

Of course, a worldly person who decides to spend the festive Easter night in church and take part in the Divine service must behave correctly. Rules of conduct that will help you feel at ease have already been discussed in our material. Be sure to read the code of correct behavior in church again so that only pleasant moments and memories remain from the festive service. What date .

Now you can figure out what time the Easter service in the church starts. The service itself begins at 23.00, but on this night many believers come to churches, so in order to get inside and take a comfortable place there, you should come to the temple in advance. Moreover, there is always something to do there: pray, light candles, think about the upcoming Easter, about what happened to you, to your spiritual life during such a long fast and such a long period of preparation for Easter.