Russian Orthodox Easter in the US: Traditions, Kulich, and What to Expect

For anyone who has walked past a Russian Orthodox church on a Saturday night in spring and heard bells ringing at midnight, witnessed neighbors carrying baskets of bread and eggs, or been greeted with an unfamiliar but joyful phrase — welcome to Pascha (Пасха, pronounced PAHS-khah), Russian Orthodox Easter. Whether you are a member of the Russian-American diaspora keeping these traditions alive far from home, or a curious American neighbor eager to understand what your community is celebrating, this guide covers everything you need to know.

What exactly is Pascha, and why does it fall on a different date than Western Easter?

Pascha (or Paskha) is the highest celebration of the Orthodox Church, heralded by a service beginning at midnight on Pascha Sunday. While some Orthodox churches adopted the modern Gregorian calendar, others still follow the old Julian calendar, including Russian Orthodox churches — which is why the date of Russian Orthodox Easter often differs by one to several weeks from the date observed by Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians. For millions of Russian Orthodox Christians, Easter (Pascha) is the most important holiday of the year, rich with religious observance, ancient customs, and unforgettable foods — marking the resurrection of Christ and the joyful end to a 40-day Lenten period of reflection.

What happens during the Pascha midnight service?

After a contemplative Lent, Easter services begin just before midnight on Holy Saturday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Worshippers gather in dimmed churches holding candles while priests chant ancient hymns in anticipation of Easter, and at midnight, bells ring loudly as the clergy, choir, and congregation process around the church. One of the most inspiring moments is during the Saturday Vigil, when a priest takes a special candle and shares the light with parishioners who also are holding candles.

The Paschal Vigil culminates at midnight with the proclamation "Christ is Risen!" and the response "Truly He is Risen!" exchanged in various languages. In Russian, this exchange is: "Khristos voskres!" (Христос воскрес! — "Christ is risen!"), answered by "Voistinu voskres!" (Воистину воскрес! — "Indeed, He is risen!"). This custom begins the evening before Easter during the night service and continues for forty days.

How do Russian-American communities celebrate Pascha in the United States?

Orthodox parishes of all jurisdictions — Greek Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Serbian, Russian, Romanian, and others — celebrate the Paschal midnight service across the country, from New York and Chicago to Los Angeles and Houston, and many of these services are open to all, with non-Orthodox visitors warmly welcomed.

In Russian-speaking communities, especially in cities like New York, Toronto, and Chicago, Orthodox traditions are passed down from generation to generation. The Orthodox diaspora preserves Easter traditions beyond the former Soviet Union: churches hold midnight services, festive meals are organized, and children's activities take place. Even during times of religious persecution in the Soviet Union, people continued to bake Easter bread and dye eggs in secret, bringing them to underground churches to be blessed — a testament to how deeply rooted these traditions are in Russian identity.

Pascha lasts liturgically 40 days, from the Paschal night until the Ascension, and throughout this period, fasting is suspended and the greeting "Christ is risen!" is used at every service and every encounter between the faithful. The week immediately after Pascha is called Bright Week (Svetlaya Sedmitsa) — every day of that week is treated as a continuation of Pascha Sunday itself.

What is kulich, the famous Russian Easter bread?

Kulich (кулич, pronounced koo-LEECH) is a towering, cylindrical bread made with eggs, butter, sugar, dried fruit, and sometimes saffron, baked in tall molds (often old coffee tins) and decorated with white icing and colorful sprinkles — and the letters XB (for Khristos Voskres) are often written on top. The bread is usually blessed in church before it is eaten and sliced ceremonially at the table; its shape represents the domes of Orthodox churches, and its richness reflects the joy of the Resurrection.

This enriched sweet bread is made with some ingredients forbidden during Lent, making it highly appealing to those who have done without them during the 40 days leading up to Easter. In many communities, the priest blesses the kulich made by members of the community, and it is eaten for breakfast with cheese spread known as paskha and eggs dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Kulich is traditionally baked in cylindrical molds and topped with icing and sprinkles, and many cooks bake their kulichi in large coffee or tin cans lined with brown paper or paper molds.

What is paskha, and how does it differ from kulich?

Not to be confused with the name of the holiday itself, paskha (пасха) is a pyramid-shaped dessert made from sweetened tvorog (творог — farmer's cheese or curd cheese), butter, sugar, and sometimes raisins or candied fruits, pressed into a mold and often decorated with the same XB symbol. Paskha is eaten spread on a slice of traditional sweet yeast bread kulich, and it can be flavored with chocolate, nuts, raisins, candied citrus peel, or dried fruit, though a "real" authentic paskha traditionally keeps flavors simple.

If you want to explore authentic tvorog (farmer's cheese) for making paskha at home, it is one of the most important ingredients to source well.

What other foods and customs make up the Pascha table?

After the midnight service proclaiming Christ's Resurrection, Easter baskets are blessed and shared, signifying the end of the Great Lent — a forty-day period of fasting. The paskha is served alongside kulich, accompanied by vivid red hard-boiled eggs — red being symbolic of Easter and beauty — and the main course of the traditional Pascha dinner is lamb or ham.

Easter eggs are a major part of the Russian Easter celebration: as in pagan times, the egg symbolizes life, and to Christians, salvation and Christ's resurrection, with red-dyed eggs given to everyone as a gesture of love and a wish for a good life. The tradition of giving jewel-encrusted Easter eggs also began in Russia — this is how the famous Fabergé eggs came to be, created for the imperial family.

The festive break-fast table is rounded out with an array of beloved accompaniments. Pickled vegetables (pickled vegetables) add brightness after weeks of fasting; sweet spreads like varenye (варенье — Russian fruit preserves) are spread alongside paskha; and honey often accompanies the kulich. Easter is also a holiday for visiting friends and relatives. Hot drinks flow freely at such gatherings — a samovar of tea is a beloved centerpiece at any Russian holiday table.

One popular Easter game is egg tapping, where players knock eggs together — the unbroken egg wins! Children across Russian-American communities enjoy this game just as their grandparents did in Russia and Ukraine.

What should a first-time visitor to a Pascha service expect?

Orthodox parishes across the United States celebrate the Paschal midnight service, and many of these services are open to all — non-Orthodox visitors are warmly welcomed. Dress modestly and arrive before midnight, as the church fills quickly. Expect to stand for most of the service, as is traditional in Orthodox worship. You will witness candlelit processions, ancient chants, clouds of incense, and the electrifying moment when the priest announces the Resurrection. After the service, linger outside: parishioners will be greeting one another with Khristos voskres! and sharing food from their blessed baskets.

While Pascha is deeply rooted in Orthodox Christian tradition, many Russians also celebrate it culturally through food, family gatherings, and traditional customs, regardless of religious affiliation. This openness makes Russian Orthodox Easter a wonderful celebration for anyone curious about Eastern European heritage.

Sources:

• Russian Center SF — Russian Easter: Religious Observance, Traditions, and Festive Cooking
• Polyglottist Language Academy — Russian Easter Traditions: Food, Faith, and Festivities (2025)
• Boutique Orthodoxe — Orthodox Easter 2026: Date, Traditions and Meaning of the Feast of Feasts
• Palme School — Easter in Russia: History and Traditions of the Holiday (2025)