Uskrs Greetings and Lamb cooking tips

Christ is Risen, Indeed he is Risen!
Hristos Voskrese, Vaistinu Voskrese!/Христос Воскресе, Ваистину Воскресе!
Мәсіх қайта тірілді, шынымен ол қайта тірілді!

Christ is risen, he indeed destroyed death by conquering Hell through his death. This is what we have been promised through the Old Testament Prophets and the our beloved saints. Let us rejoice and be glad on how God truly loves us, the reason one sacrifice leads to the salvation of all!

And, if you will plan to cook any lamb/mutton dishes, better you boil the meat with coca-cola. OK, so some people may find it uneasy that I used coke, but you won't drink it nor let it be the soup of the lamb dish, but to soften up the lamb. Remember, lamb is a bit harder than beef although not as hard as goat meat; although both goat and lamb/mutton will be soften by coke. After boiling, you will notice that lamb/mutton starts to soften up, to the point it's tender like beef and pork. Then, remove the coca-cola from the pan and start your own Easter recipe.

Have a blessed and happy celebration of 5 Easter weeks!

Hristos Voskrese

Hristos Voskrese! Vaistinu Voskrese!
Christ is risen! Indeed he is risen!

I will make a reflection of the wonderful celebration of Uskrs or Pasha(pas-ha) during the liturgy. When I was serving in the Easter Liturgy, I am being anxious a bit since last year, I am like error-prone. Well, this year, I still have a bad left thumb, even if I can work and serve in the altar, I still have to wear a protective gauze to protect the wound from the elements. Yes....

But, thankfully everyone was energetic, me and my fellow altar servers were alert and very attentive and that God gave us the energy through the hours of waiting for his resurrection. I will tell something: with God, nothing is impossible! God destroyed death by his death and fulfilled his promise: to rise up from the dead. With that alone, the sign that he is truly, our God. The Trinitarian God that we always pray to, come for and dedicate our lives. So, every Uskrs, let's go, attend and be in one with God's true miracle!

During the reading of John 1:1-17, I read it on my own language(Filipino) with the proper church tone. Thankfully, I nailed it. And also during the preparation of prosphoras, even if I can't slice when there's people, I make sure to help them prepare.

And lastly, after the great Easter Liturgy, have a feast and conversation with the people there. I am still having a hard time speaking Srpski but thanks to my command of the English language, I won't have difficulties sharing my feelings about being an Orthodox Christian and the blessing God is giving me.

After 3 hours, everyone cleaned and started to go. I went with other parishioners and greeted everyone with the usual Uskrs greetings.

Hristos Voskrese, Vaistinu Voskrese!

Moj Iskrs Iskustvo-My Easter Sunday Experience

 

I feel blessed. I felt more than just earthly religion but most of all, the essence of true Pascha or Easter Sunday, away from commercialism and my troubles in life. I recently went to the Eastern Orthodox style Easter, it is like I am in heaven. I feel not just everything but I am with God. 

I felt shy because there are a lot of people there and I am the only one that is not yet baptized in the Orthodox church but it was honor that I am there. Look at the bright side. What is important in going to church is making us think that we are not alone despite the fact that we are feeling something wrong and also, it gives us the feeling that we are never giving up for God and our sake as well.

For a guy like me, it was like the feeling of a hope for the future, no matter how hard I have some personal issues.

We should not take it for granted because we are given the freedom of practicing our faith. We should look that this is not just a guide but also the way of life. We should thank God for the blessings and the forgiveness we are given because without it, we can't have that salvation or the loophole for our salvation.

Hristos Voskrese!!-Vaistinu Voskrese!!
Christ is Risen!!-Indeed he is risen!!

Hristos Voskrese +++ Vaistinu Voskrese +++

First of all, i would like to greet everyone a Blessed Easter. Christ is risen. Hristos Voskrese +++
We all know that after Easter, we can eat pork, do some stuff and anything. For me, however, our dedication and prayers to God should continue whether it is Easter or Pentecost or Dormition and Christmas. It is also important to know that being Christians, we know how Christ came from the tomb to prove to anyone that he destroyed death and rose up like how he made Lazarus rise up from his death in previous days.

One thing i missed is, the Holy Fire. The Holy fire that only the Eastern Orthodox Church can make every Easter Sunday. A true testament of God's miracle and power, not to mention the Snakes that protected the church in Kefalonia in Greece from pirates and every year appears at Dormition.

If ever i became an Orthodox and would be sharing the Holy fire with churchmates, it means that God works hard for us to know how he loved us even if we sin so much that is why we are being forgiven. No need to mention degrees of sin(seven deadly sins of the Roman Catholic Church) but the commandment of love and lessening our sins.

For me, Easter is the epitome of a new life, new life from a past sinful life and will live by God's miracle. A miracle that ensures us that we can do good, as long as we believe.