by Nina Achmatova

The Russian Church is preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on 12 April. But for the second year in a row the climate of joy is overshadowed by the prolongation of the war in Eastern Ukraine. The parishes organize events and collections for refugees. Easter cakes to be sent to the Donbass. Appeals for a cease-fire at Easter.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Russian Orthodox faithful are preparing to celebrate Easter on 12 April. Most of the charitable initiatives related to one of the most important religious holidays of the year will be devoted to Ukraine and to refugees from the East, where the situation remains tense because of the ongoing clashes between separatists and government army and the non-application of the Minsk Agreements.
Yesterday, April 9, Holy Thursday was marked with the washing of the feet of the clergy, by Patriarch Kirill, "as a sign of humility, following the example of Christ", as explained by the Patriarchate press service, quoted by Tass news agency. It is one of the crucial events of the so-called Passion Week (Catholic Holy Week) which in Russian is also known as the Great Thursday or " Clean Thursday" because it is the day in when homes are thoroughly cleaned  and desserts and other dishes prepared.
At midnight on Saturday, when believers greet each other with the cry "Khristos voskrese" (Christ is risen), the Great forty day fast ends. The main function of the Easter Sunday is celebrated by Patriarch Kirill at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, often in the presence of the highest offices of the state.
Festivals and solidarity for refugees
It is the second year in a row that the Russian Orthodox faithful will celebrate Easter in a climate of conflict, because of the situation in eastern Ukraine, which in addition to the many victims has caused a million refugees. The Synodal Department for charity has organized a party for the refugees who arrived in Russia. According to Fr. Mikhail Zazvonov, pastor of the Church of All Saints - in Moscow’s Novokosino neighborhood (where the event will take place) – they will try "to bring people a little bit of “Easter joy": children will receive small gifts and team games will be organized, songs and dances for adults. Since September 2014,  the of Novokosino has had an active center of support for the people of Ukraine affected by the war, which has already helped thousands of refugees with all kinds of aid reports Interfax.
Also in the Russian capital is Easter cakes are being collected for the residents of the Donbass, the eastern region of Ukraine that is fighting for autonomy from Kiev. According to news agencies, the cakes will be delivered before Sunday by groups of volunteers.
Meanwhile, the special OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine continues to speak of a humanitarian catastrophe in different areas of the East, where the houses are in ruins, and store shelves empty. Mission spokesman, Michael Bociurkiw, has also called for a cease-fire on Easter Sunday, at least to allow the faithful to celebrate this holiday.

• russia
• ukraine
• conflict
• easter
• orthodox
• church