On this day, April 27, Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter, the day when Jesus resurrected from the dead.

In Bulgaria, thousands of people went out in the night on April 26th to go to the nearest church and listen to the Holy Mass. At midnight sharp, when the mass is over, as is the ritual, the believers are asked to go around the church where they three times, with their candles lit.

There is a belief that if you have been a good Christian, your candle will not go out no matter how strong the wind might be, because you have no sins.

After all church ceremonies are over people gather around, exchange their colored eggs and carry out the ritual of cracking them.The eggs are cracked after the midnight service and during the next days. One egg is cracked on the wall of the church (and this is the first egg eaten after the long Great Fast). Each person selects his/her egg. The people take turns tapping their egg against the eggs of others, and the person who ends up with the last unbroken egg is believed to have a year of good luck.

Bulgarians have started the preparations for the Resurrection Day with the Great Lent. Following the fifth Sunday of Great Lent is Palm Week, which ends with Lazarus Saturday. Lazarus Saturday officially brings Great Lent to a close, although the fast continues for the following week. After Lazarus Saturday comes Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and finally Easter itself and the fast is broken immediately after the Divine Liturgy. Easter is immediately followed by Bright Week, during which there is no fasting, even on Wednesday and Friday.

Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which his followers believe occurred on the third day (counting inclusively) after his death by crucifixion some time in the period AD 27 to 33.

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