Today, April 12, Orthodox believers in the Republic of Belarus celebrate the Bright Resurrection of Christ – Easter, the main Christian holiday.
«Dear colleagues, faculty, and students of the Belarusian National Technical University!
I heartily congratulate you on the bright holiday of Easter – a holiday of hope, rebirth, and spiritual renewal! It strengthens our confidence that human love and warmth of spirit are the key to universal well-being and happiness. The Resurrection of Christ unites people from generation to generation, inspiring them to demonstrate kindness, mercy, mutual understanding, and sincere care for their neighbors.
These moral guidelines are especially important in the modern world and resonate strongly in our society, where tradition blends with innovation, and respect for humanity underpins progress.
Easter Sunday embodies deep spiritual traditions that have shaped the moral foundations of Belarusians for centuries. Faith, respect for ancestors, veneration of family values, and the pursuit of spiritual growth are all inextricably linked to Easter customs. By passing them down from generation to generation, we preserve moral guidelines: the ability to forgive, a willingness to help, responsibility for one's actions, and love for one's neighbor. These values become a solid foundation that helps a person maintain inner strength in any situation.
On these bright spring days, everyone strives to surround their family and friends with care, share the joy of the holiday with them, and give them the warmth of spiritual connection. Easter unites people, inspiring creative work and new achievements for the benefit of their Fatherland.
May the Holy Easter holiday bring joy, peace, and prosperity to your homes, strengthen your faith in your own strength, and inspire you to new achievements for the benefit of our homeland and the Belarusian people. I wish you and your families good health, peace of mind, family happiness, and success in all your endeavors!
Rector
S. V. Kharitonchik»
History of the holiday
The Bright Resurrection of Christ is the main event of the church year for all Christians. This celebration symbolizes the victory of life over death and good over evil. The date of the celebration changes annually, as it is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar: it falls on the first Sunday after the spring full moon, but not before the Jewish Passover.
The current approach to determining the date was established in 325 at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. According to the New Testament, the crucifixion of the Savior occurred during the preparation for the Jewish Passover. On the third day after the burial of the myrrh-bearing women, the tomb was found empty, and later Christ appeared alive to them and the disciples.
The holiday is preceded by Lent—the longest and most strict fast in the church calendar. It lasts 48 days and helps believers spiritually prepare for the celebration.
Easter traditions in Belarus have a thousand-year history and are carefully preserved to this day. Painted eggs, a symbol of new life, continue to hold special significance in folk life. Natural dyes are often used today to color them: herbal infusions create a green hue, while onion skins create a deep, dark red. If patterns are applied to the surface with a fine needle, these eggs are called "skrobanki." In former times, on the holiday, volochebniki (traditional Easter eggs) would make their way around village courtyards singing congratulatory songs. Today, as centuries ago, after church services, the entire family gathers around the table, beginning the meal with a blessed egg.
The significance of this event is so great that the Church celebrates it for forty days. The first week, Bright Week, is especially rich, with daily services held according to the festive rite. Radunitsa falls on the second week after the Resurrection of Christ: on this day, people visit cemeteries to visit and honor the memory of deceased loved ones.
Today, this day is included in the official calendar of national holidays and is widely celebrated throughout Belarus. Throughout the Easter season, believers greet each other with the words, "Christ is risen!" – "He is risen indeed!"
BNTU on this day
At the Belarusian National Technical University, Easter Sunday is not only a time of spiritual renewal but also an opportunity for creativity and lively communication.
A well-deserved tradition at the university is the "Joy of Easter" exhibition, where students present works of decorative and applied art imbued with holiday symbols and folk motifs. Every year, the exhibition attracts the attention of guests and university staff, reminding them that the beauty of handicrafts is in keeping with the spirit of celebration.
A special event in the lead-up to the holiday is the visit of the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus to BNTU. This tradition began during the time of Metropolitan Filaret, who visited the university annually for many years. Today, it is continued by Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl. Visits by this high-ranking guest always become significant events: from the consecration of the BNTU Spiritual and Educational Center to participation in open dialogues where questions of faith, historical memory, and the moral choices of young people are discussed in a lively format.
These days at BNTU also become a time of warm encounters and reflection. The university regularly hosts discussions with representatives of the Orthodox clergy, during which students and staff learn about the history of the holiday and its moral significance. This interaction reflects BNTU's long-standing close cooperation with the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
This celebration within the walls of a technical university is a reminder that spiritual values and respect for ancestral traditions are an integral part of the development of a true specialist and citizen.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
