Christians in Ruse are preparing to welcome the greatest and brightest holiday, and the fact that the dates of Easter coincide for Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox will make this day even more solemn.
For the eighth time since the beginning of this millennium, Christians of the Catholic and Orthodox faiths will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ together, BNR specifies. For the eighth time since the beginning of this millennium, the parishioners of the Catholic church "St. Paul of the Cross" and the Orthodox "St. Nicholas the Wonderworker" will be together, greet each other and embrace each other fraternally. And this will happen on a small street in Ruse, where the distance between the two churches is not even 15 meters.
The beginning of this joint celebration was laid in 2001 by the two priests Father Stefan and Father Walter.
Father Walter recalls that the idea came from Father Stefan, who in turn shared that the idea appeared quite naturally. The two are neighbors both as a place of residence and as a place of work.
Even better is that on this festive day the joy is also shared by the Armenian community, which comes to the small street, led by Father Dirayr.
However, the division exists and in order for the churches to begin to come closer, there must be unity between Rome and Constantinople. If this is somehow more likely, then every such attempt has so far been met with hostility by the Russian Church and the situation remains at a starting point and different calendars. Fathers Stefan and Walter from Ruse do not lose hope and explain the situation with wisdom.
"The Resurrection is one thing and the celebration is quite another. Over the centuries, this has gone through many ups and downs. In different countries, they were guided by different traditions and an understanding was reached, which later, when the Eastern and Western churches separated from each other, the holiday also separated again. We do not celebrate dates. We celebrate holidays, events, saints - this is what is important. This is what should be emphasized, this should be said", explained Father Stefan. And Father Walter added:
"When we are all together, it is much more cheerful, happier, better".
The fathers from both churches will announce the Resurrection simultaneously, although both hope that it will soon be possible together. The bells will ring simultaneously, and for us, Christians, it remains to show the most important thing - our love for our brothers and sisters, because Christ is resurrected for us. He did not command us to celebrate on a common date, but he commanded us to love each other. And as Father Stefan and Father Walter say - "let us remember that we are not divided in everything".