Orthodox Easter Message, 'Holy Fire', Photos From Around The Worl

May 5, 2013 Subscribe · Forward Orthodox Easter Resurrection: The Gift Of Liberation And Call To Compassion While many Christians celebrated Easter over a month ago as a result of differing calendar calculations, Orthodox Easter takes place much later this year, falling on May 5. Thus, at midnight on Saturday, May 4, the night that our fourth-century predecessor on the Throne of Constantinople, St. Gregory Nazianzus, described as "brighter than any sunlit day," some 300 million Orthodox Christians will swarm churches to hear the words: "Come, receive the light!" On that night, throughout the world, entire congregations previously waiting in darkness and filled with anticipation will light up, their faces shining with joy and hope. Together they will all chant in numerous languages, depending on geography and culture, the triumphant hymn familiar to young and old: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and granting life to those in the tombs."  Continue reading... WATCH: Orthodox Christians Celebrate Easter With 'Holy Fire' Meet Cole Jacobs, 19-Year-Old Yoga Prodigy Easter Greetings In Egypt: 'May You Be Well Every Year' Pentagon Debunks Reports Of Anti-Christian Policies Marathon Bombing Suspect's Funeral Parlor Is Prepared For Muslim Rites, Protests Supporting Jason Collins, Former NFL Player Testifies On Being Gay And Christian Sister Simone Campbell: What Makes This Nun On The Bus Roll? Atheist Churches Grow As Nonbelievers Find A Sunday-Morning Connection Smokin' Hot Wives And Water To The Soul Vatican Uncovers First Known Depiction Of Native Americans Sister Simone Campbell: What Makes This Nun On The Bus Roll? CHARLES J. REID, JR. Marriage Equality: How I Changed My Mind I long feared the confusion that might arise from marriage grounded solely on affection. How do we know what to honor as "marriage" and how do we distinguish that from "friendship"? I can now see that the boundary line must be the strength of commitment shared by two loving hearts. Continue reading... JIM WALLIS Six Months After Superstorm Sandy, Hope Emerges This week marked six months since Superstorm Sandy left entire communities devastated, families homeless, and many with little hope. But in the midst of this natural disaster, many banded together. One young filmmaker in New York, Farihah Zaman, caught that resilience and acts of service on video. Continue reading... RABBI DAVID SEIDENBERG Shmita: The Purpose of Sinai The whole purpose of the covenant at Sinai is to create a society that observed the sabbatical year. It is in a land where Shmita is observed that human beings will learn to respect the Earth herself, by remembering that none of us can own her. Continue reading... KEN WYTSMA Are We Talking Too Fast? Meaningful conversation has devolved to millions of people throwing around pictures, sound bytes and narrow conclusions on topics most are not afforded the time to study or reflect upon. Continue reading... SANDRA CHARRON Believers, Atheists, Why Can't We All Get Along? The energy and ardor we see flung with feverish force at the sight of certain key words would be far more beneficial if harnessed and used to rid the world of its eternal anger and insults. Continue reading... Received this from a friend? Sign up for alerts from The Huffington Post here. Unsubscribe here. Huffington Post, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003