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Easter

Christians around the world celebrate Easter Sunday

Updated April 16, 2017, 4:23 p.m. ET
Chinese Catholic Bishop Zhang Hong, left, pours holy water on the head of a worshipper during a special baptism ceremony at a mass on Holy Saturday during Easter celebrations at the government sanctioned West Beijing Catholic Church in Beijing, China. China, an officially atheist country, places a number of restrictions on Christians, allowing legal practice of the faith only at state-approved churches. The policy has driven an increasing number of Christians and Christian converts 'underground' to congregations in private homes and other venues. While the size of the religious community is difficult to measure, studies estimate there are more than 80 million Christians inside China; some studies support the possibility it could become the most Christian nation in the world in the coming years. Officially there have been no relations between China and the Vatican since the country's modern founding in 1949 though in recent years there have been signs of warming relations between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Pope Francis that could possibly allow greater religious freedom in the future. At present, the split means approved Chinese Christians worship within a state-sanctioned Church known as the Patriotic Association which regards the Communist Party as its leader, not the Pope in Rome.
Chinese Catholic Bishop Zhang Hong, left, pours holy water on the head of a worshipper during a special baptism ceremony at a mass on Holy Saturday during Easter celebrations at the government sanctioned West Beijing Catholic Church in Beijing, China. China, an officially atheist country, places a number of restrictions on Christians, allowing legal practice of the faith only at state-approved churches. The policy has driven an increasing number of Christians and Christian converts 'underground' to congregations in private homes and other venues. While the size of the religious community is difficult to measure, studies estimate there are more than 80 million Christians inside China; some studies support the possibility it could become the most Christian nation in the world in the coming years. Officially there have been no relations between China and the Vatican since the country's modern founding in 1949 though in recent years there have been signs of warming relations between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Pope Francis that could possibly allow greater religious freedom in the future. At present, the split means approved Chinese Christians worship within a state-sanctioned Church known as the Patriotic Association which regards the Communist Party as its leader, not the Pope in Rome.
Kevin Frayer, Getty Images
A woman holds a duck while wearing a fanciful hat during the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival along 5th Avenue in New York City. The pageant is an annual tradition that stretches back to the 1870s.
A woman holds a duck while wearing a fanciful hat during the Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival along 5th Avenue in New York City. The pageant is an annual tradition that stretches back to the 1870s.
Stephanie Keith, Getty Images
Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity attend Easter mass at the Roman Catholic Church of San Francesco in the Libyan capital Tripoli.
Nuns of the Missionaries of Charity attend Easter mass at the Roman Catholic Church of San Francesco in the Libyan capital Tripoli.
Mahmud Turkia, AFP/Getty Images
People attend the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival on the Fifth avenue in New York.
People attend the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival on the Fifth avenue in New York.
Kena Betancur, AFP/Getty Images
Members of the Hungarian folk dance ensemble Lajta from the City of Mosonmagyarovar perform during Easter Sunday festivities in Skanzen open-air museum of ethnography in Szentendre, 10 kms north of Budapest, Hungary.
Members of the Hungarian folk dance ensemble Lajta from the City of Mosonmagyarovar perform during Easter Sunday festivities in Skanzen open-air museum of ethnography in Szentendre, 10 kms north of Budapest, Hungary.
Zsolt Szigetvary, MTI Via AP
A faithful wearing a white 'mantilla' over her head takes part in a procession on Easter Sunday in Jaen, Andalusia, southern Spain. On Easter Sunday, the women use white mantillas instead of black ones, which are used the previous days of Holy Week, to celebrate the Christ Resurrection. Easter is celebrated around the world by Christians to mark the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the foundation of the Christian faith.
A faithful wearing a white 'mantilla' over her head takes part in a procession on Easter Sunday in Jaen, Andalusia, southern Spain. On Easter Sunday, the women use white mantillas instead of black ones, which are used the previous days of Holy Week, to celebrate the Christ Resurrection. Easter is celebrated around the world by Christians to mark the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the foundation of the Christian faith.
Jose Manuel Pedrosa, EFE Via European Pressphoto Agency
Kids participate in an easter egg hunt held for fans on the Heritage Lawn prior to the start of the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Kids participate in an easter egg hunt held for fans on the Heritage Lawn prior to the start of the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links.
Joshua S. Kelly, USA TODAY Sports
Christians of Ethiopian origin attend the Resurrection Mass, at the Ethiopian Coptic church, in Athens.
Christians of Ethiopian origin attend the Resurrection Mass, at the Ethiopian Coptic church, in Athens.
Panayotis Tzamaros, AFP/Getty Images
A Cypriot Greek Orthodox worshipper holds a candle and prayer book outside Faneromeni church in the old city of Nicosia during the Easter Saturday vigil.
A Cypriot Greek Orthodox worshipper holds a candle and prayer book outside Faneromeni church in the old city of Nicosia during the Easter Saturday vigil.
Amir Makar, AFP/Getty Images
Fireworks explode over the Temple of Appolon in the village of Ancient Corinth, Greece, during the traditional celebrations of the Orthodox Easter.
Fireworks explode over the Temple of Appolon in the village of Ancient Corinth, Greece, during the traditional celebrations of the Orthodox Easter.
Valerie Gache, AFP/Getty Images
Armenian Apostolic Church leader, Catholicos Garegin II, right, blesses belivers celebrating Orthodox Easter at at his residence outside Yerevan.
Armenian Apostolic Church leader, Catholicos Garegin II, right, blesses belivers celebrating Orthodox Easter at at his residence outside Yerevan.
Karen Minasyan, AFP/Getty Images
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, center, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, prays during the Easter Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City.
Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, center, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, prays during the Easter Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City.
Gali Tibbon, AFP/Getty Images
A Group of French Tourist pose for a picture in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral as they attend the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival on the Fifth avenue in New York.
A Group of French Tourist pose for a picture in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral as they attend the annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival on the Fifth avenue in New York.
Kena Betancur, AFP/Getty Images
Macedonian Orthodox priests attend a midnight Easter service at the St Clement Cathedral in Skopje.
Macedonian Orthodox priests attend a midnight Easter service at the St Clement Cathedral in Skopje.
Robert Atanasovski, AFP/Getty Images
Orthodox believers hold candles as they take part in midnight Easter Service at the Gracanica medieval monastery in the town of Gracanica, Serbia.
Orthodox believers hold candles as they take part in midnight Easter Service at the Gracanica medieval monastery in the town of Gracanica, Serbia.
Armend Nimani, AFP/Getty Images
Greek Orthodox clergymen attend the Easter Sunday procession in Jerusalem's Old City. Thousands of Christians marked Jesus's resurrection on Easter Sunday at the Jerusalem site where they believe the miracle occurred, with some prostrating themselves over his tomb and leaving in tears.
Greek Orthodox clergymen attend the Easter Sunday procession in Jerusalem's Old City. Thousands of Christians marked Jesus's resurrection on Easter Sunday at the Jerusalem site where they believe the miracle occurred, with some prostrating themselves over his tomb and leaving in tears.
Gali Tibbon, AFP/Getty Images
Macedonian orthodox pilgrims hold candles and pray as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ during the Orthodox Christian Easter service at the 10th century monastery of St. John the Baptist 'Sv. Jovan Bigorski' near Mavrovo, around 130 km west from Skopje, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrated Easter, according to the Julian calendar.
Macedonian orthodox pilgrims hold candles and pray as they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ during the Orthodox Christian Easter service at the 10th century monastery of St. John the Baptist 'Sv. Jovan Bigorski' near Mavrovo, around 130 km west from Skopje, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrated Easter, according to the Julian calendar.
Georgi Licovski, European Pressphoto Agency
Believers light candle during the easter ceremony at St George Church in Istanbul, Turkey. The Greek Orthodox world celebrates their Easter day according to the old Julian calendar. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is regarded by Christians as their most important religious festival.
Believers light candle during the easter ceremony at St George Church in Istanbul, Turkey. The Greek Orthodox world celebrates their Easter day according to the old Julian calendar. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is regarded by Christians as their most important religious festival.
Cem Turkel, European Pressphoto Agency
Orthodox believers gather at the Trinity Cathedral to attend an Easter service in Tbilisi, Georgia. Orthodox Christian believers mark the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Greek Orthodox world celebrates Easter Day according to the old Julian calendar.
Orthodox believers gather at the Trinity Cathedral to attend an Easter service in Tbilisi, Georgia. Orthodox Christian believers mark the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Greek Orthodox world celebrates Easter Day according to the old Julian calendar.
European Pressphoto Agency
An Indian Christian girl holds a coloured Easter egg, in Bangalore, India. Christians all over the world celebrated Easter Sunday and Christ's resurrection from the dead.
An Indian Christian girl holds a coloured Easter egg, in Bangalore, India. Christians all over the world celebrated Easter Sunday and Christ's resurrection from the dead.
Jagadeesh Nv, European Pressphoto Agency
A priest leads the Easter mass in Damascus, Syria. Christians hold the customary mass celebrations for the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion on Good Friday.
A priest leads the Easter mass in Damascus, Syria. Christians hold the customary mass celebrations for the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion on Good Friday.
Youssef Badawi, European Pressphoto Agency
Christian worshippers attends an Easter mass held in a church in Damascus, Syria.
Christian worshippers attends an Easter mass held in a church in Damascus, Syria.
Youssef Badawi, European Pressphoto Agency
An Orthodox priest blesses pro-Russian rebels during an Orthodox Easter celebration in Donetsk, Ukraine. Easter is celebrated around the world by Christians to mark the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the foundation of the Christian faith.
An Orthodox priest blesses pro-Russian rebels during an Orthodox Easter celebration in Donetsk, Ukraine. Easter is celebrated around the world by Christians to mark the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the foundation of the Christian faith.
Alexander Ermochenko, European Pressphoto Agency
Swiss guards on duty prior to the start of an Easter mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, Vatican City.
Swiss guards on duty prior to the start of an Easter mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, Vatican City.
Claudio Peri, ANSA Via European Pressphoto Agency
Pope Francis waves from the principal balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica during his Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing at the Vatican.
Pope Francis waves from the principal balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica during his Easter Urbi et Orbi blessing at the Vatican.
L'osservatore Romano , ANSA Via European Pressphoto Agency
Chinese Catholics hold candles at a mass on Holy Saturday during Easter celebrations at the government sanctioned West Beijing Catholic Church in Beijing, China. China, an officially atheist country, places a number of restrictions on Christians, allowing legal practice of the faith only at state-approved churches. The policy has driven an increasing number of Christians and Christian converts 'underground' to congregations in private homes and other venues. While the size of the religious community is difficult to measure, studies estimate there are more than 80 million Christians inside China; some studies support the possibility it could become the most Christian nation in the world in the coming years. Officially there have been no relations between China and the Vatican since the country's modern founding in 1949 though in recent years there have been signs of warming relations between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Pope Francis that could possibly allow greater religious freedom in the future. At present, the split means approved Chinese Christians worship within a state-sanctioned Church known as the Patriotic Association which regards the Communist Party as its leader, not the Pope in Rome.
Chinese Catholics hold candles at a mass on Holy Saturday during Easter celebrations at the government sanctioned West Beijing Catholic Church in Beijing, China. China, an officially atheist country, places a number of restrictions on Christians, allowing legal practice of the faith only at state-approved churches. The policy has driven an increasing number of Christians and Christian converts 'underground' to congregations in private homes and other venues. While the size of the religious community is difficult to measure, studies estimate there are more than 80 million Christians inside China; some studies support the possibility it could become the most Christian nation in the world in the coming years. Officially there have been no relations between China and the Vatican since the country's modern founding in 1949 though in recent years there have been signs of warming relations between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Pope Francis that could possibly allow greater religious freedom in the future. At present, the split means approved Chinese Christians worship within a state-sanctioned Church known as the Patriotic Association which regards the Communist Party as its leader, not the Pope in Rome.
Kevin Frayer, Getty Images
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