Orthodox Easter Day in Lebanon, a predominantly Christian holiday, is celebrated according to the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar that Western Christianity follows. The holiday marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is considered the most significant event in the Christian faith. While the date varies each year, it typically falls on a Sunday between mid-April and late May, following the Jewish Passover.
On Orthodox Easter Day, churches throughout Lebanon are filled with worshippers who engage in rituals and prayer services. These services often begin on the Saturday night before Easter Day, in a ceremony known as the Midnight Office of the Resurrection. Families would then return home in the wee hours to break their long 40-day Lenten fast starting with a traditional holiday breakfast consisting of festive foods such as Maamoul, a type of shortbread often filled with dates, nut, or cream.
The celebration of Orthodox Easter Day is not limited to religious aspects. In Lebanon, it's also a time for large family gatherings where Easter eggs, dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ, are cracked against each other in a custom called 'egg tapping'. Children play games and participate in egg hunts, creating a festive atmosphere. Despite the religious differences between western and eastern Christianity, the core values of unity, forgiveness, and renewal remain the same.