Russia, Ukraine Agree To Breakthrough 32-hour Orthodox Easter Ceasefire
In a huge and very positive development, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has announced a 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, which is this weekend. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has immediately confirmed that Ukraine will honor the holiday truce. “We proceed on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin then further confirmed in a statement. Pravoslavie.Ru Based on regional media reporting of the rare ceasefire, the pause in fighting will begin at 4pm Moscow time (13:00GMT) on Saturday and run until midnight on Sunday. This will cover the whole period of Pascha celebrations in both countries, which is done according to the Julian calendar and thus typically comes a weekend or two later that Western Easter (on the Gregorian calendar). The overwhelming majorities of both countries are adherents of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Typically in orthodox churches there is a long Saturday morning service, and then the main liturgy comes at midnight – going into the early Sunday morning hours, followed by feasting and breaking the …

