MAYFIELD - Hundreds of people sang and honored the resurrection of Christ at several area churches on Sunday to celebrate Easter under Orthodox Christians' Julian calendar.
Dozens of people packed St. John's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Mayfield and St. Michael's Orthodox Church in Jermyn for a Paschal Divine Liturgy.
Throughout the liturgy at the cathedral in Mayfield, people sang and repeated, "Christ is risen, indeed he is risen." Outside, meanwhile, dozens of baskets filled several tables set up in front of the church.
The baskets, brought by families and church members, contained items that included ham, paska bread, butter, cheese, eggs and kielbasa, parishioner John Shust said.
As part of the celebration, the Very Rev. Archpriest John D. Sorochka blesses the baskets with holy water, and then the church members go home and eat the food.
"Each food represents something, like the salt for the bitterness," Mr. Shust said.
The Very Rev. John Kowalczyk, pastor of St. Michael's Orthodox Church, estimated about 250 people attended the Pascha service.
After Pascha, he said the church continues celebrating the resurrection and ascension of Christ.
"We celebrate this day worldwide, and what made it even better was the glorious weather," the Very Rev. Kowalczyk said.
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