Two Easters?

Albania is a land of contrasts. It’s a country where a majority self-identify as Muslim, but whose national hero was a Christian. Official national holidays in Albania include Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramada), Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), Mother Teresa Day, Christmas, and TWO Easters!

In fact, to the best of my knowledge, Albania is the only country in the world to recognize both the Catholic and Orthodox dates for Easter as national holidays! 

“The Great Schism” in 1054AD divided the Catholic West from the Orthodox East. For most countries, the division was clear, but Albania was caught in the middle. At various times through the centuries Albania oscillated between Catholic and Orthodox rule. Interestingly, some Albanian church murals dated in the 1600's depict joint Catholic-Orthodox communion services.  Neither church had a complete foothold when the Ottoman Empire took control of the region, so Islam was able to take root much more fully here than in the surrounding countries that were also under Ottoman control. 

   

Until 1582, both Catholic and Orthodox churches celebrated Easter on the same day, but Pope Gregory VIII modified the Julian calendar in 1582 to try to re-align Easter closer to Jewish Passover and to account for the discrepancy between the astronomical calendar and the Julian calendar, by adding ‘leap year’.

While most of Europe gradually followed suit, many predominately Orthodox countries shunned anything considered Catholic, and chose to keep the original system.  Even after Russia and Greece officially began to use the Gregorian Calendar (less than 100 years ago), Orthodox churches continued to celebrate Easter according to the traditional Julian dates.  Protestant churches tend to celebrate Easter on the official date recognized by their countries of residence.  

Here in Albania most Evangelical churches are church plants from the United States and Western Europe, so we typically celebrate on ‘Catholic Easter,’ but we enjoy the chance to wish a “Gezuar Pasket!” to our neighbors on ‘Orthodox Easter’ as well!  This year the dates fall 5 weeks apart, but in 2017 they will be on the same weekend.

If you ask me, a story this big deserves two holidays!