Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism

Christian Orthodox prepare for Easter celebrations

Posted on April 3, 2018April 3, 2018 By rayhanania No Comments on Christian Orthodox prepare for Easter celebrations
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Christian Orthodox prepare for Easter celebrations

Easter is a special holiday for Christians because more than Christmas, it brings Christians closer to their faith. Although both Easter and Christmas are commercialized by big business and greed, Easter resonates more. Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter after mainstream Christians, mainly because the Orthodox remain on the old Julian Calendar, not the Gregorian Calendar. It’s not only a difference between dates but also tradition

By Ray Hanania

There is one positive side to being Arab in America, especially a Christian Arab. It has less to do with the way we are treated by Americans — most Americans don’t see a difference between Christian Arabs and Muslims and treat all Arabs, mainly because of anti-Muslim racism, as being the same.

Of course we’re not. But when it comes to politics, although I am a Christian Arab, I consider myself to be Muslim by culture because Christian Arabs receive more support from Arab Muslims than they do from American and Western Christians who long ago abandoned their religious foundations in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and the Holy Land of Palestine.

It’s a sad fact that many American Christians worship images of Bethlehem, but ignore the reality of Bethlehem today, which means little to them.

The real benefit of being Christian Arab American is that we get to celebrate Christian holidays twice because of a 13 day difference between the Westernized Gregorian calendar and the original Julian Calendar.

Christian Arab Orthodox church icons of Saints. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Christian Arab Orthodox church icons of Saints. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Orthodox Christmas is celebrated two weeks after traditional Christmas. But Easter is celebrated a week after traditional Easter mainly because of the Christian ties to Judaism. Under the ancient Christian tradition, the celebration of Orthodox Easter must come right after the celebration of the Jewish Passover, which this year began on Friday March 30.

Sometimes the Orthodox Easter and the Jewish Passover will occur at the same time.

There’s also the issue of the full moon, which takes us way into an intricate calculation.

Although the majority of the people of the Middle East live in the Arab World, it’s actually very close to other non-Arab Orthodox communities and countries, like Greece. For many generations, the Orthodox Christian Arabs described themselves as “Greek Orthodox.” Arab Christians and Greek Christians were in one-step together on almost every issue. But that changed when the Greek Orthodox Church began cultivating closer ties to Israel, abandoning the rights of Arab Christians in occupied Palestine.

The Greek Orthodox Church and the Arab Orthodox Church broke up sometime int he 1990s over the sale of Orthodox lands to Israel’s government, which takes all lands and places them only in a trust for its Jewish citizens. So, even if you are a Christian or Muslim citizen of Israel, under Israeli laws, you have no real rights to land ownership. You may own lands but Israel’s government can take away those rights anytime they want, and they often do.

Arab Orthodox Christians often refer to themselves now as Antiochian Orthodox Christians, reaching back to the origins of Christianity which found refuge in Antioch following the crucifixion of Jesus in Jerusalem. Antioch is located in Turkey, the Ottoman’s. During the rise of Islam, the Orthodox Christians moved their patriarchate from Antioch to Syria. Many Greeks moved the Patriachate to Cyprus. (Orthodox Christians refer to their religious leader as the Patriarch, as Catholics refer to their leader as Pope.)

Under Roman rule, Antioch was considered the regional capital of the Roman Provence of Syria. Syria was a large area that encompassed most of today’s Arab World countries.

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church parishioners and officials including Father Nicholas Dahdal (3rd from left) join Sayidna Anthony in commemorating the Honorary Street dedication which took place in front of the church on Sunday, March 29, 2015.
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church parishioners and officials including Father Nicholas Dahdal (3rd from left) join Sayidna Anthony in commemorating the Honorary Street dedication which took place in front of the church on Sunday, March 29, 2015.

Of course, you can imagine that Christians, being persecuted by the rampaging Roman armies and by the Jewish (Hebrew) Pharisees, fled and carried with them the testaments of the disciples of Jesus, the most important being Peter and Paul. Of course, you can’t have two leaders, so the Orthodox turned to Peter while other Christians (today’s mainstream Catholics) turned to Paul.

Peter founded the first church in Antioch (which is actually called Antakya today in modern-day Turkey). He later moved the church to Rome.

At this point, you can try to follow all the rivalries and church splits but honestly, it’s too much minutia. However they ended up, Christians found themselves split into two main Christian churches of power, and then further sub-divided into different Christian denominations often reflecting who held sway over Jerusalem and Bethlehem in Palestine. (Although today’s Israelis would like you to believe that Palestine never existed, to Christians Palestine existed as a religious region and the heart of the Christian spirit for centuries. Oftentimes, travelers would write about visiting Syria and Palestine, the former discussing the culture of the Arab world and the latter in discussing the origins of the Christian religion.

All this confusion made it easy for Christian Arabs in America, like my family, to just accept what they could. And we rarely questioned the differences. The Greek Orthodox in my life at the time were as close to me as were Arab Orthodox. We were both Christians separated by a misguided mainstream Christian church, although we might go to the mainstream church out of convenience.

Yes, I was confirmed in the Protestant, Lutheran Church mainly because Bethany Lutheran Church at 90th and Jeffrey Avenue on Chicago’s Southeast side was closer than St. George Church in Oak Park, and more convenient. The goal was to strengthen the religion, not the piety of the church elders.

Easter as an Orthodox Christian

We would offer the same prayer as all Christians around Easter. “Christ has risen,” we would proclaim as a welcome among our Christian brothers and sisters. You didn’t have to be a religious fanatic either to wear your religion on your shoulder. Most did not all year round but did embrace this deeper Christian religious pride around the Christian holidays.

Easter was the most important because it symbolized the rise of Christianity and of Jesus, the Christ.

His Beatitude the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and the Greek Consul General leads prayer services at Jordan River, Palestine. Photo copyright Maria Khoury 2015. All Rights Reserved. May be reproduced with full attribution to Maria Khoury and TheArabDailyNews.com
His Beatitude the Greek Orthodox Patriarch and the Greek Consul General leads prayer services at Jordan River, Palestine. Photo copyright Maria Khoury 2015. All Rights Reserved. May be reproduced with full attribution to Maria Khoury and TheArabDailyNews.com

Easter was celebrated with red (or purple) dyed eggs. Meals would include traditional Arab feasts, but also Greek foods and recipes, too. For many years, Greeks and Arabs were very close. Mageiritsa is a Greek soup  of organ meats, lettuce, dill, scallions and egg-lemon liaison, which I never really liked much, but mom still made. We didn’t look at it as being “Greek.” We just looked at it as being Orthodox.

Children and families would also take their purple dyed eggs and have “egg fights” — One person holds their egg and the other one taps it; one says “Christ has risen,” and the other responds “Christ has risen indeed. The person cracking the most eggs gets a religious blessing of luck for the coming year. We didn’t use lots of colors for the eggs, just one, passion purple (deep red) … same color as the Henna they used for celebratory designs on women’s hands, sometimes faces.

Arab family dinner table, 1950s. Photo Courtesy of the Ray Hanania Family Archive
Arab family dinner table, 1950s. Photo Courtesy of the Ray Hanania Family Archive

Not everyone got to celebrate two Easters every year. We celebrated two Christmases, too, but because it’s so cold in December and January, you didn’t see the duplication of the holiday as much as you did Easter every spring. The duplication was more obvious because of the warmer weather.

My mom used to spend the night before and all day cooking. The menu would include stuffed grape leaves, spring lamb, stuffed zucchini, tabouli or Jerusalem salad, and of course, Arabian coffee that my mom would read the future from the grinds in the bottom of the cup and turn it over upside down on the cup saucer. Then, she’d have you push your thumb in the bottom of the cup after the read for a special interpretation.

Easter was always a lot of fun, especially because school was usually out for two weeks (not just one week like it is for many kids today). It was a big vacation break from school, plus, the weather was always nice and warm.

Arab Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter in America, about 1957. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Arab Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter in America, about 1957. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Although my parents put us in the Lutheran Church because it was close to the house, we would go to the Orthodox Church (originally in Oak Park, 1149 north Humphrey under Father Anthony Gabriel and later Father Athanasios Emmert). Today, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1220 60th Court, is headed by the Very Rev. Fr. Nicholas Dahdal, Economos.

It was along drive from Chicago’s Southeast Side to Oak Park in those days … but the Orthodox Easter celebrations were so much more magnificent … and often they church would have a Easter picnic nearby where they served roasted lamb, grape leaves and tabouli.

The Arab Christian experience in America is important because Arab Christians remain as the last real link between the origins of Christianity and the Christians who evolved in the Western World.

I just wish, sometimes, that Western Christians could see how important that heritage is, and commemorate it rather than turn their backs on it.

Christian Arabs continue to suffer, not just in the Muslim World but in the mainstream Christian and i the Jewish Worlds, too. The worst crimes against Christian Arabs take place at the hands of Israel’s extremist and secular government. It is Israel that is taking away Christian lands, like the lands belonging to my family between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

Supporting Israel without demanding that they respect the full rights of Christians is unChristian-like. But if you stand up for the rights of Christian Arabs in Israel, you must also stand up for the rights of Arab Muslims in Israel.

That doesn’t mean Christian Arabs do not face threats from extremists in the Muslims World. They do. But unlike in Israel, most Arab Governments respect and protect Christian Arabs. Christian Arabs have always been equals under Arab government eyes and often given greater privileges.

That’s my Easter wish. That Israelis wake up and confront the extremism of their government and push for a real peace, and that Western Christians stop ignoring their religious heritage and recognize that their hearts trace back to the Palestinian Christians as does the first acts of Jesus, a Jew whose sacrifice created the Christian religion, as complicated as it may be today.

Many of today’s Christians are Jews who converted to Christianity, embracing their Jewish heritage but also the Word of God through Jesus Christ.

So who are the real “Chosen people.” If you believe in Jesus Christ, the answer is simple, the Palestinian Arab Christians.

(Ray Hanania is a Palestinian American columnist, veteran political journalist and author of several books, including “Power PR” and “Yalla! Fight Back.” Reach him through his website at www.Hanania.com.)

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States - January 19, 2023
  • Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 - January 18, 2023
  • CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd - January 12, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Arab World, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Editors Picks, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, religion, Syria, Turkey Tags:Antioch, Antiochian Orthodox, celebrating Easter, Christianity, Christians, Greek Orthodox, Holy Land Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Orthodox Easter, Palestine, purple Easter eggs, Syria, traditional Easter

Post navigation

Previous Post: Mordechai Vanunu: Nuclear Whistleblower or Tool?
Next Post: Arab News launches 2020 vision, new identity at Arab Media Forum

Related Posts

  • Marine Le Pen, French presidential candidate
    Fillon Believes in God’s Providence, Marine Believes in White People’s Dominance Abdennour Toumi
  • Ray Hanania meeting Yasir Arafat when Hanania served as President of the Palestinian American Congress, 1995, in the Gaza Strip.
    Why Palestinians are willing to embrace Netanyahu rather than fight for their rights Bloggers
  • OECD holds FIFA responsible for Qatari World Cup-related labour conditions Arab World
  • Palestinian, Israeli, and International Activists March for Justice for Harun Abu Aram Arab World
  • People Like Them, a novel by Samira Sedira from Penguin Books
    Penguin Books releases Samira Sedira’s novel “People Like Them” American Arabs
  • ISIS and Al Qaida Alliance efforts in Syria Failed Ali Younes

More Related Articles

Palestinian Arab American Alex Odeh, with his children, was murdered in 1985. The killing has never been solved. ADC, Partners Call On House Judiciary Committee To Hold Hearing on the Assassination of Alex Odeh American Arabs
Two new Cable TV Networks targeting American Arabs launched American Arabs
Setting the record straight: Saudi women’s oppression Arab World
J Street proves commitment to true Democracy American Arabs
Future of Islamic State: Not Merely Religion Arab World
Annual Update for Vanunu Mordechai, Israel’s nuclear whistleblower and Captive Arab World

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme