Today Armenia celebrates the bright holiday of Easter. The Armenian word «Zatik» (Easter), probably comes from the word «azatutyun, azatvel» (freedom, to be freed) and means deliverance from suffering, evil and death.
Welcoming each other on Easter, Russian Christians say: «Christ is risen!» — « Truly risen!». Armenian Christians say to each other: «Christ has risen from the dead!» — «Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!».
The idea of resurrection is fundamental in Christianity. Its meaning is the transition from death to a new life, from earth to heaven. On Easter Day, the early church celebrated the crucifixion of Christ. From the 4th century, the emphasis was shifted to the Resurrection of Christ, which took on the main semantic load.
The specific day of Easter celebrations has long been a cause of debate. The apostolic canons require that Easter be celebrated forty days later, at the end of Lent. Eastern Christians, following the Judeo-Christian tradition, celebrated it according to the Jewish lunar calendar — 14 Nisan. In Rome, Easter was celebrated on the first Sunday after the first new moon on the spring equinox.
Due to the fact that Easter Day is associated with the lunar calendar, it is a moving holiday, and the date of its celebration may show discrepancies every year. The issue was resolved at the First Ecumenical Council, which decided that Easter « should be celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon, which occurs after the spring equinox».