Orthodox Easter 2015: Eastern Churches Mark Holy Day [PHOTOS]

Most of the world's Christians celebrated Easter Sunday last week, but the Orthodox churches of the world celebrated this Sunday with massive feasts and prayer to commemorate the end of Lent and the ascension of Jesus Christ to Heaven. Because Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar, they celebrate their holy commemorations on days different than most Christians, who follow the Gregorian calendar.

The Orthodox church is the third largest Christian church in the world with 200 million to 300 million followers. It is based mostly in Eastern Europe, Russia and the Balkans. Thousands of faithful descend on Jerusalem to take part in ceremonies and processions to mark Easter. Typically, the leaders of each regional Orthodox Church, like Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, preside over an Eastern Mass. They are often attended by heads of state and other political leaders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko attended services in their respective regional churches. Putin attended mass at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, while Poroshenko attended mass at Volodymysky Cathedral in Kiev.

2015-04-12T091307Z_621126774_GF10000056747_RTRMADP_3_RUSSIA-RELIGION — Believers take Easter eggs in Vladivostok, April 12, 2015. Reuters/Yuri Maltsev

Easter eggs are actually a religious part of Eastern Orthodox Easter and are handed out in the millions on Easter. In some Orthodox Churches, all of them are painted red to symbolize the blood of Christ, according to Demitrios Golfos, a pastoral assistant at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Mobile, Alabama.

2015-04-10T192559Z_169682281_GF10000055175_RTRMADP_3_UKRAINE-RELIGION — People walk under an installation made of painted wooden eggs, attributes of the Orthodox Easter, in central Kiev, April 10, 2015. Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko

2015-04-12T103159Z_1012139442_GF10000056822_RTRMADP_3_TURKEY-RELIGION — Imran, 3, from the Ukrainian Orthodox community living in Turkey stands next to baskets of "paskha" cakes and eggs during the Easter service at the Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in Istanbul, April 12, 2015. Reuters/Murad Sezer

2015-04-12T123532Z_483068142_GF10000056902_RTRMADP_3_LEBANON-RELIGION — Lebanese Christian sisters hold their painted eggs during Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations after an Easter service at St. George church in central Beirut, April 12, 2015. Reuters/Jamal Saidi

Many Orthodox faithful have been involved in the Holy Week ceremonies as well, which are similar to the Catholic Holy Week events held last week. On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians from around the world gathered on the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem for a large procession to commemorate the path Jesus took to his crucifixion. Others held ceremonies depicting the events of the crucifixion.