Western Christians, Eastern Orthodox Christians and Jews observed their most holy time of the year.
In a secular sense, it might seem unusual to see stores selling Passover food such as matzo, beef brisket and charoset along with Easter food such as lamb, ham and marshmallow peeps.
Spiritually, it's not that unusual. Passover, the eight-day holiday that celebrates the Jews' escape from slavery in ancient Egypt, started at sundown Monday with ritual meals known as seders and special prayers and traditions in Jewish homes.
Passover begins at sundown on the evening before the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which falls in March or April. Passover begins on a different date each year because Jews follow the lunar, not Gregorian, calendar.
Meanwhile, both Western Christians and Orthodox Christians spent the last several days in Holy Week rituals that started on Palm Sunday and culminated in Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Both groups of Christians will celebrate Easter today.
Read more here: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/04/orthodox_western_christian...
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