CHRISTIAN RUSSIA CELEBRATES EASTER VIGIL MASS AT THE SAME HOUR AS POPE BENEDICT IN ROME

The mass  was broadcast live on RT, we will put the video when it is uploaded. We couldn't announce the transmission earlier, because the place on RT frontpage was taken by a video report of a "dead alien" for many days. So practically they changed it with the link at the time the mass started.

The Holy Liturgy was celebrated by the Patriarch and a dozen of metropolitan bishops. Both Medvedev and Putin were present.

At the same time, the Pope baptized one Russian woman in Rome. Given her age, she presumably comes from a family with atheistic background. Among the other baptized adults were Peruvian,  Singaporean, and Chinese. It is not the first Chinese that the Pope baptizes on the Easter vigil masses.

The coincidence of Patriarch's and Pope's masses is possible only in the years when the Easter dates coincide for the Western (Catholic and Protestant) and Eastern calendar (Orthodox, others). It is a second year that it happens. Moreover, the Pope starts the mass at 10 PM Rome time, that is already 00:00 Moscow time when the Orthodox mass is celebrated. It is a good symbolism in that coincidence, if someone tries to find such symbols.

It happens with Jerusalem churches too, but there aren't direct transmissions online, so we cannot watch both of them at the same time, as it happens with Rome and Moscow for a second year. Notice that most Churches present in Jerusalem are Orthodox or similar Eastern. Only the Latin patriarchate there celebrates according to the Western calendar. Thus, the Holy Sepulcher basilica has 3 custodians: 2 Orthodox - Greek and Armenian, and the Franciscans for the Catholic church. The Holy Fire Nur is brought down to Earth on the Orthodox Easter by either the Greek or the Armenian patriarchs.  This is something most people prefer not to talk about. But according to Jesus' last prayer to the Father on the Last Supper, it is Jesus' desire the unity between the apostles and their descendants - the different apostolic churches, to be preserved. In our days - to be achieved again after it was broken in the history.