There is not a brighter and more joyful service of worship than Orthodox Easter. The service begins with a procession around the church with lighted candles in hand and singing: "The angels in Heaven, O Christ our Savior, sing of Thy Resurrection: enable us on earth with pure hearts to also glorify Thee." This procession resembles that of the women who brought the myrrh to the Savior's tomb early in the morning to embalm His most pure Body. Having circled the church, the procession comes to a stop before the closed main doors, and here the senior priest begins Matins (an early morning church service) with the exclamation: "Hail, Holy and consubstantial and life-creating and indivisible Trinity." Then all the priests and deacons, like the angel who announced Christ's resurrection, sing thrice: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the graves bestowing life." Their singing is responded to by a chorus. The senior priest proclaims the prophetic verses of the psalm "Let God arise and His enemies disperse." The choir completes every verse with the troparion:"Christ is risen." The deacon repeats the beginning of the troparion "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death," and the choir ends it: "And on those in the graves bestowing life."

At this time the main door of the temple is opened, everyone enters the church, and the deacon proclaims the great Litany. (short petitions with the singing of "Lord, have mercy" This is followed by a triumphal chanting of the Easter canon "The Resurrection Day" composed by Saint John of Damascus. During the singing of the canon, the priests and deacons cense the entire church and greet the congregation with the words: "Christ is risen!" To which all respond:"Truly, He is risen!"

At the end of Matins, the inspiring sermon of Saint John Chrysostom is read which begins with the words "Whoever is devout …" Hours are not read but are replaced by the chanting of Paschal hymns. The Liturgy begins right after Matins. Instead of the usual psalms, special antiphons (short prayers with verses) are sung; instead of the Trisagion is sung "As many as have been baptized in Christ." The gospel is read about the everlasting birth of the Son of God from God the Father and the Divinity of Jesus Christ, God the Word (John. 1:1-17), which He has proved through His glorious resurrection. When several priests are present at the service, the Gospel is read in several languages. This reminds us that after Christ's resurrection the Apostles preached to different nations in their native languages.

Instead of the usual song glorifying the Virgin Mary, the following two prayers are sung:

Behind the ambon the arthos (holy bread) is consecrated. This is a special bread with an icon depicting Christ's resurrection. At a following service the arthos is broken into pieces and given to the believers to remind them of the resurrected Christ who appeared to the disciples Luke and Cleophas, on their way to Emmaus, and was recognized by them after His breaking of the bread. On the first day of Holy Easter there are consecrated eggs, cheese and butter, and sweet loaves with which believers break their fasting.

During the Easter days all believers greet each other with a brotherly kiss and the words "Christ is risen!" and exchange their colored eggs, which symbolize the resurrection. Throughout the whole Easter week the holy gates stay open as a sign that the resurrection of Christ has opened for everybody the entrance into heaven. Beginning with the first day of Holy Easter up until the Vespers of the Holy Trinity celebration (for 50 days) one should not make a full prostration.