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Christians Around the World Celebrate Easter

Pope Francis walks past flowers as he celebrates the Easter Mass, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
1/15 Pope Francis walks past flowers as he celebrates the Easter Mass, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
A view of St. Peter's Square during Easter Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
2/15 A view of St. Peter's Square during Easter Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
Priests lead the Christian Orthodox Easter service at the 10th century St. John the Baptist Monastery near Mavrovo, west of Macedonia's capital Skopje, April 16, 2017.
3/15 Priests lead the Christian Orthodox Easter service at the 10th century St. John the Baptist Monastery near Mavrovo, west of Macedonia's capital Skopje, April 16, 2017.
Orthodox nuns attend the Christian Orthodox Easter service at the 10th century St. John the Baptist Monastery near Mavrovo, west of Macedonia's capital Skopje, April 16, 2017.
4/15 Orthodox nuns attend the Christian Orthodox Easter service at the 10th century St. John the Baptist Monastery near Mavrovo, west of Macedonia's capital Skopje, April 16, 2017.
Catholics take part in the Procession of Lights, as part of the Holy Week celebration in Nahuizalco, El Salvador, April 15, 2017.
5/15 Catholics take part in the Procession of Lights, as part of the Holy Week celebration in Nahuizalco, El Salvador, April 15, 2017.
A child walks between huge Easter eggs at a fair in Bucharest, Romania. Ahead of Easter, celebrated by both Orthodox and Catholic believers April 16, an Easter fair was set up outside the palace built by late Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu.
6/15 A child walks between huge Easter eggs at a fair in Bucharest, Romania. Ahead of Easter, celebrated by both Orthodox and Catholic believers April 16, an Easter fair was set up outside the palace built by late Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu.
An egg-shaped figure is placed to mark Orthodox Easter in front of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, April 16, 2017.
7/15 An egg-shaped figure is placed to mark Orthodox Easter in front of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, April 16, 2017.
Braving the wind, Catholic devotees carry gonfalons during Easter rites in Novogrudok, 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the capital Minsk, Belarus, April 16, 2017.
8/15 Braving the wind, Catholic devotees carry gonfalons during Easter rites in Novogrudok, 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the capital Minsk, Belarus, April 16, 2017.
Ukrainian Orthodox faithful light candles from the Holy Fire brought from Jerusalem in St. Volodymyr Cathedral during the ceremony of the Holy Fire in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 15, 2017. The Holy Fire ceremony is part of Orthodox Easter rituals and the flame symbolizes the resurrection of Christ in a ceremony dating back to the 12th century.
9/15 Ukrainian Orthodox faithful light candles from the Holy Fire brought from Jerusalem in St. Volodymyr Cathedral during the ceremony of the Holy Fire in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 15, 2017. The Holy Fire ceremony is part of Orthodox Easter rituals and the flame symbolizes the resurrection of Christ in a ceremony dating back to the 12th century.
Kosovo Serb Orthodox woman holds her baby during an Easter vigil mass in the monastery of Gracanica during an Easter service, Kosovo, April 16, 2017.
10/15 Kosovo Serb Orthodox woman holds her baby during an Easter vigil mass in the monastery of Gracanica during an Easter service, Kosovo, April 16, 2017.
A Kosovo Serb Οrthodox woman attends Easter mass in the monastery of Gracanica during an Easter service, Kosovo, April 16, 2017.
11/15 A Kosovo Serb Οrthodox woman attends Easter mass in the monastery of Gracanica during an Easter service, Kosovo, April 16, 2017.
Lithuanian Orthodox believers hold candles and pray during an Easter vigil mass in the Prechistensky, the Cathedral Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, April 15, 2017.
12/15 Lithuanian Orthodox believers hold candles and pray during an Easter vigil mass in the Prechistensky, the Cathedral Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, April 15, 2017.
Patriarch Kirill (left), the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Vladimir Yakunin (right), chairman of the board of trustees of St. Andrew the First-Called foundation, attend the Orthodox Easter service at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow,
13/15 Patriarch Kirill (left), the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Vladimir Yakunin (right), chairman of the board of trustees of St. Andrew the First-Called foundation, attend the Orthodox Easter service at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow,
Egyptian Coptic Pope Tawadros II leads prayers during the Easter Eve service at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt, April 15, 2017.
14/15 Egyptian Coptic Pope Tawadros II leads prayers during the Easter Eve service at St. Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, Egypt, April 15, 2017.
Two cardinals shelter from the rain as they attend Easter Mass, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
15/15 Two cardinals shelter from the rain as they attend Easter Mass, in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, April 16, 2017.
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Christians around the world Sunday celebrate Easter — the day they believe Jesus rose from the dead. It is the holiest day of the Christian calendar.

Easter is Christianity’s “moveable feast,” falling on a different date each year. Western Christian churches celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox.

Easter marks the end of Holy Week, which is the week before Easter and includes Maundy Thursday, the day of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, and Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified.

Authorities in Egypt have beefed up security this year for Easter after a suicide bomb attacks on a Coptic Christian church last Sunday left dozens dead and more than 100 wounded.

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