Russians celebrate Easter with a special breakfast or Easter meal. Russian Easter foods include kulich (Russian Easter bread), paskha (a dish made from curd and other ingredients, usually formed into the shape of a pyramid), eggs, and other foods. Sometimes the food is blessed by the church before being eaten. Other traditions accompany the consumption of Russian Easter foods. Eggs may be cracked with nails as a reminder of Christ's suffering on the cross. Additionally, one egg may be cut into pieces - one piece for each family member at the Easter table. Those who have observed Lent will be breaking their fast, though this ritual is not very common and may be observed only by the especially devout.
The Russian Easter service may be attended even by those families that do not regularly attend church. Russian Easter service is held Saturday evening. Midnight serves as the high point of the service, at which point bells are rung and the priest says, "Christ is risen!" The congregation replies with "He is truly risen!"