The Festival of Easter probably will have no more colorful celebration in the city than in St. Basil's cathedral of the Greek Orthodox church, Ashland boulevard and Polk street. Ninety thousand adherents of the Hellenic church in Chicago will enter their devotions in their nine churches around the ancient liturgy of St. Chrysostom.

At eleven o'clock last night the Divine liturgy at Easter began. Promptly at midnight, the traditional hour of the resurrection, Bishop Philaretos of Chicago entered his cathedral, which, after the preliminary services, was left in complete darkness. The Bishop carried the only light in the edifice--a taper.

As the ancient Byzantine, "Hymn of the Resurrection" was sung phrase by phrase, first by the Bishop, then by the priest, then by the choir, and then by the Bishop again, the leading priest lighted a candle which he carried, and in turn the priest lighted the candles carried by the other 2priests. And then, while the ancient music and Divine liturgy was sung, the priests carried the "light of resurrection" to the members of the congregation. Soon the cathedral was a blaze of light from the hundreds of candles of the congregation members and the midnight darkness of the tomb was banished by the life and "Light that lighteth every man which cometh into the world."

The Byzantine music of the Greek Orthodox Mysteries is said to be the most ancient of the Christian world and sounds haunting but strangely beautiful to Western European and American ears. Orthodox leaders claim that the music is not Russian, as some assert, but rather a characteristic musical development of Byzantine religious life.

Choirmaster John Papa Ignatius of St. Basil's choir recently was called from Athens to direct the music of the cathedral. He is said to be one of the experts of the world in Byzantine music. Good Friday evening Director Ignatius led a choir of 500 voices at the entombment ceremonies of the Savior. The liturgy called for three choirs to sing alternately in the service. The special hymn of Good Friday services is known as "The Epitaph hymn."