Easter | Page 2 | Sunday Observer

Easter

4 April, 2021

Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and is celebrated by Christians the world over. The word ‘Easter’ comes from Ēosturmōnaþ (meaning Easter month). This is an old English name for April, which was named after Ēostre, the Pagan goddess of spring and fertility.

Easter Sunday is the Sunday after Good Friday, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified or nailed to the Cross at Calvary. He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

The date of Easter Sunday changes each year and falls between March 22 and April 25. This is because Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the March equinox. This year, 2021 Easter Sunday is celebrated today, April 4. Good Friday fell on April 2.

Easter is the oldest Christian tradition and is also considered to be the most important date on the Christian calendar. The 40-day mourning and fasting period of Lent which commences on Ash Wednesday ends on Easter Sunday.

Holy Week is the week before Easter and commences on Palm Sunday. Holy Week includes Maundy Thursday (the day of the Last Supper), Good Friday (the day of Christ’s crucifixion) and Holy Saturday (the time between the crucifixion and the Resurrection).

Churches hold Easter services and Holy Masses and Christians attend them to celebrate and worship the Risen Christ.

Some secular or non religious traditions are associated with Easter and Easter Sunday.

Easter eggs

Eggs play an integral part in secular Easter traditions. They are linked with Easter because eggs, milk and meat were forbidden during Lent. Any eggs emaining in homes would be used the day before Lent, Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday. The eggs accumulated during Lent would then be eaten at Easter.

 Eggs are also thought to be a symbol of fertility and rebirth, linking them with springtime and with the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ.

The custom of decorating Easter eggs first started with the custom of staining eggs red to symbolise the blood shed by Christ during his crucifixion. The practice of painting Easter eggs is called pysanka.

The first chocolate Easter eggs were made in France and Germany as far back as the early 19th century. 

Many countries have different Easter customs. In Sweden, instead of an Easter Bunny, they have an Easter Wizard, and the children dress as witches and wizards.

Easter Bunny

It was among the German Lutherans that the idea of the Easter Bunny originated and at first, it was known as the Easter Hare.

The Easter Hare was said to judge whether children had been good or bad, to determine if they deserved Easter eggs. The first written mention of this character appeared in a story in 1682.

 

Sources: Brisbane kids, Wikipedia , Internet

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