How and when did Easter Sunday Start?

Answer 1

Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine (among Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Christians), was an Illyrian Roman Emperor. He was proclaimed Augustus by his troops in 306 AD, ruled an ever-growing portion of the Roman Empire until his death. Best known for being the first Christian RomanEmperor, the Edict of Milan - issued by his co-emperor Licinius - helped to put an end to institutionalized persecution of Christians in the Empire. So about 310 AD I would say Easter was being celebrated throughout Rome and Europe.

Answer 2

Easter Sunday was originally a pagan holiday to celebrate the the first day of spring and give thanks to the Goddess of Spring, the name itself (Easter) coming from the Goddess' name Eastre, which was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox.

The Goddess lived on in the Easter Bunny that we use today, which is a sing of fertility. The brightly colored eggs are painted so to represent the Spring Sun.

Answer 3

The Origin of Easter

The name Easter, used in many lands, is not found in The Bible. The book Medieval Holidays and Festivals tells us that “the holiday is named after the pagan Goddess of the Dawn and of Spring, Eostre.” And who was this goddess? “Eostre it was who, according to the legend, opened the portals of Valhalla to receive Baldur, called the White God, because of his purity and also the Sun God, because his brow supplied light to mankind,” answers The American Book of Days. It adds: “There is no doubt that the Church in its early days adopted the old pagan customs and gave a Christian meaning to them. As the festival of Eostre was in celebration of the renewal of life in the spring it was easy to make it a celebration of the resurrection from the dead of Jesus, whose gospel they preached.”

This adoption explains how in certain lands the Easter customs, such as Easter eggs, the Easter rabbit, and hot cross buns, came about. Concerning the custom of making hot cross buns, “with their shiny brown tops marked by a ... cross,” the book Easter and Its Customs states: “The cross was a pagan symbol long before it acquired everlasting significance from the events of the first Good Friday, and bread and cakes were sometimes marked with it in pre-Christian times.”

Nowhere in Scripture do we find mention of these things, nor is there any evidence that the early disciples of Jesus gave them any credence. In fact, the apostle Peter tells us to “form a longing for the unadulterated milk belonging to the word, that through it [we] may grow to salvation.” (1Peter 2:2) So why did the churches of Christendom adopt such obviously pagan symbols into their beliefs and practices?

The book Curiosities of Popular Customs answers: “It was the invariable policy of the early Church to give a Christian significance to such of the extant pagan ceremonies as could not be rooted out. In the case of Easter the conversion was peculiarly easy. Joy at the rising of the natural sun, and at the awakening of nature from the death of winter, became joy at the rising of the Sun of righteousness, at the resurrection of Christ from the grave. Some of the pagan observances which took place about the 1st of May were also shifted to correspond with the celebration of Easter.” Rather than steer clear of popular pagan customs and magical rites, the religious leaders condoned them and gave them “Christian significance.

Answer 4

It began with a mixing of paganism with the worship of the true God. Many encyclopedias and dictionaries will point out the pagan origins of Easter, the Queen of Heaven, the Sunrise service as a blending of pagan customs and traditions - to be traced back to ancient Babylon and Egypt - into worship of the true God, which is in fact contrary to His Commands. Even the accepted reason for this 'holy day' is based upon the 3 days and 3 nights that Jesus said would be His only sign of His Messiahship cannot be squared with a Friday afternoon death and a early Sunday morning (still dark out) resurrection.

Answer 5

It started because it was the day our lord and saviour Jesus Christ rose from the dead!