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Easter
Easter Sunday is the feast day in the Christian calendar to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We welcome all questions pertaining to the Easter Bunny too!
2,607 Questions
What do they call the Saturday before Easter Sunday?
Maundy Thursday
Holy Thursday is the day that Christ celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, four days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Only hours after the Last Supper, Judas would betray Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, setting the stage for Christ's Crucifixion on Good Friday.
What are the three major events of Easter?
Immediately leading up to Easter is Holy Week, which begins with 1) Palm Sunday celebrating Our Blessed Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem; followed by 2) Holy Thursday, celebrating the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood. Then 3) Good Friday follows with Our Blessed Lord's Passion and Death on the Cross. Finally, 4) His burial and laying in the tomb on Holy Saturday. Also, including in Holy Week is the Chrism Mass which is supposed to be celebrated on Holy Thursday morning, in which the Bishop of the diocese, in union with all his priests, blesses and consecrates the Oils (Sacred Chrism, Oil of the Sick, and Oil of Catechumens) for use for the entire diocese throughout the year.
What does the Easter have to do with Easter?
The Easter Bunny actually has nothing to do with the biblical Easter. MSNBC had a good article at the related link. The Easter Bunny, as it is called now, dates back to 13th Century Germany, where in pre-christian times they worshiped several gods and goddesses, including the goddess Eostra, who was the goddess of fertility.
Since rabbits are very fertile, and eggs represent fertility, that's how the bunnies and eggs came into play.
As with the origin of the Christmas Tree at Christmas time, the Easter Bunny was a left-over from a pagan religion that was adopted into Christianity, in order for Christianity to be more palatable to the converts (so they didn't have to give up all of their rituals).
Easter or Resurrection Sunday is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ from the dead. Even before theologians explained the death of Jesus in terms of various atonement theories, the early church saw his resurrection as the central witness to a new act of God in history and the victory of God in vindicating Jesus as the Messiah. This event marks the central faith confession of the early church and was the focal point for Christian worship, observed on the first day of each week since the first century (Acts 20:7; Sunday was officially proclaimed the day of Christian worship in AD 321). Easter as an annual celebration of the Resurrection that lies at the center of a liturgical year has been observed at least since the fourth century. Even in churches that traditionally do not observe the other historic seasons of the church year, Easter has occupied a central place as the high point of Christian worship.
Though many might not be aware, Easter is one day in a series of days that are observed in connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus, culminating with the descention of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The days observed are:
- Palm Sunday - The day Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly
- Ash Wednesday - Rooted in the ancient tradition of covering one's head with ashes, wearing sackcloth and fasting.
- Lent - The 40 days before Easter beginning on Ash Wednesday, it is a time for prayer, fasting and penitence, though not many fast the entire 40 days like Jesus did.
- Maudy Thursday - The day of the Last Supper and the night of Jesus' betrayal by Judas
- Good Friday - Jesus' death on the cross
- Easter Sunday - Jesus' resurrection from the dead
- Ascension Day - Celebrated 40 days after Easter, it marks Jesus' ascension into Heaven
- Pentecost - The seventh Sunday after Easter, it is the day the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus' followers in the Upper Room as they were celebrating the Jewish harvest festival called Shavuot
Easter is when jesus wake s up
Why is Easter never celebrated on the same date?
Because the christians stole it from the pagans. It used to be a pagan festival, and the pagans worshipped all sorts of stuff - the date of Easter is set according to when the full moon appears, its something like the second Sunday after the full moon in March.
When is the first day of Easter?
The date of Easter is determined by the first day of spring. Easter is held on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of spring.
How often has Easter fallen on April 4?
Easter Sunday last fell on April 4 in 2010. Easter Sunday has previously fallen on this date in the years 1706, 1779, 1790, 1847, 1858, 1915, 1920, 1926 and 1999. Easter Sunday will next fall on April 4 in 2021.
What color vestment is worn on Easter?
.
Catholic AnswerThe priest wears a white chasuble (gold may be worn) and stole on Easter, and throughout the Easter Season, including Divine Mercy, and Ascension.When was the last time Easter was was on April 8?
Easter Sunday last fell on April 8 in 2007 and is due to fall on this date again in 2091.
Actually, Easter is also due to fall on April 8 next year, 2012.
How does Canada celebrate Easter?
They hang lights, have presents around a tree, go caroling, same thing as Americans :)
Why do Catholics eat fish on Fridays?
The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church states that the penitential days and times (such as Lent) in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent (Code of Canon Law 1250). In Code of Canon Law 1251 states that, abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year. The law of fasting binds those who have attained their majority, until the beginning of their sixtieth year. Pastors of souls and parents are to ensure that even those who by reason of their age are not bound by the law of fasting and abstinence, are taught the true meaning of penance (Code of Canon Law 1252).
Easter is always on a Sunday. Sundays fall on different dates every year. There is no way for there to be an exact date for Easter because it has to be on a specific day of the week. The same thing happens with Thanksgiving.
What do kids wear on Easter Sunday?
In your easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,
You'll be the grandest lady in the easter parade.
I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,
I'll be the proudest fellow in the easter parade.
On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us,
And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.
Oh, I could write a sonnet about your easter bonnet,
And of the girl I'm taking to the easter parade.
How long does the Easter vigil mass last?
This depends on the church you attend. Since this mass is considered the first of the year, it tends to be at least two hours, but can be as long as four or five. It all depends on what the church provides, singing, gospel, etc.
What is the origin of the cross?
When Jesus Christ was crucified he was laid on a large wooden beam that had a cross beam at chest height. This formed a "cross" as we see it used symbolically today in the Christian faith. The cross is used as the symbol for Christianity because it resembles the act of Jesus Christ laying down his own life to save us from our own sin. This act, among others, is the main reason why Christians believe Jesus is the messiah, or savior.
The original words in the ancient manuscripts that were translated "cross" in some Bible translations was actually "stauros," which means pole and xylon which means stake. The word "crux" meaning cross does not appear anywhere in the ancient Bible scrolls and manuscripts.According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: "STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake...Both the noun and the verb stauroo, to fasten to a stake or pole, are originally to be distinguished from the ecclesiastical form of a two-beamed cross. The shape of the latter had its origin in ancient Chaldea (Babylon), and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz (being in the shape of the mystic Tau, the initial of his name)...By the middle of the 3rd century A.D. the churches had either departed from, certain doctrines of the Christian faith. In order to increase the pretige of the apostate ecclesiastical system pagans were received into the churches apart from regeneration by faith, and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols. Hence the Tau or T, in its most frequent form, with the cross piece lowered, was adopted..."
The Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, vol. 14, p. 273, says:, "In the Egyption churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner."
Further, The Catholic Encyclopedia says: "the sign of the cross, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both East and the West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization." In later times the Egyptian Christians (Copts), attracted by its form, and perhaps by its symbolism, adopted it as the emblem of the cross."
According to the The Companion Bible, appendix: "crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god...It should be stated that Constantine was a Sun-god worshipper...The evidence is thus complete, that the Lord was put to death upon and upright stake, and not on two pieces of timber placed at any angle."
So, the cross comes from pagan Egyptian and Babylonish sources. It was a symbol of life, was also a symbol of the god Tammuz, and of the sun-god. It was adopted by the church possibly around the middle of the 3rd century A.D.
The original words used to describe the instrument of Jesus' excecution was stauros, which means pole, and xylon, which means stake.
Whether one believes that Jesus instrument of execution was a upright pole, or if it had a crosspiece attached, not all Christian religions honor any symbol representing the device used for Jesus execution.
From my own personal viewpoint, to revere the instrument of Jesus execution in any way, would be tantamount to venerating the weapon used to murder a good friend. I view Jesus as a mighty king, now ruling in heaven, not as a man being executed in a most cruel way, so not all claiming to be Christians venerate the cross.
Where did the term good Friday come from?
Good Friday is a Christian commemoration that has its origin over 2000 years ago, when Jesus Christ was crucified. It is closely tied to Easter and the Passover, when Christians celebrate the risen Christ's sacrifice for us.
It began with Jesus Christ being wrongfully condemned by the Sanhedrin (Jewish Court) and then by Romans (Pilat). Easter is a celebration of Life for us. It is called Good Friday because without his sacrifice, there would be no joy of our Salvation. Look at it this way, sacrifices in the Old Testament were times of Joy! Lots of Barbeque, lots of celebrating with families. Why should it be any different when Christ and God made this sacrifice for us? For many, not all, it is the ultimate time to commemorate God's preordained Plan! Isn't that what He wants for us?
