Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave and ends Holy Week.
In Latin, the word is Pascha.
The date is a moveable date and cannot begin before March 21 or after April 25th. The First Council of Nicaea in 325 established it would occur on the first ecclesiastical full moon on or after March 21st.
The word derives from the Dutch ooster and German Ostern, which developed into the Old English Ēastrun,Ēastre or Ēostre.
Easter and the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. Jesus is the only diety to conquer the grave.
Easter is linked to Passover and the Exodus from Egypt in the Old Testament. The Last Supper, sufferings and crucifixion of Jesus precede the resurrection. Through these events Jesus becomes the Passover lamb.
Evidence that Easter was formally celebrated dates back to at least the 2nd Century. Melito of Sardis characterizes the celebration as a “well-established one”.
The popular Easter egg is derived from the ancient symbol of an egg to reflect new life and rebirth.
Through the resurrection of Jesus, we are all offered new life and rebirth.
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