Why and How we celebrate Easter
Easter, also called Pascha, is a Christian Holiday which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead after his crucifixion and burial. The resurrection represents the triumph of good over evil, sin, death and the physical body. Christians derive hope that they will also experience a resurrection in heaven. Although the exact origin is unknown, some people claim the word Easter comes from Eostre, a goddess of Spring and fertility.
This year Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 17th. As Easter is a movable feast, it doesn’t happen on the same date from year to year. But how is the date of Easter determined? Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the Pascha Full Moon that occurs on or just after the Spring Equinox, but it always falls on a day between March 22nd and April 25th.
How is Easter celebrated? Easter is a feast where families get together and spend a lot of time eating traditional dishes, chatting, laughing and having fun together. Many Christians worldwide attend special church services. Children receive chocolate and Easter bunnies and join Easter egg hunts in their garden. Another popular tradition is Egg rolling where people roll painted hard-boiled eggs against other people’s eggs and the winner is the person whose egg remains whole.
Traditional Easter dishes include seasonal produce and symbols of Spring for example lamb, ham, eggs, asparagus, spring peas, potatoes, hot cross buns and a carrot cake. The tables are decorated with Spring flowers such as daffodills, white lilies and tulips. Do you have any special Easter traditions?
We wish you and your family a very Happy Easter!
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