Easter is a major Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is observed by Christians around the world and marks the end of Lent, the 40-day period of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter. But where did this holiday come from and what are its origins?
The English word “Easter” comes from the Germanic name for the goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre or Ostara. She was celebrated in pagan rituals at the vernal equinox, which is around the same time as Easter. According to the writings of the 8th-century English monk Bede, pagan Anglo-Saxons worshipped Eostre and held feasts in her honor in April. Over time, the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Christ came to coincide with these springtime pagan celebrations and customs.
The death and resurrection of Jesus are at the heart of the Christian faith. According to the New Testament Gospels, Jesus was crucified on the Friday before Easter Sunday and rose from the dead three days later. Christians believe Jesus’s resurrection offers the promise of new life and hope. It marks a new covenant between God and his people.
Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection occurred around the time of the Jewish Passover, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Passover commemorates the Israelites’ Exodus out of Egypt and liberation from slavery. Soon after Jesus rose from the dead, his followers began commemorating Easter as an extension of the Passover feast. The intimate connection between Passover and Easter is why Easter’s date varies from year to year based on the lunar calendar.
In the early days of the church, Christians celebrated Easter on different Sundays following Passover since the exact date of Jesus’s resurrection was not precisely known. It wasn’t until the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. that the date for Easter was standardized across the church. The council decided that Easter would be celebrated on the Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox, fixing it to the solar calendar.
However, there was still some variability between eastern and western Christianity in terms of the dates for Passover and Easter. Today, the Western Christian church calculates Easter based on the Gregorian calendar, while Eastern Orthodox churches have continued to determine Easter’s date in accordance with the older Julian calendar. That is why the two celebrations can be weeks apart some years.
In addition to its biblical significance, Easter absorbed many pagan symbols and customs associated with spring, rebirth, and fertility into its observances. Eggs, for instance, were an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. Decorating eggs for Easter dates back to at least the 13th century. Eastern European cultures like Ukraine and Poland had elaborate traditions of decorating eggs called pysanki. The Easter bunny also has origins in pre-Christian fertility lore. Rabbits are known for being prolific breeders, so they became an apt symbol for abundant new life in springtime.
There are a number of key events during Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday. These include:
Palm Sunday – The Sunday before Easter that commemorates Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem when people waved palm branches to celebrate his arrival.
Maundy Thursday – The Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and commanded them to love one another. The word “maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum meaning “commandment.”
Good Friday – The Friday before Easter that commemorates the day Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. It is called “Good” Friday in reference to the ultimate good Christ’s sacrifice achieved in reconciling humanity to God.
Holy Saturday – The Saturday before Easter that remembers the day Jesus lay in the tomb after his crucifixion. His followers awaited resurrection.
Easter Sunday – The resurrection day of Jesus Christ celebrated by Christians with great rejoicing. For Christians, it is the happiest day of the year.
In addition to church services, Easter is commemorated with many different traditions including:
– Easter egg hunts and egg rolling competitions
– Easter baskets filled with candy, chocolate bunnies, and gifts
– Easter lilies to decorate churches and homes
– Wearing new spring clothes, white, and pastels
– Easter meals featuring lamb or ham to celebrate Christ as the sacrificial Passover lamb
– Sunrise services early Easter morning to re-create anticipation of the resurrection
– Dramatic performances and reenactments of the passion and resurrection
The week leading up to Easter, known as Holy Week, has special significance for Christians as they reflect on Christ’s final days on earth. Many churches hold extra services and events to walk through the Easter story step-by-step. Families also observe Lenten fasts and Passover seder meals as ways to identify with Jesus’s suffering.
In conclusion, while Easter absorbed some springtime pagan names and symbols, it remains at its core a profoundly Christian celebration. It commemorates Christ’s victory over sin and the grave. Jesus’s resurrection points ahead to the eternal life believers will experience with him in heaven. That is the true meaning and origin of Easter for Christians today just as it was for Jesus’s earliest followers over 2,000 years ago.