Contributed by Carmen Summerfield
Are you curious, like me, and wonder why Easter occurs on a different Sunday each year? Well, it all goes back to gazing at the stars. First, we need to talk about the origins of the holiday, Easter.
Easter derives its name and some of its symbolism in English-speaking countries from a pagan source. Bede (c. 700), the English monk and historian, ascribed the holiday’s namesake to Eostre (also called Ostara or Eastre), the Germanic Goddess of Spring and Fertility. Germans to this day call April, ôstarmânoth.
But regardless of how the name evolved, the modern Easter holiday celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead and is Christianity’s most important holiday.
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Pesach, the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt. The Hebrew word Pesach was translated to the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch, and eventually became what we call Passover. In Spanish, Easter is known as Pascua; in French, Paques.
The majority of Western Christian churches (including the Catholic Church and many Protestant divisions) celebrate Easter using the Gregorian calendar, and it occurs on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox. And the vernal equinox, that time of year when we have equal day and night time, usually occurs on March 21.
Therefore, Easter observed by the Western Christian churches can be anywhere between March 22nd and April 25th every year.
Eastern or Orthodox Christian churches use the Julian calendar to calculate Easter, and it typically occurs a week or two after the Western churches. The Jewish Faith has its own formula for calculating Pesach, a springtime festival.
Regardless of the method used to calculate the exact day of celebration, Easter is actually an entire season, as opposed to a single-day observance.
Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, and is a time of reflection and penance.
Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the day before Lent, and is known as the last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins.
Holy Week is the week preceding Easter, and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus’ last supper with his disciples.
Good Friday, honors the day of his crucifixion, and Holy Saturday focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection.
After Easter, a 50-day period called, Eastertide, celebrates Jesus’ ascension into heaven.
Over the centuries various ancient pagan traditions and folk customs, including colored eggs, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks, have now become a standard part of marketing this holiday.
Regardless of your beliefs, let’s celebrate the spirit of this holiday together!
