What is Easter and what does it mean to you?
Easter Season
In Western Christianity, Easter marks the end of
Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline in preparation for Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
Because of Easter's pagan origins, and also because of the
commercialization of Easter, many Christian churches choose to refer to
the holiday as Resurrection Day.
On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord,
Jesus Christ. It is typically the most well-attended Sunday service of the year for Christian churches.
Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus came back
to life, or was raised from the dead, three days after his death on the
cross. As part of the Easter season, the death of Jesus Christ by crucifixion is commemorated on
Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter. Through his
death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus
purchasing for all who believe in him, eternal life in Christ Jesus.
Easter in the Bible
The biblical account of Jesus' death on the cross, or crucifixion, his burial and his resurrection,
or raising from the dead, can be found in the following passages of
Scripture: Matthew 27:27-28:8; Mark 15:16-16:19; Luke 23:26-24:35; and
John 19:16-20:30.
