Easter (Western)
Christianity observes its most important holidays of the year between March 30th – April 1st for
the Western/Gregorian calendar.
Holy Thursday commemorates the institution of the Lord's Supper by Jesus prior to his arrest,
Good Friday his submission to death by crucifixion, and Easter Sunday celebrates the
resurrection of Jesus. Easter is considered to be the oldest and most important festival in the
Christian year, as the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus is meant to renew a Christian's
commitment to living a life of truth, justice and love.
Many Christians will mark Easter by attending Church services over the weekend, and for some,
this includes a midnight mass and candlelight vigil on Saturday. Families often gather together
for dinner on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection.
The symbols that are associated with the holiday in North America are taken from ancient roots.
In fact, the work "Easter" derives from the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess known as "Eostre." The
custom of dyeing eggs, symbols of new life, goes back to the ancient Egyptians, Persians and
Romans. These popular symbols, however, are by no means common to all Christian peoples. In
addition, many of these customs and symbols have counterparts in non-Christian celebrations of
spring.
