Happy Easter!
This Sunday is the great feast of Easter, the high point of the Christian calendar (nb: Eastern Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter on Sunday, May 1). Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and ends the season of Lent, which began on February 10.
The final week of Lent is called “Holy Week” and the three days preceding Easter are referred to the “Holy Triduum,” which consists of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. These three days which recount the final three days of Jesus’ life are marked by Christians around the world by religious observances, fasting, pilgrimages, and acts of repentance.
Ending this intense period of devotion is the Great Vigil on the eve of Easter. Christian communities around the world celebrate Easter Sunday with grand religious processions, the giving of small gifts, and feasts with family and friends. If you are celebrating Easter, we wish a most joyous feast!
Learn more about the “Holy Week” and Easter:
- Holy Week – PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2016/03/18/march-29-2013-holy-week/15473/ - During Holy Week, Christians across globe observe Jesus’ final days (Photos) – PBS
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/holy-week-around-world/ - Easter Celebrations Through the Centuries – NPR
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135632851/easter-celebrations-through-the-centuries - Beyond Bunnies: The Real Meaning Of Easter Season
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/18/135517274/beyond-bunnies-the-real-meaning-of-easter-season - Easter Feast Essentials – New York Times
http://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/easter
Image credit: Calvin Institute of Christian Worship via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0.