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Sunday 23 November 2014

Easter

Easter is the yearly festival observed by Christians to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of new life that it brings to believers

The name Easter owes its origin from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, who symbolized hares and eggs. Only the Venerable Bede mentions her.

Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection occurred after he went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, the Jewish festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt.

In Spanish, Easter is known as 'Pascua'; in French, 'Paques.' These words are derived from the Greek and Latin 'Pascha' or 'Pasch,' for Passover.

33 AD was the possible year of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, according to the Bible and earthquake research reported in the International Geology Review in 2012.

Jesus is the only revered figure of a religion to have risen from the dead.

Resurrection of Christ by Hans Rottenhammer

The word “Easter” occurs only once in the King James Bible (Acts 12:4). Elsewhere in the King James version, the word “Passover” is used.

There are records of Christians celebrating the resurrection of Christ as early as the second century.

The term "alleluia" is often used during the Easter season as a joyful expression of praise and thanksgiving. It is derived from the Hebrew word "hallelujah," which means "praise the Lord."

Hot cross buns were among the earliest Easter treats, made by European monks and given to the poor during Lent.

Easter Bonnets are a throwback to the days when the people denied themselves the pleasure of wearing fine clothes for the duration of Lent.

The Paschal Candle is a large candle that is lit at Easter Vigil, the night before Easter Sunday. It symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus and the triumph of light over darkness.

The white lily is the official flower of Easter. This is because the flower represents grace and purity, which is why many churches and homes decorate with the white lily for the holiday.

An estimated $18.4 billion was spent in the USA on Easter in 2017.

The Easter egg is a symbol of new life, which represents the resurrection of Jesus. In many cultures, it is customary to dye Easter eggs in bright colors and decorate them with various designs and patterns.

Jellybeans did not become an Easter tradition until the 1930s.

Americans buy more than 700 million Marshmallow Peeps, making them the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy.

Children's shoes were not big enough to hold all of the goodies, so Easter baskets became the popular place to hide holiday Easter treats.

In Guatemala, people make carpets of sawdust and flowers that measure up to a mile in length for Easter. The carpet is incredibly detailed and takes weeks to make. People walk over the carpet on their way to church.

Easter Day falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the Spring Equinox (the time when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are equal).

Easter Sunday may fall on any date between March 22nd and April 25th.

Easter Sunday coincided with April Fool's day in 2018 for the first time since 1956.

Polish Americans celebrate Easter Day as "Dyngus Day". The origin of that name is unclear. Part of the Dyngus Day celebrations in Poland involves boys pouring water over their girlfriends.

The oldest reference to Dyngus Day dates back to 1410 when the Archbishop of Poznan issued a "Dingus Prohibetur" edict banning it.

Ten per cent of the annual spending on chocolate in the UK takes place over Easter.

Here is a list of Easter songs.

Sources Daily Express, Mstarz.com

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