Easter brings lots of fun and treats with it – chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and tasty pancakes to name a few – but let’s not forget what they all represent.
Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar, when worshippers remember the time leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection.
For Christians the egg is a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection, as when they are cracked open they stand for the empty tomb. Easter Eggs represent the miracle of life after death.
Easter Day
Easter Day is a day to celebrate as it is when Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. It is always celebrated on a Sunday – hence it is also known as Easter Sunday – but the exact date varies from year to year. It is actually always the Sunday following the first full moon after the first day of spring, which means that it can fall any Sunday between 22nd March and 25th April.
Why do we call it Easter?
Some believe that Easter got its name from ‘Eostre’, the Goddess of Spring. People thought that the sun died in winter and that it was the goddess who brought the spring and, with it, the sun again.
Eostre had a hare – representing fertility and rebirth – as her companion. Later Christians changed the symbol of the hare to the Easter bunny, who today brings chocolate eggs to children all over the world.
Lent
Lent is the 40 days before Easter Day (not including Sundays) when Christians spend time thinking of the things they have done wrong. It reminds them of the 40 days Jesus spent alone in the desert, without food, to prepare for his teachings about God.
Shrove Tuesday
This is also known as Pancake Day and is the day before Lent begins. The word ‘Shrove’ means to be forgiven for wrong-doings and long ago this was a day for feasting and having a good time before fasting for Lent began. People used up food by making pancakes and went to church to confess the bad things they had done so they would be ‘shriven’ or forgiven before the start of Lent.
The custom of pancake races grew from of a legend dating back to 1445. On Shrove Tuesday a woman was still making pancakes as the church bells rang and rather than be late she took her frying pan and pancake with her.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It is called this because Christians see ashes as a symbol of being sorry for things they have done wrong and want to get rid of forever.
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week; the time Christians remember the last week of Jesus’ life. It reminds Christians of the journey Jesus made into Jerusalem, on a donkey, to celebrate the Jewish festival of Passover. Many people welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches and throwing them down in his path.
Maundy Thursday
This is the night before Jesus’ death when he had ‘The Last Supper’ with his twelve disciples. He knew he was going to die and he passed round bread and wine to represent his body and blood, reminding them of the sacrifices he had made. Before the meal he washed the feet of strangers passing by to show his followers that they should love and look after one another.
Before 1689 it was customary in England for the king or queen to wash the feet of the poor in Westminster Abbey every Maundy Thursday. They also gave them gifts of food, clothing and money. Today the Queen gives out specially made Maundy money in white and red leather purses. The white purse contains silver Maundy coins matching the Queen’s age in pence, 88p, while the red purse contains ordinary money. This year the money will be given to 88 male and 88 female pensioners who are chosen because of good work they have done in their community.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the day that Jesus was killed; nailed to a wooden cross by Roman soldiers. It seems an odd name for such a sad day, but it is because Christians believe that Jesus gave up his life for the good of everyone. The cross is therefore very symbolic, used to represent the suffering of Christ in churches and on cards as well as decoration for hot cross buns. Three days later Jesus rose from the dead