Easter: Christians rejoice for the Resurrection of Christ

April 05, 2015 by Leave a Comment

SUNDAY, APRIL 5: Christ has risen! Christians the world over shout in exultation on Easter Sunday, as the faithful celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Eastern Orthodox Christians will celebrate Pascha, the Orthodox term for Easter, on April 12, this year.)

The New Testament tells Christians that the Resurrection of Christ is the core of their faith. Around the globe, crowds flow into and out of churches, bells are rung in praise and adherents joyously profess their faith. Dressed in the pastel hues of spring, children search for eggs and baskets, while families and friends gather for the Easter feast.

MARY MAGDALENE
AND THE STORY OF EASTER

Gospel accounts testify that early on the Sunday morning following Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary Magdalene (and, though accounts vary, other women as well) traveled to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body. Upon reaching the tomb, an earthquake shook the ground; the stone was moved from the tomb, and a holy messenger announced that Jesus had risen from the dead. Though no specific moment of Resurrection is recorded, Mary Magdalene’s encounter has, since the 2nd century, been celebrated as Easter. The Resurrection is described as having occurred c. 30 CE.

CHURCH CUSTOMS

Traditional Eastern and Western Christian services for Easter begin on the night of Holy Saturday with a liturgy that starts in darkness and gives way to light, exuberant singing of the Gloria and Alleluia and proclamation of the Resurrection. Many churches have moved the Easter vigil to Sunday morning in a “sunrise service” to reflect the women’s experience at Jesus’ tomb.

The Easter service differs from that of most Sundays, with its festive atmosphere often accompanied by richly colored banners, bells, brass instruments, fresh flowers and particularly joyous music. (Wikipedia has details.) In many Christian countries, Easter is a public holiday filled with processions and celebration.

The week beginning on Easter Sunday is known as Easter Week, or the Octave of Easter.

Did you know? The earliest Easter eggs were likely dyed red, in memory of the blood shed by Jesus Christ.

NEWS, RESOURCES AND RECIPES

Looking for a great recipe or ideas to spruce up your Easter table?

Start with our own FeedTheSpirit, where Bobbie Lewis has an unusual treat you might want to prepare for your holiday table—vegetarian chopped liver.

Find delicious recipes, from appetizers to brunch to dessert, at Food Network, AllRecipes and Hershey’s.

Give eggs extra style, or try an Easter craft, with ideas from HGTV and Martha Stewart.

Kid-friendly Easter coloring pages, cards, games and more are at the UK’s Activity Village.

Lamb isn’t on everyone’s Easter menu—but it should be, says a food writer from the New York Times who recently penned a story on the small number of Americans who dine on lamb for the spring holiday. Learn cooking tips and all of the reasons why lamb should be making a comeback, in this article.

Easter: 2 billion Western Christians rejoice for the Resurrection of Jesus

April 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment

SUNDAY, APRIL 20: East meets West this year as more than 2 billion men, women and children celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, on Easter. Hot cross buns, chocolate bunnies and brunch souffles fill tables and baskets of plenty on this joyous holiday, as families and friends gather to mark this, the focal point of the entire Christian calendar year. Lilies adorn altar spaces and remind churchgoers both of resurrection (blossoms from dormant spring bulbs)—and that Jesus enjoyed a form of lily himself as is evidenced in the Gospel of Luke. The 50 days following Easter are called Eastertide.

Though termed Pascha in the Eastern Christian Church, the themes are similar across East and West.

AROUND THE WORLD:
FROM EGG HUNTS
TO LAMB

Easter in America may be characterized as much by the Easter Bunny and pastel-hued candies as it is by Christian joy in Christ’s Resurrection. Egg hunts, treat-filled baskets and festive brunches mark Easter for many American families, although for Christians, shared meals most often involve white-and-gold settings, fresh lilies on the table and, in many homes, a sacred Paschal Candle. A traditional Easter menu also often features lamb—a symbol of Christ at this time of year as the Paschal Lamb. However, these days, Easter hams far outpace cuts of lamb. Whether at church or at a post-service feast, Christians dress in their best apparel on Easter day.

In France and Belgium, the bells that “went to Rome on Maundy Thursday” return home for the evening Easter Vigil, only to bring Easter eggs to boys and girls—or so, the story has it. (Wikipedia has details.)

In most countries with a substantial Christian population, Easter is a public holiday.

IN THE BIBLE:
THE WITNESS OF AN EMPTY TOMB

The New Testament describes the events of the resurrection of Jesus, which Christians believe verify him as the Son of God. There is no recorded “moment of resurrection,” but rather, the discovery by Mary Magdalene (and possibly others) early on Sunday morning—that the tomb was empty.

In his crucifixion, Jesus died on a Roman cross. That evening, according to Christian tradition, Joseph of Arimathea asked the Roman official Pilate for the body, wrapped it in linen cloth and laid it in a tomb. Saturday passed, and early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene (and, some Gospels attest, other women in attendance) visited the tomb of Jesus. Much to their surprise, the tomb’s stone was moved, and a messenger announced that Jesus had risen from the dead. Gospel accounts vary regarding the messenger’s specific message and the women’s response, but all emphasize that the empty tomb was witnessed. To this day, sunrise services are popular in some regions on Easter Sunday, echoing the traditional stories of the empty tomb.

Did you know? Ukrainian legend has it that after Christ resurrected, He threw Satan into a pit and chained him with 12 iron chains. Throughout the year, Satan chews at the chains, but just as he gets to the final chain, Easter arrives and the people shout, “Christ is risen!” If devotees ever cease this Easter acclamation, the end of time has come.

First evidence of the Easter festival appears in the mid-2nd century, and today, an elaborate Vigil usually begins in darkness and gives way to the singing of “Alleluia,” trumpets and unfettered joy.

EASTER HOW-TO:
EXTRAVAGANT EGGS,
TABLE DECOR,
RECIPES & MORE

  • Feeding a crowd—or a few? Flavorful recipes for pastries, elaborate egg dishes and even a bunny house are at Food Network.
  • The sophisticated palate will likely find pleasing combinations at Food and Wine, with ideas ranging from lamb dishes to Boston lettuce salad with herbs to a creamy quiche.
  • Marbleized, glittering and chalkboard eggs are a snap to create, thanks to tips from Martha Stewart, Reader’s Digest and Home and Garden Network.
  • Glow-in-the-dark eggs for a nighttime hunt are more feasible than they might sound: Wiki How offers instructions.
  • Set your Easter table a little more creatively this year, with help from Martha Stewart and HGTV.
  • Real grass in Easter baskets? Why not? Try your hand at this unique project, with a simple how-to from the Mom-centered blog, HowDoesShe.
  • Homemade chocolate Easter eggs are made easy, thanks to directions from the BBC.
  • Kids can get into the bunny spirit with craft ideas from Spoonful.com.

IN THE NEWS:
A VALUABLE GOLDEN EGG,
WHITE HOUSE EGG ROLL UPDATES

For the first time in more than a century, a Faberge Easter egg—one that once belonged to Russian royalty—will be on display, reports BBC News. A scrap metal dealer in the United States bought the egg for approximately $14,000, with plans to melt it for gold, but soon discovered that it was one of only 50 created for the Russian royals, with a value of approximately 20M pounds, or $33M.

Tomorrow—Monday, April 21—the First Family will host the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll, with the theme, “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape.” The 2014 White House Keepsake Eggs come in four colors—pink, orange, blue and green—and include, of course, the signatures of both the President and First Lady. The Keepsake Eggs were incorporated into this White House tradition in 1981, when President Ronald Reagan and his wife hosted a hunt for wooden eggs. Find more information here.

Note: Easter is followed by the 50 days of Eastertide, which comes to an end on Pentecost Sunday.