Easter Sunday is a significant in Christianity, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion by the Romans. Celebrations begin on Palm Sunday, which commemorates the palm leaves that were used to greet Jesus when he arrived in Jerusalem. Holy Week marks the end of Lent, a period of forty days when Christians abstain from items that they value or enjoy, such as indulgent foods. They do this inmemory of the forty days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert. Holy Week continues with Maundy Thursday, when Jesus had the Last Supper with his twelve Apostles, and Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified. Easter Sunday comes three days after Good Friday. This is in accordance with the New Testament, which states that Jesus was resurrected on the third day following his crucifixion.
This year, Easter Sunday falls on 31 March. A "moveable feast", this date changes every year depending on the Gregorian calendar for Western Christians and the Julian calendar for Eastern Orthodox Christians. For Western Christians, Easter Sunday is always between the 22 March and the 25 April. To facilitate celebrations, Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays (excluding Easter Monday in Scotland).
The Christian celebration of Easter is closely related to the Jewish holiday of Passover, as the Last Supper was a Passover Seder (feast). Today, Easter is celebrated through a diverse range of customs and traditions, both religious and non-religious. An iconic symbol of Easter is the Easter egg, which signifies new life and rebirth. In Western cultures, the Easter egg is usually made of chocolate or sweets, as many people choose to sacrifice these items for Lent. Also of cultural importance is the Easter bunny, which is said to visit houses and leave gifts, similar to Santa Claus at Christmas.
British Online Archives would like to wish everyone celebrating a very happy Easter!