Easter Sunday, the feast of Jesus Christ's resurrection, one of Christianity's most important holidays, is celebrated on the first Sunday that follows the paschal full moon. This year, it will be celebrated on April 16.
The tradition of celebrating Easter on a Sunday started hundreds of years ago, when Christian bishops declared that the joyous day of commemoration be celebrated on a Sabbath. The Church believes that the death of Jesus happened around Jewish Passover, a celebration that occurs on the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
Since the full moon varies across time zones, the Church opted to follow the fourteenth day of the lunar month. Thus, Easter has been celebrated on the first Sunday following the paschal full moon ever since. This long-standing tradition, however, might not be the case for the years to come.
Rev Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, intends to set a specific date for the holiday. According to Express, the Archbishop is currently in talks with Pope Francis, Coptic Pope Tawadros and Patriarch Bartholomew, head of the Orthodox church, to set the date.
Another long-standing tradition during the Easter season is egg-giving. Eggs are seen as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. The cracked shell symbolizes the empty tomb that Christ has risen from.
Eggs were not allowed during Holy Week, a time for fasting and abstinence. However, eggs laid within that time were then saved for the Easter weekend. Traditionally, chicken eggs were dyed in different colors and were given to children as gifts.
Easter indicates the end of Lent, the end of Holy Week, and with the culmination of this solemn season, Christians often take this opportunity to relax and unwind. For those who want to get away for the season, Easter weekend officially starts on Friday, April 14 this year, and it will end on April 17.
