The greatest festival of the Christian church commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a movable feast; that is, it is not always held on the same date. In AD 325 the church council of Nicaea decided that it should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox of March 21. Easter can come as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.
The name Easter comes from Eostre, an ancient Anglo – Saxon goddess, originally of the dawn. In pagan times an annual spring festival was held in her honor. Some Easter customs have come from this and other pre – Christian spring festivals. Others come from the Passover feast of the Jews, observed in memory of their deliverance from Egypt. The word “paschal” comes from a Latin word that means “belonging to Passover or to Easter”. Formerly, Easter and the Passover were closely associated.
The resurrection of Jesus took place during the Passover. Christians of the Eastern church initially celebrated both holidays together. But the Passover can fall on any day of the week, and Christians of the Western church preferred to celebrate Easter on Sunday the day of the resurrection.
Londoners have one more event for greeting the spring. And they are doing it with a help of spectacular Easter Parade in Battersea Park on Easter Sunday each year. It is sponsored by the London Tourist Board and is usually planned around a central theme related to the history and attractions of London. The great procession, or parade, begins at 3 p.m. The parade consists of a great many interesting and decorated floats, entered by various organizations in and outside the metropolis. Some of the finest bands in the country take part in the parade. At the rear of the parade is usually the very beautiful Jersey float, created from thousands of lovely spring blooms and bearing the Easter Princess and her attendants.
Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Holy Week begins on this day. Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, is in memory of the Last Supper of Christ with his disciples.
But now more about Easter traditions.
First of all many people who don’t go to church at other times go on Easter Sunday. It was once common for people to wear new clothes to church on this day. Women wore new hats called Easter bonnets. Today, people sometimes make elaborately decorated Easter bonnets for fun. A few people send Easter cards with religious symbols on them or pictures of small chickens, lambs and spring flowers, everything that is traditionally associated with Easter.
Easter is also time when certain old traditions are observed, whether it is celebrated as a start of spring or a religious festival. In England it is time for giving and receiving of presents, which traditionally take form of an Easter egg, for the Easter Bonnet Parade and hot cross buns. Nowadays Easter eggs are usually made of chocolate, but the old custom of dyeing or painting egg – shells is still maintained in some country districts. Adults do not usually give each other presents at Easter, as they do at Christmas. The Easter egg is by far the most popular emblem of Easter, but fluffy little chicks, baby rabbits and spring – time flowers like daffodils, dangling catkins and the arum lily are also used to signify the Nature’s reawakening.
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