Easter

Easter, the greatest festival of the Christian church, is celebrated throughout the world as the religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In AD 325 the church council of Nicaea decided that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox of March 21. So, the principle feast of the Christian year is celebrated on a Sunday on varying dates between March 22 and April 25 and is therefore called a movable feast.

The origin of the name of the holy festival is unknown but there are many stories and legends behind it. The most accepted story is the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede. According to the story, the name "Easter" comes from the name of the Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, "Easter", to whom was dedicated a month corresponding to April. Traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility and in colored Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring.

According to the New Testament, Christ was crucified on the eve of Jewish festival of Passover and shortly afterward rose again from his death. Thus the Easter festival commemorated Christ's resurrection.

Easter is at the end of the Lenten season, which covers a 46-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter.

One of the springtime festivals, Easter embodies the true spirit of the season and is closely associated to the rejuvenating flavour of the season. The celebration of Easter Sunday is the perfect time to enjoy with chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, and colored eggs. Little baskets containing cute chocolate eggs and sweets made of sugared almonds are bought for children, which symbolises new life. There are prayers and services held in all churches to end the mourning period of lent to celebrate the holy festival.