小教板-
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important feast in the Christian calendar. The churches are filled with worshipers, the altars are decorated with flowers, and the music proclaims the joy of the season.
Easter Sunday falls sometime between March 22 and April 25. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21. The date of Easter Sunday was established by the church council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.
Easter Sunday ends a period of preparation for the feast of Easter. This 40-day period of prayer and fasting, called Lent, begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. The week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday is known as Holy Week. Good Friday marks Christ"s crucifixion; and Easter Sunday, his resurrection.
The custom of a sunrise service on Easter Sunday can be traced to ancient spring festivals that celebrated the rising sun. The custom developed further in the Middle Ages, when celebrations at sunrise were also popular. People gathered to pray as the sun appeared and then went in procession to their churches.
The new clothes worn on Easter Sunday are a symbol of new life. The custom comes from the baptism on Easter Sunday of early Christians who were led into church wearing new robes of white linen. The present-day Easter parade has a parallel in the Middle Ages, when people walked about the country-side on Easter, stopping along the way to pray. Nowadays many people walk in Easter parades to show and see new spring clothes, especially hats.
The Easter Egg
One of the best-known Easter symbols is the egg, which has symbolized renewed life since ancient days. The egg is said to be a symbol of life because in all living creatures life begins in the egg. The Persians and Egyptians also colored eggs and ate them during their new year"s celebration, which came in the spring.
Today many people still color Easter eggs and decorate them with fancy patterns and symbols. The sun symbolizes good fortune; the rooster, fulfillment of wishes; the deer, good health; the flowers, love and charity.
Egg-rolling is a present-day Easter custom that takes place each year on the lawn of the White House, in Washington, D.C. In Austria, France, Germany, Iran, Iraq, Norway, and Syria, an egg-knocking game is played. The object of the contest is to hit everyone else"s egg and to keep one"s own unbroken. The last player with a whole egg is declared the winner.
The Easter Basket
Easter Baskets symbolize nests where the Easter Bunny laid it"s Easter Eggs. Today, baskets are used for the Easter Bunny hide to colored eggs and other goodies in for children to find on Easter!
The Easter Bunny, Lamb & Chick
The Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit.
The Germans brought the symbol of the Easter rabbit to America. It was widely ignored by other Christians until shortly after the Civil War. In fact, Easter itself was not widely celebrated in America until after that time.
The lamb represents Jesus and relates His death to that of the lamb sacrificed on the first Passover. Christians traditionally refer to Jesus as "the Lamb of God." Many people serve lamb as part of the Easter feast.
The Chick is another Easter Symbol that represents new life or rebirth. The Chick breaking out it"s shell is a symbol for Jesus" ressurrection, when the rock was moved and he imerged from the tomb.
可可-
怎么来庆祝复活节?