{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T21:44:58+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-11-08T17:23:41+00:00","timestamp":"2022-11-08T18:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Religion & Spirituality","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34202"},"slug":"religion-spirituality","categoryId":34202},{"name":"Christianity","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34206"},"slug":"christianity","categoryId":34206},{"name":"General Christianity","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34209"},"slug":"general-christianity","categoryId":34209}],"title":"What and When Is Easter?","strippedTitle":"what and when is easter?","slug":"what-and-when-is-easter","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Easter celebrates the central event of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. Learn about this important holiday.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/what-and-when-is-easter.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/what-and-when-is-easter.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >What is Easter?</h2>\r\nEaster is the single most important <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/religion-spirituality/christianity/general-christianity/christian-holy-days-holidays-and-seasons-199525/\">holy day</a> of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event in Christianity. To Christians, the resurrection backs up Jesus’ claim that he had the authority to die for the sins of the world and the power to come back to life again. It also gives hope to Christians that they too will experience a resurrected life in heaven.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >When is Easter?</h2>\r\nThe exact day of the year that Easter falls on is very confusing, and the logic seems pretty old-fashioned in this digital age; it’s based on the lunar calendar and tied to the start of the solar spring. But the Western Church (Catholic and Protestant) continues to observe it based on the rules of long ago — that it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21 (the vernal equinox). It can’t come before March 22 or after April 25.\r\n\r\nIn contrast, Orthodox Churches wanted to tie Easter to Jewish Passover, given the relationship between Passover and the day of Christ’s resurrection. Because the Jewish calendar determines the date that Jews celebrate Passover, Easter for Orthodox Churches can vary by as much as five weeks from the Western Church.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Where does the term Easter come from?</h2>\r\nNo one knows for certain where the term <i>Easter</i> came from, but one theory is that it’s derived from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, who was connected with fertility and spring. If so, Christians named their high holy day <i>Easter</i> aiming to replace the pagan celebration of spring with their own holiday — like they did with Christmas. Easter is also often known as <i>Pasch,</i> which comes from the Hebrew word <i>Pesach,</i> meaning “Passover.” Some Protestants prefer to call it simply <i>Resurrection Day</i> to remove the commercialized baggage that they see associated with Easter.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Why is the Easter bunny associated with Easter?</h2>\r\nIn addition, the Easter bunny has pagan origins and has no real connection with the Christian celebration, although some churches use eggs as a metaphor for the new life Christians receive because of the Resurrection.","description":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/what-and-when-is-easter.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/what-and-when-is-easter.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >What is Easter?</h2>\r\nEaster is the single most important <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/religion-spirituality/christianity/general-christianity/christian-holy-days-holidays-and-seasons-199525/\">holy day</a> of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event in Christianity. To Christians, the resurrection backs up Jesus’ claim that he had the authority to die for the sins of the world and the power to come back to life again. It also gives hope to Christians that they too will experience a resurrected life in heaven.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >When is Easter?</h2>\r\nThe exact day of the year that Easter falls on is very confusing, and the logic seems pretty old-fashioned in this digital age; it’s based on the lunar calendar and tied to the start of the solar spring. But the Western Church (Catholic and Protestant) continues to observe it based on the rules of long ago — that it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21 (the vernal equinox). It can’t come before March 22 or after April 25.\r\n\r\nIn contrast, Orthodox Churches wanted to tie Easter to Jewish Passover, given the relationship between Passover and the day of Christ’s resurrection. Because the Jewish calendar determines the date that Jews celebrate Passover, Easter for Orthodox Churches can vary by as much as five weeks from the Western Church.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Where does the term Easter come from?</h2>\r\nNo one knows for certain where the term <i>Easter</i> came from, but one theory is that it’s derived from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, who was connected with fertility and spring. If so, Christians named their high holy day <i>Easter</i> aiming to replace the pagan celebration of spring with their own holiday — like they did with Christmas. Easter is also often known as <i>Pasch,</i> which comes from the Hebrew word <i>Pesach,</i> meaning “Passover.” Some Protestants prefer to call it simply <i>Resurrection Day</i> to remove the commercialized baggage that they see associated with Easter.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Why is the Easter bunny associated with Easter?</h2>\r\nIn addition, the Easter bunny has pagan origins and has no real connection with the Christian celebration, although some churches use eggs as a metaphor for the new life Christians receive because of the Resurrection.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9207,"name":"Richard Wagner","slug":"richard-wagner","description":" <b>Dr. Larry R. Helyer:</b> Larry is Professor of Biblical Studies at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. He received his doctorate in New Testament from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. He pastored Baptist churches in Portland, Oregon, and Sun Valley, California, before moving to the Midwest and teaching biblical studies at Taylor University for 28 years. He has taught a wide range of Bible courses covering both the Old and New Testaments and Jewish literature of the Second Temple. Larry has traveled extensively in the land of the Bible and lived in Israel for a year during his student days at Jerusalem University College.<br /> Larry is author of two books, <i>Yesterday, Today, and Forever: The Continuing Relevance of the Old Testament</i> and <i>Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period: A Guide for New Testament Students</i>. Larry has authored numerous journal and dictionary articles on biblical and theological subjects and has just finished a book on New Testament theology. He was the initial translator of 2 Samuel for the <i>Holman Christian Standard Bible.</i> <p><b>Richard Wagner:</b> Rich is author of <i>The Expeditionary Man, The Myth of Happiness, The Gospel Unplugged,</i> and several <i>For Dummies</i> books, including <i>C. S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies, Christianity For Dummies,</i> and <i>Christian Prayer For Dummies.</i> He has been a guest on Christian radio programs across the country discussing Christian discipleship issues as well as C.S. Lewis.<br /> Richard has served in church leadership and teaching roles for more than a dozen years. Rich graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Taylor University and pursued graduate studies at The American University in Washington, DC. Rich lives in New England with his wife and three sons. You can find him online at richwagnerwords.com.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9207"}},{"authorId":9208,"name":"Kurt Warner","slug":"kurt-warner","description":" Richard Wagner is publisher of Digitalwalk.net, a Web-based Christian discipleship magazine. He has more than a decade’s broad experience in church leadership and teaching roles. 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Larry has traveled extensively in the land of the Bible and lived in Israel for a year during his student days at Jerusalem University College.<br /> Larry is author of two books, <i>Yesterday, Today, and Forever: The Continuing Relevance of the Old Testament</i> and <i>Exploring Jewish Literature of the Second Temple Period: A Guide for New Testament Students</i>. Larry has authored numerous journal and dictionary articles on biblical and theological subjects and has just finished a book on New Testament theology. He was the initial translator of 2 Samuel for the <i>Holman Christian Standard Bible.</i> <p><b>Richard Wagner:</b> Rich is author of <i>The Expeditionary Man, The Myth of Happiness, The Gospel Unplugged,</i> and several <i>For Dummies</i> books, including <i>C. S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies, Christianity For Dummies,</i> and <i>Christian Prayer For Dummies.</i> He has been a guest on Christian radio programs across the country discussing Christian discipleship issues as well as C.S. Lewis.<br /> Richard has served in church leadership and teaching roles for more than a dozen years. Rich graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Taylor University and pursued graduate studies at The American University in Washington, DC. Rich lives in New England with his wife and three sons. You can find him online at richwagnerwords.com.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9207"}},{"authorId":9208,"name":"Kurt Warner","slug":"kurt-warner","description":" Richard Wagner is publisher of Digitalwalk.net, a Web-based Christian discipleship magazine. He has more than a decade’s broad experience in church leadership and teaching roles. 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Easter is the single most important holy day of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event in Christianity. To Christians, the resurrection backs up Jesus’ claim that he had the authority to die for the sins of the world and the power to come back to life again. It also gives hope to Christians that they too will experience a resurrected life in heaven.
When is Easter?
The exact day of the year that Easter falls on is very confusing, and the logic seems pretty old-fashioned in this digital age; it’s based on the lunar calendar and tied to the start of the solar spring. But the Western Church (Catholic and Protestant) continues to observe it based on the rules of long ago — that it falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21 (the vernal equinox). It can’t come before March 22 or after April 25.
In contrast, Orthodox Churches wanted to tie Easter to Jewish Passover, given the relationship between Passover and the day of Christ’s resurrection. Because the Jewish calendar determines the date that Jews celebrate Passover, Easter for Orthodox Churches can vary by as much as five weeks from the Western Church.
Where does the term Easter come from?
No one knows for certain where the term Easter came from, but one theory is that it’s derived from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, who was connected with fertility and spring. If so, Christians named their high holy day Easter aiming to replace the pagan celebration of spring with their own holiday — like they did with Christmas. Easter is also often known as Pasch, which comes from the Hebrew word Pesach, meaning “Passover.” Some Protestants prefer to call it simply Resurrection Day to remove the commercialized baggage that they see associated with Easter.
Why is the Easter bunny associated with Easter?
In addition, the Easter bunny has pagan origins and has no real connection with the Christian celebration, although some churches use eggs as a metaphor for the new life Christians receive because of the Resurrection.
Richard Wagner is publisher of Digitalwalk.net, a Web-based Christian discipleship magazine. He has more than a decade?s broad experience in church leadership and teaching roles.
