Easter 2017: History, Significance And Celebration

New Delhi: Easter is the time of the Christian year when Christians remember the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's the most important day of the church year for Christians. They believe that Jesus, who they believe was the son of God, died for everyone's wrong-doings and then came back to life three days later to defeat death and evil. It is often called the 'resurrection'. The date of celebration changes from year to year. The reason for this variation is that Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.
    
Easter is really an entire season of the Christian church year, as opposed to a single-day observance. Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday, is a time of reflection and penance and represents the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry, a time in which Christians believe he survived various temptations by the devil. The day before Lent, known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, is a last hurrah of food and fun before the fasting begins. The week preceding Easter is called Holy Week and includes Maundy Thursday, which commemorates Jesus' last supper with his disciples; Good Friday, which honors the day of his crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, which focuses on the transition between the crucifixion and resurrection. The 50-day period following Easter Sunday is called Eastertide and includes a celebration of Jesus' ascension into heaven.
 As Christians celebrate the festival this spring in commemoration of Jesus' resurrection, the familiar sights of the Easter bunny and Easter eggs serve as a reminder of the holiday's very ancient origins outside of the Christian tradition. The importance of Easter eggs is that they are a symbol of the empty tomb.