Difference between revisions of "Resurrection Sunday"
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| − | '''Resurrection Sunday''' ( | + | [[File:Carracci The Holy Women at the Tomb of Christ.jpg|thumb|[[Annibale Carracci]], The Holy Women at the Tomb of Christ, circa 1597-98, as described in the [[Mark ending]]]] |
| + | '''Resurrection Sunday''' (popularly called '''Easter''') is the [[Christian]] holiday celebrating the [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]]. In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], this celebration is known as '''Pascha'''. | ||
| − | + | The term used in [[Mexico]] is "Domingo de Resurrección," which translates as Resurrection Sunday. In the [[United States]], many [[Christian]] churches continue to prefer the word ''Easter'' due to familiarity; however, ''Resurrection Sunday'' has gained favor in many churches in recent years, to emphasize the focus of the day, and is the traditional name of the holy day used by Christians in the Middle East.<ref>http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html</ref> | |
| − | + | There are at least 12 separate occasions on which [[Jesus]] was seen after his [[Resurrection]], including: | |
| + | *by [[Mary Magdalene]] ({{bible ref|John|20|11-18}}); | ||
| + | *by additional women (Matthew 28:8-10); | ||
| + | *by two on the [[road to Emmaus]] (Luke 24:13-35); | ||
| + | *by [[Peter]] (Luke 24:34); | ||
| + | *by ten disciples (Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-24); | ||
| + | *by all eleven disciples, eight days after the [[Resurrection]] (John 20:24-29); | ||
| + | *by seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23); | ||
| + | *by many, including all eleven [[apostles]], at [[the Ascension]] (Acts 1:3-12); | ||
| + | *by [[Paul]] (Acts 9:3-8); | ||
| + | *by five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:6); | ||
| + | *by James (1 Corinthians 15:7); and | ||
| + | *by [[John]] (Revelation 1:12-18). | ||
| + | Many others, including [[Mark]], had [[faith]] strong enough to believe without personally witnessing Jesus after his [[Resurrection]]. Mark confirms the Resurrection as explained by an [[angel]] at [[The Tomb]] in {{bibleref|Mark|16|2-8}}. Also, the [[Epistle to the Hebrews]] was likely written or dictated by [[Jesus]] soon after His [[Resurrection]].<ref>See [[Mystery:Did Jesus Write the Epistle to the Hebrews]]?</ref> | ||
| − | + | It is by far the most important date in Christianity (even among churches which don't follow a liturgical calendar), due to the Resurrection being the event on which Christianity either stands or falls. Also, it is usually the date on which church attendance is the highest, resulting in churches often having additional services to handle the crowds (which also gives rise to the term "Easter and Christmas Christians" to define people who only attend on those days). Because Jesus rose from the dead at sunrise on Sunday morning, "sunrise services" are observed in some churches as well as in community gatherings. | |
| − | == | + | == Origin of the name "Easter" == |
| − | [ | + | The term "Easter" is likely derived from ''Eosturmonath'', the term for "Spring" in Germanic languages.<ref>[https://www.gotquestions.org/easter-origins.html What are the origins of Easter?]</ref> [http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/5695/#easter Others suggest] that the word comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for "passover". In biblical times the Jewish [[Passover]], which commemorates the sparing of the [[Hebrew]] firstborns, was celebrated at roughly the same time as the vernal equinox or this "Easter" festival. The theory of pagan origin surmises that while the Gospel was being spread to the pagans, the celebration of Eostre and the celebration of the resurrection became combined and the Christians adopted the name that the pagans had used for their festival. |
| − | |||
| − | + | == Holy Week == | |
| − | + | ''See also:'' [[Holy Week]] | |
| + | |||
| + | [[Holy Week]] (or "passion week") is the week before Resurrection Sunday, and also in [[Catholicism]] the last week of [[Lent]]. It begins on [[Palm Sunday]], and also includes [[Maundy Thursday]], [[Good Friday]] and [[Holy Saturday]]. During Holy Week, the events of [[Christ]]'s passion are commemorated, including His [[Last Supper]], betrayal and [[Crucifixion]]. It is used to commemorate the [[Passion of Christ]]. | ||
| − | + | == Date of Resurrection Sunday == | |
| + | Unlike [[Christmas]], which falls on a specific calendar date (December 25 in the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions; January 8 in the Orthodox ones), Easter/ | ||
| + | Resurrection Sunday is considered a "movable feast" in [[Christian]] liturgy, as its date depends on astronomical events. | ||
| − | + | The First [[Council of Nicaea]] in 325 AD set only two rules for its calculation: 1) that the date would be independent of the Hebrew calendar used by the Jews and 2) that it be held on a uniform date throughout all Christian churches. | |
| − | + | However, the Council did not specify '''''how''''' the date was to be calculated; the computational process (formally called the ''comptus'') took centuries to formally develop: | |
| + | *[[Bede the Venerable]] would, 400 years after Nicaea, set forth the general rule of the ''comptus'': "The Sunday following the full Moon which falls on or after the equinox will give the lawful Easter."<ref>There are two equinoxes on Earth annually, one in March and one in September; Bede referred to the one in March. The March Equinox is known as the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Autumnal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. (An equinox is the instant in time when the plane of the Earth's Equator passes through the geometric center of the Sun's disk, and only occurs in March and September.)</ref> | ||
| + | *Bede's rule would be modified to specifically define two components needed to calculate the date: 1) the term "full moon" would be defined, not as the actual date on which the moon is full, but instead as the 14th day of the lunar month (formally called the "Paschal full moon", taken from Pascha), and 2) the Spring Equinox would be fixed as March 21 (the astronomical March equinox can take place on March 19, 20, or 21). | ||
| + | *The Metonic Cycle, a period of approximately 19 years when the phases of the Moon recur at the same time, would then be used to determine when the Paschal full moon event took place, and from that date the date for Easter/Resurrection Sunday would be derived. | ||
| − | + | However, Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar to determine the date of the Paschal full moon, while Western churches use the Gregorian calendar. This results (most years) in differing dates for the two Christian branches.<ref>This is because the Julian calendar adds a leap day every four years without interruption, while the Gregorian calendar modifies that to maintain consistency within the seasons, to skip the leap day in years evenly divisible by 100 (e.g. 1900), except that if the year is evenly divisible by 400 (e.g. 2000) the leap day is retained.</ref> Due to the complexity of the calculations, many websites exist that perform the calculation for both Orthodox and Western churches; one is provided in the External Links below, which can also be used to determine the date of [[Passover]]. | |
| − | + | '''{{before on after|2022|04|17|The next Easter/Resurrection Sunday will be on April 17, 2022.|Easter/Resurrection Sunday is today, April 17, 2022.|{{before on after|2023|04|09|The next Easter/Resurrection Sunday will be on April 9, 2023.|Easter/Resurrection Sunday is today, April 9, 2023.|{{before on after|2024|03|31|The next Easter/Resurrection Sunday will be on March 31, 2024.|Easter/Resurrection Sunday is today, March 31, 2024.| }}}}}}''' | |
| + | ===Generally=== | ||
| + | *'''Resurrection Sunday (Western Easter)''' is calculated as the first Sunday using the first full moon after the vernal equinox (set as March 21). This means Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25 each year. | ||
| + | *'''Pascha (Orthodox Easter}''' is calculated based on the [[Julian calendar]], using the first full moon after the vernal equinox (set as March 21 on Julian, which is April 3 until 2100AD). '''Also, it must always fall after the Jewish Passover,''' aligning with the belief that Jesus was crucified after Passover, and it can occur between April 4 and May 8. | ||
| + | *'''Passover''' can occur on the [[Gregorian calendar]] between March 26 and April 25. The specific date varies each year as it begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is determined by the lunar calendar. | ||
| − | == | + | == Use in determining other dates == |
| − | [[ | + | *[[Ash Wednesday]] (the first day of [[Lent]]) is observed 46 days before. |
| + | *[[Shrove Tuesday]] (the day before Lent begins, also known as [[Mardi Gras]]) is observed the day before Ash Wednesday. | ||
| + | *The Feast of the Divine Mercy is observed on the Sunday after.<ref>[http://www.cph.org/cphstore/product.asp?part_no=124313 Christ Have Mercy: How to Put Your Faith in Action.]</ref> | ||
| + | *[[Pentecost]] is observed on the seventh Sunday after. | ||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | *[http://www.catholicexpert.com/easterprayer.htm Easter Prayers] | ||
| + | *[https://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/history/item/22849-christ-s-resurrection-the-historical-record Christ’s Resurrection: The Historical Record], by Steve Byas | ||
| + | *[https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/easter/eastercalculator.htm A Perpetual Easter/Passover Calculator] | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| − | |||
*[[Ascension of Christ]] | *[[Ascension of Christ]] | ||
*[[Christianity in Conservapedia]] | *[[Christianity in Conservapedia]] | ||
*[[Jesus Christ]] | *[[Jesus Christ]] | ||
| − | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| − | + | [[Category:Observances]] | |
| − | + | [[Category:Holidays]] | |
| − | [[Category:Observances]][[ | + | [[Category:Christianity]] |
Latest revision as of 22:38, January 1, 2026
Annibale Carracci, The Holy Women at the Tomb of Christ, circa 1597-98, as described in the Mark ending
Resurrection Sunday (popularly called Easter) is the Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this celebration is known as Pascha.
The term used in Mexico is "Domingo de Resurrección," which translates as Resurrection Sunday. In the United States, many Christian churches continue to prefer the word Easter due to familiarity; however, Resurrection Sunday has gained favor in many churches in recent years, to emphasize the focus of the day, and is the traditional name of the holy day used by Christians in the Middle East.[1]
There are at least 12 separate occasions on which Jesus was seen after his Resurrection, including:
- by Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18 );
- by additional women (Matthew 28:8-10);
- by two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35);
- by Peter (Luke 24:34);
- by ten disciples (Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-24);
- by all eleven disciples, eight days after the Resurrection (John 20:24-29);
- by seven disciples at the Sea of Tiberius (John 21:1-23);
- by many, including all eleven apostles, at the Ascension (Acts 1:3-12);
- by Paul (Acts 9:3-8);
- by five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:6);
- by James (1 Corinthians 15:7); and
- by John (Revelation 1:12-18).
Many others, including Mark, had faith strong enough to believe without personally witnessing Jesus after his Resurrection. Mark confirms the Resurrection as explained by an angel at The Tomb in Mark 16:2-8 . Also, the Epistle to the Hebrews was likely written or dictated by Jesus soon after His Resurrection.[2]
It is by far the most important date in Christianity (even among churches which don't follow a liturgical calendar), due to the Resurrection being the event on which Christianity either stands or falls. Also, it is usually the date on which church attendance is the highest, resulting in churches often having additional services to handle the crowds (which also gives rise to the term "Easter and Christmas Christians" to define people who only attend on those days). Because Jesus rose from the dead at sunrise on Sunday morning, "sunrise services" are observed in some churches as well as in community gatherings.
Origin of the name "Easter"
The term "Easter" is likely derived from Eosturmonath, the term for "Spring" in Germanic languages.[3] Others suggest that the word comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for "passover". In biblical times the Jewish Passover, which commemorates the sparing of the Hebrew firstborns, was celebrated at roughly the same time as the vernal equinox or this "Easter" festival. The theory of pagan origin surmises that while the Gospel was being spread to the pagans, the celebration of Eostre and the celebration of the resurrection became combined and the Christians adopted the name that the pagans had used for their festival.
Holy Week
See also: Holy Week
Holy Week (or "passion week") is the week before Resurrection Sunday, and also in Catholicism the last week of Lent. It begins on Palm Sunday, and also includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. During Holy Week, the events of Christ's passion are commemorated, including His Last Supper, betrayal and Crucifixion. It is used to commemorate the Passion of Christ.
Date of Resurrection Sunday
Unlike Christmas, which falls on a specific calendar date (December 25 in the Roman Catholic and Protestant traditions; January 8 in the Orthodox ones), Easter/ Resurrection Sunday is considered a "movable feast" in Christian liturgy, as its date depends on astronomical events.
The First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD set only two rules for its calculation: 1) that the date would be independent of the Hebrew calendar used by the Jews and 2) that it be held on a uniform date throughout all Christian churches.
However, the Council did not specify how the date was to be calculated; the computational process (formally called the comptus) took centuries to formally develop:
- Bede the Venerable would, 400 years after Nicaea, set forth the general rule of the comptus: "The Sunday following the full Moon which falls on or after the equinox will give the lawful Easter."[4]
- Bede's rule would be modified to specifically define two components needed to calculate the date: 1) the term "full moon" would be defined, not as the actual date on which the moon is full, but instead as the 14th day of the lunar month (formally called the "Paschal full moon", taken from Pascha), and 2) the Spring Equinox would be fixed as March 21 (the astronomical March equinox can take place on March 19, 20, or 21).
- The Metonic Cycle, a period of approximately 19 years when the phases of the Moon recur at the same time, would then be used to determine when the Paschal full moon event took place, and from that date the date for Easter/Resurrection Sunday would be derived.
However, Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar to determine the date of the Paschal full moon, while Western churches use the Gregorian calendar. This results (most years) in differing dates for the two Christian branches.[5] Due to the complexity of the calculations, many websites exist that perform the calculation for both Orthodox and Western churches; one is provided in the External Links below, which can also be used to determine the date of Passover.
'
Generally
- Resurrection Sunday (Western Easter) is calculated as the first Sunday using the first full moon after the vernal equinox (set as March 21). This means Easter can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25 each year.
- Pascha (Orthodox Easter} is calculated based on the Julian calendar, using the first full moon after the vernal equinox (set as March 21 on Julian, which is April 3 until 2100AD). Also, it must always fall after the Jewish Passover, aligning with the belief that Jesus was crucified after Passover, and it can occur between April 4 and May 8.
- Passover can occur on the Gregorian calendar between March 26 and April 25. The specific date varies each year as it begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which is determined by the lunar calendar.
Use in determining other dates
- Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) is observed 46 days before.
- Shrove Tuesday (the day before Lent begins, also known as Mardi Gras) is observed the day before Ash Wednesday.
- The Feast of the Divine Mercy is observed on the Sunday after.[6]
- Pentecost is observed on the seventh Sunday after.
External links
- Easter Prayers
- Christ’s Resurrection: The Historical Record, by Steve Byas
- A Perpetual Easter/Passover Calculator
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html
- ↑ See Mystery:Did Jesus Write the Epistle to the Hebrews?
- ↑ What are the origins of Easter?
- ↑ There are two equinoxes on Earth annually, one in March and one in September; Bede referred to the one in March. The March Equinox is known as the Spring (or Vernal) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Autumnal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. (An equinox is the instant in time when the plane of the Earth's Equator passes through the geometric center of the Sun's disk, and only occurs in March and September.)
- ↑ This is because the Julian calendar adds a leap day every four years without interruption, while the Gregorian calendar modifies that to maintain consistency within the seasons, to skip the leap day in years evenly divisible by 100 (e.g. 1900), except that if the year is evenly divisible by 400 (e.g. 2000) the leap day is retained.
- ↑ Christ Have Mercy: How to Put Your Faith in Action.