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'''Resurrection Sunday''' (more popularly known as '''Easter''') is the [[Christian]] holiday celebrating the [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]].  In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] the celebration is known as '''Pascha'''.

'''Resurrection Sunday''' (more popularly known as '''Easter''') is the [[Christian]] holiday celebrating the [[resurrection of Jesus Christ]].  In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] the celebration is known as '''Pascha'''.

It would be counted as two days after His [[crucifixion]] on [[Good Friday]] by modern-day counting, but three days by Biblical inclusive date counting whereby parts of days are counted as days ("be raised on the third day"<ref>Matthew 20:19; Mark 9:31 and 10:34; Luke 9:22 and 18:33 and 24:46; John 2:19 "in three days"; Acts 10:40—Jesus remains raised "after three days" Matthew 12:40; 27:63; </ref>). It has been considered the most important festival of the liturgical year.  

The term is used in [[Mexico]]: "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 some Protestant churches in recent years, most often as a response to the possibly pagan origins of the name "Easter."<ref>http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html</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).

 

== Origin of the name "Easter" ==

The term "Easter" is likely derived from ''Eastre'' or ''Isthar'', who was the pagan goddess of fertility for whom the Festival of Ishtar was celebrated each spring.  [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 Isthar/Eastre and the celebration of the resurrection became combined and the Christians adopted the name that the pagans had used for their festival.

== Date of Resurrection Sunday ==

== 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 is considered a "moveable feast" in Christian liturgy, as its date depends on astronomical events.

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 "moveable 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.

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:

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'' for calculating Easter: "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 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).

*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 would be derived.

*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 Easter dates for the two Christian branches.<ref>This is because the Julian calendar adds a leap day every four years, while the Gregorian calendar modifies that 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 which perform the calculation for both Orthodox and Western churches.

 

'''{{before on after|2022|04|17|The next Resurrection Sunday will be on April 17, 2022.|Resurrection Sunday is today, April 17, 2022.|{{before on after|2023|04|09|The next Resurrection Sunday will be on April 9, 2023.|Resurrection Sunday is today, April 9, 2023.|{{before on after|2024|03|31|The next Resurrection Sunday will be on March 31, 2024.|Resurrection Sunday is today, March 31, 2024.| }}}}}}'''

 

For the [[Catholic Church]], Resurrection Sunday marks the end of the 46 days of [[Lent]], a period of fasting and penitence in preparation for Resurrection Sunday, which begins on [[Ash Wednesday]] and ends on Resurrection Sunday. However, Lent really only comprises 40 days since the 6 Sundays during this period are excluded from the Lenten fast, and are days that are set apart to commemorate Resurrection Sunday and Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, defeated the grave and guaranteed eternal life to those who believe.

The days before Resurrection Sunday also are special in the Christian tradition: the Sunday before is [[Palm Sunday]], and the last three days before Resurrection Sunday are [[Holy Thursday]], [[Good Friday]] and [[Silent Saturday]]. These days commemorate Jesus' entry into [[Jerusalem]], the [[Last Supper]] and the [[Crucifixion]].

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, while the Gregorian calendar modifies that 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 which 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.| }}}}}}'''

The term "Easter" is likely derived from ''Eastre'' or ''Isthar'', who was the pagan goddess of fertility for whom the Festival of Ishtar was celebrated each spring. [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 Eastre and the celebration of the resurrection became combined and the Christians adopted the name that the pagans had used for their festival.

==The name "Resurrection Sunday"==

== Use in determining other dates ==

This name is used in [[Mexico]]: "Domingo de Resurrección," which translates as Resurrection Sunday. In the [[United States]], many Christian churches continue to prefer the word ''Easter.'' However, ''Resurrection Sunday'' has gained favor in some Protestant churches in recent years, most often as a response to the possibly pagan origins of the name "Easter."<ref>http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-t020.html</ref>

Many Christian holy days are calculated based on when Easter/Resurrection Sunday is determined:

 

*[[Silent Saturday]] is observed on the day before.

== Feast of Mercy  ==

*[[Good Friday]] is observed two days before.

Roman Catholics and some Anglicans celebrate the "Feast of the Divine Mercy" on the first Sunday after Easter. ''The mercy of Christ to and for us—and our demonstration of that mercy to those within and outside the Body of Christ is the key to the future of the Church, to mission and stewardship, to living our Christian lives together in love and forgiveness, to moving boldly and confidently into the future with courage in the Gospel.'' Matthew Harrison.<ref>[http://www.cph.org/cphstore/product.asp?part_no=124313 Christ Have Mercy: How to Put Your Faith in Action.]</ref>

*[[Maundy Thursday]] is observed three days before.

 

*[[Palm Sunday]] (which is the beginning of [[Holy Week]]) is observed the Sunday before.

*[[Ash Wednesday]] (the first day of [[Lent]]) is observed 46 days before.

[[Pentecost]] is seven weeks after Resurrection Sunday. Those seven weeks are celebrated as the Season of Easter in the [[Catholic Church]].

*[[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.

== See also ==

== See also ==

*[[Christianity in Conservapedia]]

*[[Christianity in Conservapedia]]

*[[Jesus Christ]]

*[[Jesus Christ]]

 

==References==

==References==