Easter
Easter, also known as Pascha, the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrection, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed between late March and late April.
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Easter - Overview
Easter, also known as Pascha, the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrection, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed between late March and late April. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which his followers believe occurred on the third day after his death by crucifixion some time in the period AD 27 to 33. In the Roman Catholic Church, Easter is actually an eight-day feast called the Octave of Easter.
History
In most languages of Christian societies, other than English, German and some Slavic, the holiday’s name is derived from Pesach, the Hebrew name of Passover. Easter depends on Passover not only for much of its symbolic meaning but also for its position in the calendar; the Last Supper shared by Jesus and his disciples before his crucifixion is generally thought of as a Passover Seder, based on the chronology in the Synoptic Gospels. The Gospel of John has a different chronology which has Christ’s death at the time of the slaughter of the Passover lambs, which might have been for theological reasons but which is regarded by some scholars as more historically likely given the surrounding events. This would put the Last Super slightly before Passover, on 14 Nisan of the Bible’s Hebrew calendar.
Date of Easter
In Western Christianity, Easter always falls on a Sunday from March 22 to April 25 inclusive. The following day, Easter Monday, is a legal holiday in many countries with predominantly Christian traditions. In Eastern Christianity, Easter falls between April 4 and May 8 between 1900 and 2100 based on Gregorian date.
Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts, in that they don’t fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars. Instead, they are based on a lunar calendar similar – but not identical – to the Hebrew Calendar. The precise date of Easter has often been a matter for contention.
Easter Traditions
As with many other Christian dates, the celebration of Easter extends beyond the church. Since its origins, it has been a time of celebration and feasting. Today it is commercially important, seeing wide sales of greeting cards and confectionery such as chocolate Easter eggs, marshmallow bunnies, Peeps, and jelly beans.
Observation for Western Christianity
The Easter festival is kept in many different ways among Western Christians. The traditional, liturgical observation of Easter, as practiced among Roman Catholics and some Lutherans and Anglicans begins on the night of Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil. This, the most important liturgy of the year, begins in total darkness with the blessing of the Easter fire, the lighting of the large Paschal candle and the chanting of the Exsultet or Easter Proclamation attributed to Saint Ambrose of Milan. After this service of light, a number of reading from the old testament are read; these tell the stories of creation, the sacrifice of Isaac, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the foretold coming of the Messiah.
Observation of Eastern Christianity
Easter is the fundamental and most important festival of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox. Every other religious festival on their calendars, including Christmas, is secondary in importance to the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is reflected in the cultures of countries that are traditionally Orthodox Christian majority. Easter-connected social customs are native and rich. Christmas customs, on the other hand, are usually foreign imports, either from Germany or the U.S. Eastern Rite Catholics in communion with the Pope of Rome have similar emphasis in their calendars, and many of their liturgical customs are very similar.
Spring Break
The term Spring Break has been used by universities, grade schools, government offices, and public media. While the term is often used to replace the name of Easter, some institutions use it for a springtime vacation that does not necessarily fall on a religious holiday, and others have attempted to include the Jewish holiday of Passover in their Spring Break.
History of Spring Break
In the U.S., spring break ranges from the end of February to mid-April, but most schools are out for one of the first two weeks of March. Colgate University is credited with starting spring break. On March 19, 2006, the New York Times reported that Fort Lauderdale’s reputation as a spring break destination for college students started when the University’s swimming team came to practice there over break in 1935. From the end of World War II until the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale was a notorious spring break destination in the U.S. Spring break’s notorieties include increased drinking and sexual activity. Residents of the area became so upset at the damage done by breakers that the local government passed laws restricting parties in 1985. Spring breakers responded by moving to the much more liberal Daytona Beach, but the local government undertook similar measures.
Popular Spring Break Spots
The most common areas for spring breakers are Acapulco, Cancun, Negril, Freeport, Panama City Beach, and Rosarito. Most students purchase specialized packages from dedicated spring break tour operators. There are several logistics companies that charter airplanes and buy large blocks of hotel rooms to offer the deep discounts most college students need. Prices range from about $300 to $1600, which includes airfare, hotel, staff, and more. Open bars or party packages are usually available for purchase at additional cost.
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