What is Easter about?

On Christmas, we celebrate the Incarnation—God becoming human – with Jesus’s birth. During Lent, we recall the cross—Jesus’s crucifixion and death. At Easter, we rejoice in the empty tomb—Jesus’s resurrection. Easter is the day Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified.

The empty tomb means that Jesus’s words rang true. He fulfilled the promises of Scripture and conquered sin and death.

Had Jesus not risen from the dead, the world would have seen Him as just a prophet or teacher instead of who he is: the Son of God, the Messiah. Jesus overcoming death is the reason we know His name today. It’s the foundation of all Christianity. With His death and resurrection, Jesus opened heaven to all of us. Because of Easter, we know that no matter what sufferings we experience or what sins we struggle with, God is always with us.

Easter is everything.

And its significance is clear from the start in the Bible.

 

Holy Week and The Easter Triduum

Easter represents the culmination of Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday–the first time we hear the Passion reading.

Holy Week includes the Easter Triduum, which starts the evening of Holy Thursday with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, includes Good Friday and ends with the Easter Vigil. The series of liturgical services spanning from Thursday to Saturday is both unique and rich. Each liturgy includes hymns, vestments, prayers and other details that occur just once a year in the liturgical calendar.

Easter Sunday Mass, as celebratory as it is, more closely resembles Mass in ordinary time. Attending the Easter Vigil on Saturday satisfies the Sunday obligation to attend Mass.
 

The Easter Season

You won’t find Easter candy or decorations for sale at the supermarket much past Easter Sunday. While the secular world moves on from bunnies and chocolate, the Church continues to celebrate Easter long after the final ham leftovers are eaten.

The Easter season is the second-longest liturgical season. Only ordinary time is longer. The Church celebrates the Easter season (also known as “Eastertide”) for 50 days, culminating with the feast of Pentecost, where Scripture (Acts 2:1–31) tells us that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles.

Divine Mercy Sunday and the Ascension, a holy day of obligation, take place during the Easter season.
 

Easter Liturgies

In addition to bright colors and spiffy outfits among the congregation, Easter liturgies feature some noticeable changes from those that take place during ordinary time. The color of the priest’s vestments is white (or gold), a break from the purple worn during Lent.

The most noticeable changes include the return of singing both the Gloria and Alleluia (before the Gospel), both of which are not part of Lenten liturgies.

The Sprinkling Rite is another change. The presider sprinkles holy water throughout the congregation, often using a small stick-like item known as an aspergillum. This replaces the Act of Penitence during the Mass and reminds us of our baptismal vows.

Finally, worshippers may notice a small change in the language used during the prayers of the faithful. Sometimes, prayers will use “We pray to the risen Lord” as a nod to the Easter season.

In general, prayers during Easter are especially celebratory.
 

Easter Prayers

In joyous times, it’s important to remain close to God, giving Him thanks for all the ways He blesses us. Therefore finding time for prayer during any moment of celebration is important. When the celebration is Easter, this is especially true.

You can offer Easter prayers during Easter day and throughout Easter season. Consider reflecting on the miracle of Easter and other radiant miracles that have occurred throughout the Church’s history.

Browse a full list of Easter Prayers for 2024.

 

How is the date of Easter determined?
Why is Easter on different dates?

Paul writes explicitly about Jesus overcoming death and what it means for all of humanity. But he didn’t exactly send out calendar invites for the annual celebration of Easter!

For Roman Catholics and other Western branches of Christianity, the tradition of celebrating Easter on the first Sunday following the first full moon of spring dates back to the Council of Nicaea in 325.

Unlike holidays like Christmas (December 25) that are fixed on the calendar, Easter is what’s known as a floating holiday. The actual date we celebrate Easter changes year to year.

Since so many celebrations and observances revolve around the date of Easter and celebrations were not as ubiquitous as they are now, the early church found it important to announce the date of Easter.

This practice, known as the Epiphany proclamation, still takes place today.

In 2024, Easter will take place on March 31.

Source: Hallow

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