Easter is celebrated on a Sunday between March 22 and April 28. Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and thus his victory over death. Easter Sunday celebrations include an elaborate build-up of festivities that cover 40 days of Lent and a whole week of significant remembrances.
Origins
Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, believed to have occurred on a Sunday, three days after his crucifixion and death. The celebrations are closely associated with the Jewish Passover feast as the early Christians were Jews and as Jesus' death and resurrection is closely associated to the Jewish Passover feast. In French, "Easter" is known as Pacques, in Dutch Paach and in Hebrew Pesach which means "passover". However, when Christianity was adopted as the national religion of Rome by Emperor Constantine, aspects of the pagan Spring festivities of fertility were incorporated into the celebrations. "Easter" comes from the Germanic word Ostern which means "to rise" although its earlier Anglo-Saxon root refers to the Germanic Goddess of spring called Eostre or the spring festival Eostur.
The date for calculating when Easter Sunday falls each year has remained controversial. The major denominations ranging from Episcopal to Greek Orthodox, vary in the way they determine when Easter Sunday falls.
Special Days
Lent
Prior to Easter Sunday there is the period of Lent which spans 40 days and recalls Jesus' own 40 day fast whilst he was tempted in the wilderness. It is a period of penitence and reflection, often accompanied by a 40-day fast where Christians choose to forgo meat or a particular favoured item of consumption. This period is also known as Quarantine, though the word has a different meaning today, it basically means "sacrifice and abstinence".
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent and a church service is usually held where communicants are blessed with ashes in the form of a cross on their forehead.
Holy Week
The week prior to Easter is known as the Holy Week and specific days during this week would commemorate specific aspects of Christ's journey to the cross, from the point he enters Jerusalem to his crucifixion.
Palm Sunday
The Sunday before Easter Sunday is called Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is celebrated as Christ's entry into Jerusalem when he was welcomed by rejoicing Jews and their children with palm branches. Palm leaves are distributed to the congregation during church services on Palm Sunday. In Singapore, some churches weave the local palm leaves into the shape of a cross whilst others have children parade into the service waving their palm leaves.
Maundy Thursday
The Thursday of Holy Week is called as Maundy Thursday which takes its meaning from the Latin word mandatum which means "commandment". On this day, Jesus celebrates Passover and has his last supper with his disciples. It is on this night that he gives his commandments to his disciples, to love God with all their heart and to love one another. He also institutes the communion and washes the feet of his disciples, a symbolic act of humility. In Singapore, Maundy Thursday services often see a re-enactment of these events with the leader of the church serving communion and washing the feet of selected communicants.
Good Friday
Good Friday commemorates day Jesus Christ was crucified and is a solemn occasion. In Singapore, Good Friday is a public holiday. Churches have short morning services, remembering the significance of Jesus' death.
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is the day before Easter and is known as Sebattun Sactum. On this day, worshippers commemorates Christ's rest in the tomb.
Easter Sunday
In Singapore, Easter Sunday is a popular day for converts to be baptised as Easter is a remembrance of Christ's resurrection and of their new life. Some churches will have sunrise services, often along the East Coast beach, remembering that Jesus rose early in the morning. Roast lamb, like that served at the Jewish Passover meal is becoming a popular adaptation to the local Easter meal. Easter eggs are also popular with children here.
Ascension Sunday
Significant Sundays continue the Easter celebrations 40 days after Easter, particularly in church services amongst the Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans and the Roman Catholics in Singapore which closely follow the liturgical year. It culminates in Ascension Sunday when the congregation remembers Christ's ascension into heaven and some conclude with Pentecost Sunday (Whitsunday) after that. This marks the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in and empower the church.
Though Easter is a far more important festival to Christians than Christmas, Easter is a quieter affair here. Commercially, in Singapore, the department stores do far better at Christmas than at Easter.
Author
Suchitthra Vasu
References
McGrath, A. E. (1996). An introduction to Christianity (pp. 378-385). Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
(Call no.: R 230 MAC)
Metzger, B. M., & Michael D. C. (Eds.). (1993). The Oxford companion to the Bible (p. 173). New York: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: R 220.3 MET)
Khan, T. L. (1990). New Life After Death. Mirror, 26(8), p. 10.
Bishop performs feet-washing Easter ritual. (1995, April 14). The Straits Times, p. 1.
Crucifixion of Christ to be renacted in musical. (1995, April 16). The Sunday Times, p. 21.
Three important days in Christian calendar. (1993, April 9). The Straits Times, p. 30.
Anglican Ethos. (2003). Diocese of Singapore. Retrieved October 17, 2003, from www.anglican.org.sg/ethos.html
Singapore InfoMap. (2002). Christmas and Easter. Retrieved October 17, 2003, from www.sg/explore/people_festivals.htm#christmas
The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
