Easter Family Traditions

Annual Easter family traditions celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Christ after His illegal trials, horrific beatings, cruel crucifixion, and solemn burial. For many worshippers, this significant day begins with a special sunrise worship service. Often held outside, this Easter Sunday service is usually someplace where participants can watch the sun light up the skies as it comes up over the horizon. Many churches plan a sunrise event followed by a breakfast. A multi-denominational sunrise event, attended by thousands, is held in different locations in the USA. Countless local residents join Christians in singing, listening to guest speakers, and prayer. Such times of worship and spiritual renewal are the highlight of the days and weeks leading up to Resurrection Sunday.

An Easter Sunday service focuses on the inspirational and religious symbols associated with Jesus' death on the cross, the burial in a borrowed tomb, and the details surrounding the Resurrection and post-Resurrection appearances. A cross, perhaps with a crown of thorns placed on the cross beam, may be strategically placed as the centerpiece of worship. The large thorns and wooden cross remind worshippers of the cruel treatment Jesus endured as part of His trials and the crucifixion. But the good news is that Jesus conquered death. White lilies, often used to decorate churches on this special day, symbolize the hope of eternal life. Dramatic or musical representations of the historic event, the foundation for Christianity, may be presented as part of the service. After worshipping together, extended family members may gather together for a specially-prepared dinner. These annual Easter family traditions of worshipping, dining, and spending time together create memories for children to pass along to their own future families.

Throughout the Bible, Jesus is often referred to as the Lamb of God. It is not a coincidence that Jesus laid His head upon the cross, choosing the moment of His last breath, at exactly 3:00 in the afternoon. This, after all, was the time for the Passover lambs to be slaughtered. Jesus' death signaled an end to the Old Testament sacrifice as He is the perfect sacrifice, slain to take away the sins of the world. The Holy Week, lasting from Palm Sunday, the day commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, to Resurrection Sunday provides many opportunities for observing Easter family traditions, especially ones that will help children understand the miracle being celebrated. For many denominations, the holy time begins on Ash Wednesday, "the Day of Ashes" (dies cinerum). This is the first of the forty days of Lent, a time of fasting and prayer. The practice of a priest forming the sign of the cross on parishioners' foreheads with ashes dates back to the eighth century. On Good Friday, Christians remember the day Jesus was crucified by the Roman soldiers. This is an appropriate day for meditating on what are known as the "seven sayings" -- the words Jesus spoke while on the cross. Worshipping God with loved ones at an Easter Sunday service is the highlight of this holy time of the year.

The apostle Matthew wrote these words in the gospel bearing his name: "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there as a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. . . . And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not year: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6). Passages like this will be the focus of many Resurrection Day worship services. Because the Easter Sunday service is the most attended service of the year, it's a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the gospel message of how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies to redeem His followers from sin and give them the gift of eternal life with the Heavenly Father. The bare cross and the empty tomb are powerful symbols of the truths of this message as they symbolize Jesus' power over death. The amazing evidence of the historic facts provides a sure foundation for faith and belief.

The date of Easter changes each year because it is based on the ecclesiastical full moon as set by ecclesiastical tables. The fixing of the date was first established by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. under the leadership of the Roman Emperor Constantine who was a Christian. At that time, the date was set as occurring on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, March 21. Throughout the centuries, revisions were made to this method. Pope Gregory XIII replaced the Julian calendar (named for Julius Caesar) with what came to be known as the Gregorian calendar, the one we use today. A mathematical algorithm is used in creating the ecclesiastical tables. The ecclesiastical full moon usually, but not always, is the same as the lunar full moon. By the established dating rules, Easter occurs sometime between March 22 and April 25. Whatever Easter family traditions that a person chooses to keep, the focus should be on the unique historical event it commemorates -- the Resurrection of the Son of God

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