Every year, the dates for Easter change, but they don't move far from the actual dates of the Christian celebration of Easter. It falls on a different day every year, and that is true both for Eastern and Western Christian traditions. On the other hand, most Western Christians follow the Julian (old Roman) calendar, which has only 365 days, so Easter never falls on the same date twice in a row.

Although most denominations of Protestant Christianity use different dates, Easter is always observed on the first Sunday in April. It’s called the Easter Season and it lasts through Pentecost.

The word "Easter" comes from the Latin word for "spring". In English the word "Easter" originally meant "the celebration of spring", but it later came to mean "the festival of Easter".

Historians claim that Easter traditions around the world comes from "Eostarum," a Latin phrase for "alba," which later changed into eostarum in Old High German, a precursor to the English language of today.

For centuries Easter has been celebrated, but the holiday’s origin is rooted in pagan rituals. Many of the traditions and symbols play a key role in Easter observances, and some of them actually have roots in pagan celebrations, particularly in the Pagan Goddess Eostre.

The religious tradition of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus, as described in the New Testament of the Bible, is the foundation upon which the Christian religions are based.

Hence, the Christian holiday is an important day on the calendar. According to the New Testament, Jesus was arrested by the Roman authorities because he claimed to be the "Son of God." Although historians don't agree, it seems to have been more of a power play and less about religion than some think.

Easter Traditions:

The Resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus as described in the New Testament of the Bible is the foundation upon which all Christian religious traditions are built.

It is quite reasonable to think that the New Testament's main focus was the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Thus, it was only in the year 33 when Pilate ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the burial of his body.

He was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in the province of Judea from 26 to 36 A.D. Jesus’ death by crucifixion, marked by the Christian holiday of Good Friday, and subsequent resurrection three days later is said to prove that he was the living son of God.

Each gospel contains a different emphasis on the same point: Those who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection have been given the gift of eternal life.

Easter Eggs

oval-shape eggs have been used as a symbol for new life, rebirth, and fertility in several religions throughout the millennia.

Eggsymbols the rebirth of Christ, the rock tomb out of which he emerges to start a new life.

For Orthodox Christians, it’s tradition to make elaborate designs on the egg with wax or twine before coloring. The eggs, called pysanky, are saved from year to year like symbolic heirlooms. They can be seen seasonally at Ukrainian shops.

People in Germany and other countries hollow the eggs and use them as decoration for Easter. In order to make the eggshells into decorative objects, they must be dyed.

Plastic eggs are filled with candy treats because they are the end of Lent. Each year, there is an egg rolling party at the White House. This custom is linked to Easter Church parades and picnics before the Civil War.

It’s great to go to these picnics where the children have a variety of fun games. One of them is the egg-rolling game.

Easter Bunny

Spring comes during the time of the year when the bunny produces many offspring.

There are many versions of “The Easter Bunny,” but the one most widely known today is the German Easter Hare, who brings eggs and sweets to good children. The story of the Osterhase or “Easter Hare” is a Protestant invention, invented in the 18th century to replace the more ancient traditions that linked the Rabbit to the Virgin Mary.

There's a long tradition of following Germans to the United States. They brought with them their traditions and culture, and they established Easter traditions in the U.S. in the mid-18th century. Eventually, the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs became a part of our cultural history.

Easter Lamb

One of the most important Easter symbols is the lamb. It's said to symbolize Jesus, and it embodies purity and goodness. But it's sacrifice, too, as it represents what happened to him.

The lamb was sacrificed as part of the Jewish Passover, which is a holiday commemorating the passing of the “Angel of Death” over the homes of those who had blood-stained their doorposts, and thus spared the firstborn sons.

Roasted lamb

Roasted leg of lamb is popular for Easter celebrations in Mediterranean countries, such as Italy and Greece. Jesus was crucified during Passover week, and then made the ultimate sacrifice.

For us, Easter is celebrated the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. We remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of humanity.

The Pope is not likely to celebrate Easter without any meat in his meal. In the early days, the Pope didn’t eat any lamb, but after the 10th century, smaller pieces of meat were used.

Easter ham

In talking about the Easter lamb, let's not forget the Easter ham. It's also an age-old custom, handed down from pre-Christian times, to eat the meat of this animal on festive occasions, feast days, and weddings.

The pig is one of the most important symbols of good luck and prosperity in many cultures.

Pig-shaped charm bracelets for children became popular in the 1940's. The popularity of charms that looked like pigs for children continued into the 1970's and 1980's.

Roasted turkey is a traditional main dish in this country for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other family gatherings.See our recipe for Turkey Meat Loaf.