6 Things You Should Know About Easter

1. What is Easter?
Easter is the most important Christian festival. Christians
are followers of Jesus Christ who lived about 2000 years
ago in a country called Palestine. They believe that Jesus
was the son of God. At Easter time Christians remember
the last week of Jesus' life.

2. Origin of the name Easter
The name, “Easter” comes from a goddess: Her name was Eostre
and She was the Mother Goddess of the Saxons of Northern Europe.
She was, according to Grimm (yes, one of those Grimms), “goddess
of the growing light of spring.” One interesting theory posits that
Eostre was the embodiment of the bright, growing half of the year
while Holda was the cold, dark winter personified. The dates of
Easter are so close to Walpurgisnacht that they may have been
concurrent at one time, the night giving way to the first day of
Summer. This would make Ostara (the German name for Her
holiday) a time of transition. Early in the history of Christianity,
many pagan observances were adapted for the new faith. The early
missionaries discovered that it was easier to get converts to
celebrate a new name than it was a new date.

3. The White House and Easter
“The White House Easter Egg Roll” event has been celebrated by
the President of the United States and their families since 1878.

4. The Holy Week
Holy Week is the celebrated during the week leading up to Easter.
It begins on Palm Sunday, continues on to Maundy Thursday,
Good Friday, and then finally, Easter Sunday.

5. When is Easter celebrated?
Easter takes place on a Sunday, after the 40-day period called Lent.
Lent is referred to as a time of fasting, but participants focus more on giving up one significant indulgence.

6. Jews and Easter
Jews do not celebrate Easter.

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