Easter Sunday

There are lots of debates regarding what is exactly Easter Sunday. Many say that Easter Sunday is all about the Easter Bunny, vibrantly coloured Easter eggs, and fun games of Easter egg hunts. While some say that Easter Sunday is the commemoration day of the resurrection of Jesus, however very few people have the clarity on the association of the resurrection to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny.

Following the Bible, there is no relation between the renaissance of Jesus Christ and the common contemporary traditions that are followed on Easter Sunday. The religious experts and scholars say that Easter Sunday is a celebration just to make the event of Easter more enjoyable and noteworthy to non-Christians. The authorities of the ancient Roman Catholic Church combined the celebration of Jesus' resurrection with the rejoicings done on the onset of spring, which are also called the spring fertility rituals. Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are a part of these spring fertility rituals.

As Bible says that Jesus was crucified on the first day of the week, Sunday and his resurrection is most admirable event to be celebrated. Thus, Jesus' resurrection is to be celebrated on a Sunday, but it cannot be referred solely to as Easter. Some scholars had however objected saying that the commemoration day for Jesus' resurrection should not be referred to as "Easter Sunday", instead it can be called as "Resurrection Sunday".

However, following the generation norms, the Christian community celebrates Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday. Although, they feel that Christ's resurrection should be revered, remembered and celebrated every day, and not only once a year. Some scholars have also discouraged playing the fun games on Easter Sunday with the bunnies and eggs as they would distract our attention from the sombre and solemn celebration of Jesus resurrected from the dead. His resurrection indicates that mankind and his followers will be promised an eternal home in Heaven as came down to us as “Jesus our Savior”.

During the Pagan times, many sects organized spring festivals that were associated with the re-birth of nature, fertility retaining back to the land and soil and the birth of many young animals. Signifying these happenings, the Easter eggs, bunnies and egg hunt games were initiated. While, late the Christians associated it with Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion is commemorated on Good Friday and the rebirth of Christ is remembered on Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday dates keep varying every year. This festival does not have any fixed date just like Easter or Ash Wednesday. Here are the details of Easter Sunday dates for next 5 years -

• 2015 – April 5
• 2016 – March 27
• 2017 – April 16
• 2018 – April 1
• 2019 – April 21
• 2020 – April 12
• 2021 – April 4
• 2022 – April 17

Most of the churches observe special services on Easter Sunday, celebrating the Jesus Christ's resurrection after his crucifixion. Easter eggs are decorated with vibrant colours, paints and stickers and placed in well decorated baskets. These are usually hard boiled eggs that are eaten later. Modern rituals also allow eggs made of plastic, chocolate, candy or other materials. Fun games like Easter egg hunts are organised, where some eggs are hidden, apparently by a rabbit or hare and the children are asked to search them. Nowadays, egg hunt games are popular mediums of advertising businesses or ventures. Some churches also organise these games on Easter Sunday.

Normal routine and lifestyle is followed on Easter Sunday as it is not a federal holiday. Few stores and institutions might remain closed in some parts of the US, while some are opened with limited trading hours. You shall get public transit systems running as on a regular Sunday schedule.

Easter Sunday primarily has the symbol of the cross that Jesus was crucified and his rebirth. However other symbols of Easter include decorated and colored real eggs or eggs manufactured from different kinds of materials. Rabbits, nests, eggs, hares, lambs and young animals represent the re-birth and return to fertility of Mother Nature during spring season. Candy models of rabbits with nests full of beautifully decorated eggs are the prime symbol of Easter Sunday.