Easter is one of the principal festivals of the Christian calendar and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. Its origins date back to the beginning of Christianity, but it is only since the 8th century AD that the term 'Easter' has been used, when it is believed that the Venerable Bede named the festival after Eostre, the Anglo Saxon goddess of Spring and fertility whose festival was commemorated on the day of the Vernal Equinox. The date of Easter varies from year to year, but it is always celebrated on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April. The actual date is determined as being on the Sunday following the first full paschal moon occurring on or after 21 March, the Vernal Equinox. Paschal moons are defined by the church and don't necessarily coincide with astronomical full moons. This way of calculating the date was fixed by the Council of Nicaea in AD 325 which was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, who is also believed to have been responsible for beginning the tradition of the Easter Parade when he ordered every citizen to wear their best clothing to observe the Holy Day! Whilst the west uses the Gregorian calendar to calculate these dates, some eastern countries still use the Julian calendar which is currently about 13 days behind. Therefore, they can celebrate Easter up to a month later. LENT The run up to Easter is known as Lent, a term which is derived from the old English word for spring - lenten. This is a period of fasting and preparation for baptism, which symbolises the 40 day fast of Jesus after his baptism. It begins on Ash Wednesday when the ashes of the palms used on the previous Palm Sunday are used to mark a cross on the forehead of those attending church. SHROVE TUESDAY Ash Wednesday is preceded by Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) which is traditionally the day when all eggs and fat were used up by making pancakes. The name derives from the term 'shrive' - the confession of sins which was done in preparation for Lent. HOLY WEEK The final week of Lent is known as 'Holy Week'. This commences on Palm Sunday, which remembers the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem when the crowds laid palms at this feet, and ends at midnight on Holy Saturday. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday also fall within Holy Week. MAUNDY THURSDAY Hundreds of years ago the Tombland Fair used to be held in Norwich, England, on the Thursday before Easter. It was traditional for people to sell horses, cattle and other goods including fish, which were brought along in 'maund' baskets. This is believed to be where the term 'Maundy Thursday' came from. The custom of the distribution of alms by the monarch on this day was begun in 1361 when Edward III (who was then 50 years old) gave 50 pairs of slippers to 50 poor men. Following this, the number of gifts was always in accordance with the age of the monarch. To this day The Queen attends a Maundy Thursday service during which pouches of money are distributed to a number of people corresponding to her age. Maundy Thursday is also known as Holy Thursday when Christians commemorate the Last Supper, which was held the evening before the Crucifixion. GOOD FRIDAY Good Friday marks the day that Jesus was crucified. It is thought that the name might derive from 'God's Friday' and is so called because Christians believed that the death of Jesus should be celebrated, rather than mourned, as it allowed them to make peace with God. Back To Easter Index Back To Main Index Page