This association with death and rebirth may be why rabbits were depicted on gravestones in the Greco-Roman world. Over time the associations made with hares shifted to rabbits because they have many of the same characteristics. Three thousand years ago, the hare symbolized death and rebirth to these ancient people. In order to understand how and why the rabbit became associated with Easter we have to go back to ancient Mesopotamia and Syria. So if Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and its significance, how did the Easter bunny become associated with it? Hares and Rabbits and Bunnies! Oh My! Ultimately, all who belong to Jesus will one day break the shackles of death and live again in glory. 3īecause of Easter, Christians believe that death is not the final word. The season of Lent establishes a forty-day preparation period of prayer, fasting, and reflection prior to the Easter celebration. Holy Week commemorates the events in Jesus’ life leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection. Good Friday marks the day Jesus was crucified. The significance of Easter in the Christian calendar grew with the addition of other days of great importance. ![]() Consequently, Easter in the West can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. So church leaders came up with a specific formula: Easter is observed on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox-that is, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. As such, Western Christians decided to make sure that the holiday occurred on a Sunday. But that date could fall on any day of the week, whereas Jesus’ resurrection took place on Sunday. ![]() Some wanted to continue to associate it with the Jewish Passover on Nisan 14 of the Hebrew calendar. 1Īs with all things human, there were debates about the best way and the best time to celebrate Easter. It is not too far-fetched to say that without the resurrection there is no Christianity, so it’s no wonder that Christ-followers began to celebrate the event early on. Taken together, the crucifixion and resurrection form the central events of the Christian faith. Easter is a Christian festival or holy-day that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion.
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