Easter (Western Christianity, 2024)

Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic, Greek, Latin) or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

Two weeks until T112 eek! So excited, time to put the decorations up soon

Cmon B & Hove

Easter-observing Christians commonly refer to the week before Easter as Holy Week, which in Western Christianity begins on Palm Sunday (marking the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem), includes Spy Wednesday (on which the betrayal of Jesus is mourned), and contains the days of the Easter Triduum including Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Maundy and Last Supper, as well as Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. In Eastern Christianity, the same events are commemorated with the names of days all starting with "Holy" or "Holy and Great", and Easter itself might be called "Great and Holy Pascha". In Western Christianity, Eastertide, or the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the 50th day, Pentecost Sunday. In Eastern Christianity, the Paschal season ends with Pentecost as well, but the leave-taking of the Great Feast of Pascha is on the 39th day, the day before the Feast of the Ascension.

Easter and its related holidays are moveable feasts, not falling on a fixed date; its date is computed based on a lunisolar calendar (solar year plus Moon phase) similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established only two rules, namely independence from the Hebrew calendar and worldwide uniformity. No details for the computation were specified; these were worked out in practice, a process that took centuries and generated a number of controversies. It has come to be the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March. Even if calculated on the basis of the Gregorian calendar, the date of that full moon sometimes differs from that of the astronomical first full moon after the March equinox.

The English term is derived from the Saxon spring festival Ēostre; Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by its name (Hebrew: פֶּסַח pesach, Aramaic: פָּסחָא pascha are the basis of the term Pascha), by its origin (according to the synoptic Gospels, both the crucifixion and the resurrection took place during the week of Passover) and by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar. In most European languages, both the Christian Easter and the Jewish Passover are called by the same name; and in the older English versions of the Bible, as well, the term Easter was used to translate Passover.

Easter traditions vary across the Christian world, and include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations and exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross, the wearing of Easter bonnets by women, clipping the church, and the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb). The Easter lily, a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity, traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter and are observed by both Christians and some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing (Eastern Europe), the Easter Bunny and egg hunting. There are also traditional Easter foods that vary by region and culture.

Pope Francis has used his traditional Easter message to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The 87-year-old pontiff led Easter Mass at the Vatican in front of thousands, despite concerns over his health.

Referring to conflicts around the world, the Pope pleaded not to "yield to the logic of weapons and rearming".

"Peace is never made with arms, but with outstretched hands and open hearts," he said.

Tens of thousands of worshippers gathered in St Peter's Square to hear the Pope.

As fresh truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas were due to begin, Pope Francis said: "I appeal once again that access to humanitarian aid be ensured to Gaza, and call once more for the prompt release of the hostages seized on 7 October and for an immediate ceasefire in the Strip.

Referring to the impact of the war on civilians, beginning with children, he said: "How much suffering we see in their eyes! With those eyes, they ask us: Why? Why all this death? Why all this destruction? War is always an absurdity and a defeat."

Pope Francis also warned countries against re-arming themselves and spoke about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine just over two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

Corneria. Fourth planet of the Lylat system. The evil Andross turned this once thriving system into a wasteland of near extinction. General Pepper of the Cornerian army was successful in exiling this maniacal scientist to the barren, deserted planet, Venom. Five years later, General Pepper noticed strange activity coming from Venom. James McCloud, Pigma Dengar, and Peppy Hare of the Star Fox team were sent to investigate. Upon their arrival, Pigma betrayed the team, and James and Peppy were captured by Andross. Peppy barely escaped Venom and returned home to tell James' son Fox about his father's fate.

The Best Easter Prayers for Resurrection Sunday

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/prayer/easter-prayers.html

Easter Sunday hymn:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usfiAsWR4qU

🐰

✝️

Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning

Easter Monday 2024

Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday. It marks the second day of Eastertide in Christian traditions. Many people celebrate it as a continuation of Easter festivities. In some countries, it's a public holiday, giving families time to relax and enjoy spring activities.

It has religious significance, because it is the day after Christians believe the messiah returned to earth. Jesus is believed to have stayed for 40 days, appearing to believers and giving ministry. He healed the sick and proved to doubters that he was the son of God.

In Western Christianity it marks the second day of the Octave of Easter.

Charlie Wyke's late goal gave Championship strugglers Rotherham victory over Millwall.

The Millers needed a win to avoid relegation to League One being confirmed.

Sebastian Revan's first Rotherham goal was cancelled out by Ryan Longman's equaliser.

But striker Wyke, on loan from Wigan, nodded home in the 86th minute to clinch the three points.

The result ensured Rotherham still remain a Championship side with their next game at home to strugglers Plymouth, who haven't won any of their past five matches.

The Millers are bottom on 23 points, 16 behind 23rd-placed Sheffield Wednesday.

2005: Pope John Paul II dies

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/2/newsid_4873000/4873058.stm

Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State for 26 years from October 1978 to his death, on 2 April 2005. Since his death, many thousands of people have been supporting the case for beatifying and canonising Pope John Paul II as a saint. His formal beatification ceremony took place on 1 May 2011.

FC Saarbrucken boss Rudiger Ziehl says it would be "crazy" to stop his third-tier minnows "dreaming" of completing a fairytale run to the German Cup final.

The underdogs have upset Bayern Munich and two other Bundesliga clubs, Borussia Monchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt, to make the DFB-Pokal semis.

They face second-tier FC Kaiserslautern on Tuesday for a place in the final.

"It's totally normal to have thoughts about the final because you are close," Ziehl told BBC World Service Sport.

"It's crazy to forbid dreaming - this is a great moment and the days before you are maybe dreaming, thinking about a final in Berlin."

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, seeking a league and cup double under Xabi Alonso, or Fortuna Dusseldorf will await the winners in May's final at the Olympiastadion.

"It's something special for a third-league club to be in the final and you can't say 'don't think about it'," added Ziehl, 46.

"After this game, if we are successful, we will have [achieved] something that is such a big, big thing and, for sure, everybody's thinking about it."