Tag Archives: Easter
Good Friday
Public Domain
Today is Good Friday, an important event in the Christian liturgical calendar. Some argue the word Good is a corruption and used to mean God Friday. Others argue it always meant that the day is meant to be pious or holy. For Christians, Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified on the cross. Observant Christians will mark the day by silent meditation, prayer, and church attendance. Many will fast during the day, particularly during the hours of 12 noon to 3 p.m. Hot Cross Buns are a traditional food many cultures use on this day (and through the Easter season). Most Catholics and Christians will avoid eating meat on this day and usually the main meal will be fish. Good Friday (and sometimes Easter Monday)are public holidays in many countries. Good Friday always occurs on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
For Further Information:
Happy Sunday (Second Sunday of Easter)
Traditionally this is known as the Second Sunday of Easter on the liturgical calendar. Since 2000, it is known in the Catholic Church as Divine Mercy Sunday. Divine Mercy Sunday is not a feast on its own but is used to close out Easter as it is 8th and last day of the Easter feast. This is based on the fact that many Jewish observances also last for 8 days. St. Faustina Kowalska also revealed in her revelations that Jesus wanted this 8th day to be part of the Easter feast.
Happy Easter
Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Today is Good Friday
Public Domain
Today is Good Friday, an important event in the Christian liturgical calendar. Some argue the word Good is a corruption and used to mean God Friday. Others argue it always meant that the day is meant to be pious or holy. For Christians, Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified on the cross. Observant Christians will mark the day by silent meditation, prayer, and church attendance. Many will fast during the day, particularly during the hours of 12 noon to 3 p.m. Hot Cross Buns are a traditional food many cultures use on this day (and through the Easter season). Most Catholics and Christians will avoid eating meat on this day and usually the main meal will be fish. Good Friday (and sometimes Easter Monday)are public holidays in many countries. Good Friday always occurs on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
For Further Information:
Easter Monday
U.S. Library of Congress
Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons
Easter Monday is the day after Easter and during the Eastertide season. In many countries, the day is a national or state holiday. In the case of the former, it means government, banks, and most businesses are closed. In the latter, it is only a state or bank holiday so only the government and banks are shut down. Australia, Austria, Canada (optional in two provinces), France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and United Kingdom (except Scotland) celebrate the day as a national holiday. A full list of countries can be found here. Eastern Orthodox countries celebrate Easter based on the Julian calendar so their Easter Monday will be different from those in the West. Also, countries have different traditions. Some have parades, Easter egg races, picnics or other activities, or special foods for the day. For most, it extends the Easter holiday from Good Friday through Monday.
Happy Easter
Today is Good Friday
Public Domain
Today is Good Friday, an important event in the Christian liturgical calendar. Some argue the word Good is a corruption and used to mean God Friday. Others argue it always meant that the day is meant to be pious or holy. For Christians, Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified on the cross. Observant Christians will mark the day by silent meditation, prayer, and church attendance. Many will fast during the day, particularly during the hours of 12 noon to 3 p.m. Hot Cross Buns are a traditional food many cultures use on this day (and through the Easter season). Most Catholics and Christians will avoid eating meat on this day and usually the main meal will be fish. Good Friday (and sometimes Easter Monday)are public holidays in many countries. Good Friday always occurs on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
Palm Sunday
Fresco in the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi, Italy
Public Domain
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week on the Christian Calendar. This feast takes place the Sunday before Easter and commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The symbolism of Jesus arriving on a donkey is symbolic of coming in peace rather than on a steed as a soldier might do. While palms can be used for religious services held on this day, it is not always possible to have them. So in many places substitutes are used from other trees such as the olive, yew or other native trees. This lead to Palm Sunday sometimes referred to locally as Yew Sunday or Branch Sunday.
The feast is celebrated both in Western and Eastern churches though not at the same time due to different calendars (the West uses the Gregorian while Eastern Orthodox uses the Julian).
Happy Easter