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Easter Holiday Observed As Religious Observation
By Audrey Sneddon

On a Sunday between March 22 and April 25, Christianity celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the Easter holiday. In the year 325 it was determined that the resurrection should be celebrated on a Sunday, but it took several centuries after that to develop the computation to be accepted by the majority as to how to determine the date on which it would be celebrated.

The Easter holiday is observed by a range of traditions, many based on religious beliefs focused on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on what is called Good Friday. Three days later his followers went to retrieve his body and found it was missing. An angel is said to have told them that He is risen, causing the Sunday to be celebrated as the Easter holiday.

The cross is used as a symbol of His resurrection and the reference to Jesus being a lamb of God also causes the lamb to be a symbol of the Easter holiday. Roman Catholics will mark the Easter holiday with candles, extinguishing them on Good Friday and lighting them again on Easter Sunday, using the Pascal candle. Many countries still use lights, candles and bonfires as a method to mark the Easter holiday.

Eggs Celebrate The Beginning Of New Life

The custom of giving eggs began with the Egyptians and Persians who believed that the Earth hatched from an egg and in their customs, the eggs were decorated an exchanged. As a symbol of new life, eggs became a symbol of the Easter holiday and ancient Greeks colored them red as a sign of the resurrection and in England they would write messages on them and the date and exchange them with friends.

The rabbit, more accurately the hare, symbolized new life in ancient Egypt and is considered a sign of the moon. The date on which Easter is celebrated each year is determined by the moon. However, some cultures equate the world's new life with the reproductive capacity of the rabbit.

Legend has it that a poor woman hid eggs around her house for her children to find one Easter holiday and just as they found them they saw a rabbit hopping away. This made the children believe that it was the rabbit that the eggs and their mother did not tell them any different. The tradition lives on with many families, holding an Easter egg hunt on every Easter holiday.

Author Details:
Audrey Sneddon writes for various web sites on a wide variety of subjects including Easter, and other holidays.

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