Easter

Easter is considered the most important religious holiday of the Christian liturgical year, observed in March, April, or May to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead after his death by crucifixion (see Good Friday), which Christians believe happened at about this time of year around AD 30-33. Easter can also refer to the season of the church year, lasting for fifty days, which follows this holiday and ends around Pentecost. (See Eastertide.)

Origin of Easter

Easter and the early Christian Church

There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. However, a Passover Homily does survive from the 2nd century which indicates that the practice of Passover arose quite early in the history of the Church.

Related Topics:
New Testament - 2nd century

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In the mid second century (c. A.D. 155) Anicetus became bishop of the Roman Christians. Shortly thereafter, Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, traveled to Rome to discuss with Anicetus various practices in the Roman congregation; among these was the discussion of observing the resurrection of Christ in deference to his sacrifice and death.

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Polycarp cited the teachings of the Apostles, while Anicetus cited the traditions of the earlier bishops of the Roman church. The historian Eusebius reports that Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon (c. 176)(in a letter to Victor, bishop of Rome A.D. 189 - 198 -- see Pope Victor I), listed bishops of Rome back to Sixtus (or Xysyus -- c. 116 - c. 125) who celebrated the resurrection, but tolerated those who continued to observe the Passover; thus the practice can be traced to very early in the second century, but had not yet displaced the observance of Passover by Christians. Polycarp and Anicetus parted without coming to any agreement on this issue. (Samuele Bacchiocchi (2003). From Sabbath to Sunday. Retrieved 21 June 2005)

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Establishment of Easter

After Anicetus, Soter became bishop of Rome where he established Easter as an annual festival. The celebration was to be "the Sunday following the 14th of the Jewish month Nisan (the day of the Passover)." (J.N.D. Kelly (1986). The Oxford Dictionary of Popes. p. 11).

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This ruling by the bishop of Rome was widely, but not universally, accepted. A rift developed, primarily between the eastern (Asian) and western churches. It became known as the Quartodeciman Controversy (see Quartodecimanism).

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The observance of any special holiday throughout the Christian year is believed by some to be an innovation postdating the early church. The ecclesiastical historian Socrates Scholasticus attributes the observance of Easter by the church to the perpetuation of local custom, "just as many other customs have been established", stating that neither Jesus nor his apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival (of course, the Bible states that Jesus and the Apostles did indeed observe festivals). Nowhere in his history did Socrates Scholasticus state that the observance of Easter was due to pagan influences, however. In addition, if one wishes to take this specific sentence prima faciae, one could just as easily invent a justification for rejecting weekly worship services on Sunday, Saturday, or any other day, rejecting the ownership of church buildings by religious organizations, and rejecting the participation of Christians in any sort of political process, as none of these activities were specifically enjoined by Jesus or the Apostles, either. Furthermore, the entirety of the chapter renders the statement in the context of defending diversity of dates for the holiday, without rejecting or denigrating the celebration.

Related Topics:
Socrates Scholasticus - Jesus

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Many commentators, however, have interpreted the last supper as a Passover seder at which Jesus presided. In addition, Jesus and the Apostles were observing Sukkot (the "Feast of Booths") when the Transfiguration occurred, indicating that he was not immediately opposed to the observance of annual holidays. As the far more common worldwide name of the holiday, "Pascha" (or variations thereof), indicates, the holiday arose from the Passover celebrations, but with emphasis upon the Resurrection of Jesus.

Related Topics:
Last supper - Passover - Seder - Sukkot - Transfiguration

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